Do you remember last week, how Sam Seaborn came back, and Josh nearly went postal, and Josh and Donna went off on a romantic vacation? And you remember how we've been waiting to hear more about C.J. and Danny? And how we all want to know whether Toby's going to prison, or whether he's going to be pardoned, or what? Well, none of any of that gets resolved or addressed in the slightest degree this week. Instead, we get an episode devoted almost entirely to Arnie Vinick's post-election blues, Santos's difficulty in selecting a cabinet, and Helen freaking out over the changes in her life. We'll start with Helen -- she's forced to give up her idea of letting the kids continue to live in Houston for a while, when she realizes it will mean turning her entire block into an armed compound. Helen's also overwhelmed at the size of the White House domestic staff, and all of the decisions she's expected to make. Since the kids are now going to move to D.C. in January, she and Santos have to select a school for them. They are not pleased with the private schools they visit, and end up selecting a public school for the kids to attend. In even less relevant news, Vinick is depressed, and then decides that he'll run for President again in four years. Sheila and Bob try to talk him out of it, but he doesn't give up the idea, until Santos offers him the post of Secretary of State. Santos also almost offers him a job as Vice-President, but that was just a fake-out intended to help Santos get his real first choice, Governor Baker of Pennsylvania. I can't believe they wasted one of our last three episodes on this.
First a correction -- two recaps ago, when I put forward my theory about Ainsley Hayes working unseen in the White House all these years, I forgot that way back in Season 4 the show hired a replacement for her, clearly implying that she had left the White House. Thanks to the many, many readers who contacted me to point out the error.
Previously, Santos won the election. Which means that Arnie Vinick lost (for those who have trouble keeping up).
Crazy old man Vinick emerges from the front door of his rowhouse dressed in pajamas and a bathrobe. His newspapers are several steps down, so he shuffles down the steps and bends over to pick them up. A woman walking her dog goes strolling by, and he gives her a slightly dirty look.
Santos walks past the Treasury building to his motorcade waiting on 15th Street. There's a mob cheering his name -- do these people just hang out near the White House, waiting to run into him?
Vinick sits down in an easy chair in his living room, turns the TV on to some news channel, and starts to read the paper. (The main story, in a huge banner headline, is "Santos Still Undecided On Vice President." Slow news day, I guess.)
Cut back to Santos, meeting with some military types.
And now Vinick decides to get his butt in gear. He picks up the phone to call his office...and the call goes straight to voicemail. This apparently motivates him to get dressed, because the thing we see is him walking down the nearly abandoned corridor of a Senate office building. He passes a guard, who does not ask him for his ID -- presumably because he hasn't changed his hairstyle recently.
Vinick enters his office, which is full of boxes in various stages of being packed. His blonde staffer Annie is there, and she seems surprised to see Vinick. He notes that it's still his office for another month, and then asks where Sheila is. It turns out that she's interviewing for a job with Royce, the Senate Majority Leader. Annie sounds a bit jealous when she tells him, "Seems every message I take now is a job offer for Sheila." Where's the rest of Vinick's staff? Did he fire them all already? Did they all decide to take their accumulated vacation time? Did they all quit to find something with more future? Hmmm, now that I think about it, the same questions might be asked of most of the show's regular cast, of whom we see neither hide nor hair in this episode. Vinick starts giving orders to his sole flunky about calls that he wants to make to various and sundry Republicans around the country. It takes a bit of goading for Annie to realize that he wants to make those calls right away.
Santos is giving a statement to the press, backed up by the generals we saw him meeting with earlier. I'm guessing he left the OEOB (via two-block walk to 15th Street) to come to a meeting at the Pentagon. Santos tells the press that he doesn't want to make any Cabinet announcements until he's got his V.P. selected. Ronna pulls a very subtle, silent bram, and Santos ends the press op.
Vinick's doctor is giving him a clean bill of health. The doc is surprised by how quickly Vinick's hand healed, but the positive power of not using it was enough to promote a speedy cure. And then Vinick's doctor tells him that he's in great shape for a man half his age. A man half his age who is particularly frail and feeble. Vinick is pleased to get the news.
Transition HQ. The office is hopping, and we hear on a television that Jed and Abbey are on their way to Brussels for his final meeting of the G-8. Lou enters Santos's office, where Barry Goodwin and Santos are talking about potential cabinet appointments. Lou interrupts them to tell Santos that a Kansas City newspaper has picked up a leak about the potential nominee for Secretary of Agriculture. Santos is surprised there was a leak, but Barry points out that once the FBI starts doing a background check, it's not hard for the papers to figure it out. Lou and her cat-eye glasses think that leaking some cabinet names would take the pressure off them in terms of the V.P. choice. Santos tells them that he's decided on a Veep. And then he throws the internets into a tizzy by asking whether they have Nancy McNally's financial disclosure statement. Amy -- who is sitting on a couch in the corner of the room -- looks like she's about to jump out of her skin, and Barry asks whom Santos has selected as Veep. Santos seems surprised that they even have to ask, telling them that it's Governor Baker of Pennsylvania. Amy, who looked totally thrilled at the idea of Nancy as Veep, stifles herself to tell Santos that he needs to ask the Electors to vote for Baker as V.P. now so it will happen week. Amy and Goodwin are both convinced that if Santos doesn't ask the Electors to, um, elect Baker, they'll never get him, because the Republicans in the Senate will never confirm him. Santos thinks it's wrong to ask the Electoral College to select the V.P., and he wants to find a way to get Baker through a Congressional confirmation process.
Vinick is meeting with his attorney. (I think I work with that guy.) He's telling Vinick about all the offers he's received for Vinick to sit on corporate boards. But Vinick doesn't want to sit on any corporate boards, despite the fact that doing so involves no work and can be very lucrative. According to Vinick, "It wouldn't look good." His attorney asks, "Who cares what it looks like? No offense, Arnie, but nobody notices what former senators do." Especially when their shows are cancelled. Vinick's lawyer tells him that he's also received lots of offers from academic institutions. Vinick tells his lawyer that he wants to be a guest lecturer at Penn, Florida State, and Ohio Wesleyan. Arnie asks whether there are any offers in California. His attorney asks, "You don't want to be the official greeter at a vineyard, do you?"
Transition HQ. Ron Butterfield is playing with his dollhouse. Actually, it's a mockup of what the Santoses' residence in Houston will look like once the Secret Service has made its security modifications. Apparently, one of the changes will be a wall about twenty-two feet tall around the perimeter of the property. Agent Butterfield claims that this violates Houston zoning laws, to which I can only say: Au contraire, mon frere! Houston has no zoning. It's famous for it. There will also be a guardhouse build smack dab in the middle of the sidewalk -- anyone entering the house will have to pass through it. Helen wonders if it has to be so big, and Butterfield tells her that they've already made it smaller than normal: "We're trying to let it blend in to the neighborhood." Helen: "Really? Who else in the neighborhood has a guardhouse?" Ron tells her that the plans could be scaled back, "depending on how often members of the First Family are going to use the house." Santos and Helen break the news that the plan is for Helen and the kids to live there full-time at least through June, so that the kids can finish the school year. Ron absorbs this news and then excuses himself. I'm sure he's going into a stairwell to scream and curse. Another agent with a very muscular jaw tells the First Couple that having permanent security in Houston and at the White House is going to really stretch their resources thin. No, seriously, I can't stop looking at this guy's jaw. It's like Dudley Do-Right took off his Mountie uniform and put on a bland suit.
Bob enters Vinick's outer office, and tells Sheila that he has the exit polls Vinick was asking for. Sheila: "Great. Now he can really obsess about why he lost." Vinick's attorney emerges from his office and tells Sheila that she has to talk to him about money; by refusing to sit on any boards, Vinick is seriously undermining his earning potential.
Transition HQ. Agent Butterfield apologizes to Santos and Helen for the interruption, and tells them that if Helen and the kids are going to live in Houston, the Secret Service is going to shut down the entire street -- no one will be able to enter the block without passing through a security checkpoint. Helen prepares to start pitching a fit when Santos pulls her away. Santos asks Helen whether she's okay, and with some honesty, she tells him that she's not. He starts to tell her that the agents are just trying to do their jobs, and she cuts him off: "This is not gonna work. We should all move to the White House with you in January." He accepts that, and suggests that they start looking at schools.
Non-Transition HQ (aka Vinick's office). Bob and Sheila enter Vinick's office, and Vinick asks whether Bob has the exit polls. He does, and he tells Vinick that they lost Nevada because of the nuclear accident. Vinick dives into the numbers, but Sheila immediately starts haranguing him about not sitting on any boards and not planning on earning enough to support himself. Sheila suggests that Vinick take a job with a D.C. law firm. Vinick tells her, "I won't do any lobbying. It wouldn't look good." Sheila keys in one part of that answer, pointing out that he wouldn't have to lobby. Bob keys in on the other part, wondering what Vinick means by saying "it wouldn't look good." Sheila notes that Vinick only wants to lecture in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio, and realizes that he's thinking about running for President again in four years. Sheila clearly thinks this is a bad idea, and Vinick starts to get petulant. Vinick wonders who will be the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in four years: "One of the seven dwarves I just beat?" Bob calmly points out that Ray Sullivan is the presumed frontrunner, and that thanks to his role as Vinick's Veep candidate, he has a real chance. Vinick thinks Sullivan wouldn't run against him. Sheila's not so sure: "You wanna bet on that?" Vinick thinks that he would have won if it wasn't for the nuclear accident, and that the accident will have been forgotten in four years' time. Sheila and Bob are struck silent. He accuses them of thinking he's too old, and then tells them, "I feel great. I'm telling you, seventy is the new sixty." Commercials.
Transition HQ. Santos and Barry are talking about the confirmation chances of various prospective cabinet nominees. Are you just dying to know who Santos is going to pick as his Treasury Secretary? You are? Well, tough, because I'm not going to tell you. In this scene, we also learn the fascinating tidbit that the Treasury Department is in charge of the Bureau of Engraving. I know! It was a surprise to me, too. There's a bit of actual plot, when they discuss potential Secretaries of State. Santos decides that he loves Nancy McNally, but thinks she would be better as U.N. Ambassador. And that he really doesn't care for any of the other candidates. We leave the conversation just as they start to talk about candidates for Secretary of Commerce. Which is a good thing, because I could not stand any more excitement.
The West Wing. C.J. is on the phone with Jed, giving him an update on Kazakhstan. She puts him on hold in order to connect him with some other caller. I'm not sure I think the President sits around on hold waiting for people. In any case, C.J. opens her door and asks Margaret to get a couple of people on the phone with Jed. Amy is hovering over Margaret's desk. I wonder if Amy is trying to recruit Margaret to be her secretary in the new administration? Ah, it turns out Amy is there to meet with C.J. She hands C.J. a list of jobs for which the new administration has people lined up and instructs that all of the incumbents in those jobs need to be out of their offices by the Inauguration. C.J. gets the happy job of telling all of those people that they're being fired. Amy also tells C.J. that they don't have people lined up for many jobs at the State Department, so the Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries are being asked to stay on, at least temporarily. C.J. realizes this means Santos is having trouble selecting a Secretary of State, and asks Amy whether Nancy McNally is on the short list. Amy (who is a terrible liar) glances to the side and claims that she has no idea. C.J. pushes, and Amy admits that Nancy is on the short list. At that point, Margaret enters to tell C.J. that Helen is there to see her, and also to tell her that one of the people Jed needs to speak with is unavailable because he's having his teeth whitened. Well, since he's liable to be out of a job soon, it's probably a good idea to get pretty before he goes on some interviews. Amy, hearing that Helen is there, offers to duck out the side door. C.J. wonders if Amy's having trouble with Helen, and Amy smiles and tells her, "I'm just not her favorite person today." C.J. laughs, as Amy sneaks out. Those two have some nice chemistry -- I wish they'd gotten more scenes together over the years.
C.J. emerges from her office and greets Helen, calling her "Mrs. Santos." Helen asks her to call her "Helen," and C.J. invites her into her office. Margaret also whispers to C.J. that everyone is ready to speak with Jed but that he's moved on to another call himself.
In her office, C.J. tells Santos that Abbey "would've loved to have shown you around," but that C.J. will have to do the honors since Abbey is on a trip. And if they were going to do this "country mouse in the big city" routine with Helen, I do wish they'd gotten Stockard Channing to be there. It would have been a way for them to tell us something about the characters we've known and cared about over the last seven seasons. C.J. offers to try to make Helen feel "at home," and Helen wonders how that's possible in the White House. C.J. posits that the Residence has "some homey touches." Yeah, every home has an enormous round window in the family room that looks out onto the OEOB. Helen wonders what the homey touches could possibly be, and C.J. can't really think of any; the best she can come up with is "You could get bunk beds for the kids." Helen mentions needing to find a school for the kids, and C.J. offers the services of Jim Kane -- who just happens to be the Secretary of Education. I think C.J. has lost her sense of proportion sometime in the last few years.
Transition HQ. Amy does some more solo pedeconferencing, telling a caller that she'll let him know about the Veep choice before it's announced to the press. Ronna approaches, and tells Amy that a website run by a vile rumormonger has announced that Baker is getting the Veep nod. Amy wonders how the little scumbag figured it out, and Ronna asks whether it's true. Amy walks into Santos's office, where he's telling Barry that he wants Baker as Veep, but that he also wants a full Congressional confirmation process. They discuss strategy for how that might happen. And then, at a random moment, Santos tells them, "I want to see Arnold Vinick." Amy wonders whether Santos really thinks crazy old man Vinick will really be willing to help out, but Santos just repeats himself and walks out of the room.
Vinick's office. Vinick and Bob are still talking about the election and whether Vinick should run again. Vinick thinks that he needs to run in order to confirm, without a doubt, that moderates like him, and not the right-wing conservatives, are the real Republicans. Sheila's there, and she tells Vinick that he already won the fight for the soul of his party: "Ray Sullivan, the most popular guy in the party, is a Vinick Republican now." Except that he's anti-choice and extremely conservative. Or, in other words, exactly the opposite of Vinick. Bob and Sheila float the idea that Vinick can make Sullivan the Republican nominee and have his legacy live on in his protégé. But Vinick doesn't want to be a king-maker. He wants to be king. And then Annie comes in, and tells Vinick that Barry called, seeking a meeting between Vinick and Santos. Vinick wonders what the hell Santos wants. Annie suggests that Santos just wants to do a post-election handshake, for a nice bi-partisan photo op. Vinick doesn't want to be Santos's prop, but Bob thinks that if Vinick doesn't go then the Santos camp will leak the invite to make Santos look bi-partisan and Vinick look like a sore loser.
C.J. and Helen walk down a White House corridor. C.J. tells Helen, "Your personal staff is waiting for you in the East Room." Helen thinks she won't need anyone other than "a nanny type and someone to help clean up the kids' bedrooms." And then C.J. leads her into the East Room, where there are approximately 80,000 people assembled. Or a hundred or so. Helen just stops for a second when she sees the crowd, but C.J. gives her a very reassuring little smile and puts her hand on her back to keep her moving along. C.J. introduces Helen to the Chief Usher, who is actually the guy in charge of the personal staff. And not the guy whose house fell. The Usher starts laying out a schedule for Helen to speak with various people. He mentions that the head florist will want to hear about Helen and Santos's preferences in flowers. Helen interrupts him: "Um, the President-Elect doesn't have a flower preference." Oh, but I think he does. The Usher heads on with talk of butlers and maids and valets, and Helen excuses herself for a second. She pulls C.J. aside and tells her, "This is too much. We don't need all these people." C.J. asks her: "Okay. Which ones do you want to fire?" Can we start with the one who wrote this episode?
Vinick walks into Transition HQ, where the receptionist seems to be putting every caller on hold and never actually taking the calls. She interrupts her rudeness to tell Vinick that Barry is on a call and will be with him soon. There are a couple of extras who give little surprised looks when they see Vinick there. With some dismay, he takes off his coat to wait. He sees Barry sitting in an office just as someone closes the door. So then he opens his cell phone and dials his own office, where Sheila answers. He tells her that it was a terrible idea for him to meet with Santos, and then tells her to keep speaking to him so he can pretend he's still a busy and important man. He asks about his schedule for the day, and she tells him he has a haircut at 10. And nothing else for the rest of the year. Barry comes out of his office, and Vinick just starts pretending to be having an important conversation about his busy, busy schedule. He's a much better liar than Amy. Barry says hello to him, and they exchange mutual pleasantries about the great campaigns they ran. And then Barry tells Vinick that Santos had to ditch their meeting to go look at schools with Helen. Rude!
Barry leads Vinick into Santos's personal office and tells him that Santos won't be long and that he wants Vinick to wait there. Ronna brams Barry away to speak to a real Senator. Vinick is left alone in the office. He stands there and takes in everything that would have been his had he won. And then we just brood on out to a commercial break.
Santos motorcade. In the back of a limo, Helen asks Santos, "Do you think St. Albans was a little, you know, stuffy?" I was going to try to fit in some funny story about Saint Alban, but it turns out kind of a righteous dude (what with helping a fugitive flee persecution, taking the fugitive's place, and receiving the fugitive's punishment). Santos agrees with her, and agrees again when she describes "Bancroft" as being more down-to-earth. (St. Albans, by the way, is a real D.C. prep school, while Bancroft is actually the name of a D.C. public elementary school). Santos is not being very chatty with Helen, and she wonders what kind of bug he has up his butt. He's not comfortable with the idea of spending $25,000 for a year of elementary school. Helen thinks about it for a second, and they both laugh at how ridiculous it is. Helen asks the driver where the school is, and Santos tells her that they only had time for two that day. She's not pleased, so Santos calls his own office and tells Vinick that he'll need to reschedule. Vinick lies and claims that he's really busy, but agrees to have his staff (i.e., Annie or Sheila) try to find another time.
Arnie walks into a coffee joint and stands in a lengthy line of Washingtonians getting their midday fix. The barista bizarrely announces the name of the person to whom he is handing the drink. It's bizarre, because the same guy appears to be taking orders and handing out the drinks. Why does he need to learn their names if they're just going to stand there while he gets the coffee ready for them? When Arnie gets to the front of the line, he asks for "the coffee of the day," and the barista asks, "Tall, grande, or venti?" Arnie's confused, until the guy clarifies that he's talking about size, and then he covers by asking for whatever's largest. And then the barista asks for his name. He starts to say "Senator Vinick," but thinks better of it after one syllable and calls himself "Arnie." The barista announces, "Venti coffee of the day for Ernie." I really wouldn't mind an episode that's about Vinick's feelings after losing and his reentry into society, but this kind of "old man doesn't know about modern coffee" shit is just predictable and boring.
Helen and Santos walk out of a school. She tells him, "I wouldn't send our kids to that school if they paid us." Santos: "I didn't see a single kid smiling in there." I think they should just send the kids to Milford Academy. Santos suggests that they look at public schools, and Helen expresses concern over the quality of said schools. But Santos is optimistic, thinking that "there's gotta be some good public schools in the District." Helen's cell phone rings -- it turns out that she's late for her appointment with the White House decorator. Santos raises the idea of public school again, and Helen asks him, "Do you know any Congressmen who send their kids to D.C. public schools? What's this about, honey? You afraid they're gonna get spoiled going to a rich kids' school?" Santos comments how that might be the case. Helen: "You think having one maid pick up their socks and another pick up their underwear is not going to spoil them? Going to a fancy private school is going to be the most normal thing about them." Santos doesn't disagree, but also doesn't respond. Still, Helen agrees to look at a public school with him.
West Wing. C.J. and Margaret are sitting at C.J.'s desk working when Helen walks in. They seem surprised to see her. She tells them she has an appointment, and C.J. looks at Margaret, all "Did you change my calendar?" But Helen's appointment is with the decorator. Margaret points at a door and says, "That's in there." Helen walks through the door...
...And straight into the Oval Office. Once Helen realizes where she is, she looks a bit shocked. She slowly walks into the room and takes it all in. And then we hear a voice say her name. Hey, it's Gail, the decorator who tried to force Dolly Madison's desk on C.J. Excellent continuity. Although I do wonder why the decorator was left alone in the Oval Office. Aren't there super-important things in that room? Or is she some kind of secret agent decorator with a really high security clearance? You know what? I would watch a show about that. Gail tells Helen that the budget for redecorating is really limited (it's actually $200,000) and that the White House really needs some work (which it really doesn't, at least as it's presented on this show). Gail suggests establishing a fundraising committee to try to come up with a couple of million dollars for the job. Gail especially thinks there's work to do in the Office of O: "I've never liked the color of this rug, but the Bartlets.... Well, it's all up to you now." Helen thinks the rug looks fine. Gail talks about Helen leaving her "personal mark on the White House." Helen: "I'll leave that up to my kids. I tell you right now, there are gonna be a lot of crayon marks that we're gonna have to remove when we leave." You'd better remove them, or you'll totally lose your security deposit. Gail is not amused by Helen's little joke. I'm guessing she's going to activate a top-secret protocol to ban all crayons from the building. Gail presents Helen with some preliminary sketches that she's done of the children's bedrooms. For Peter, she's suggesting "a cowboy theme," and for Miranda, "a place a princess would love." Maybe the Santoses could make a deal with the Prime Minister of Canada and do an episode of Trading Spaces. That's one way to get some cheap redecorating. And I'd just love to see what Hildi does to the East Room. Or maybe Frank could make some kind of country chicken for the Oval Office.
Transition HQ. Vinick enters Santos's office for their rescheduled meeting. Santos apologizes for the scheduling snafu earlier in the day and complains (in a non-whiny way) about how busy he is. I think he's looking to make a little human connection, but all it does is remind Vinick of how jealous and bitter he is. Vinick asks where the cameras are, and Santos explains, with some confusion, that it isn't a photo op. Santos gets some coffee (after offering some to Arnie) and then tells Vinick that he needs his advice. Santos starts to explain about the legal opinion he's received that would let him appoint anyone he wants as Veep. Arnie immediately launches into a harangue about what an awful idea it is to let the Electors, um, elect the V.P. And I just realized I made the same joke at the beginning of the recap. That's how bored I am. Santos lets Vinick go on for a bit, and then tells him that he agrees with him. The advice he wants is about how to deal with the Senate in a confirmation hearing. Santos asks whether "the Senate Republicans would get rough." Maybe if you ask nicely, they would. Vinick thinks it depends on who the nominee is, and Santos leans in and asks, "Is the Vice Presidency something that you would consider?" After a few seconds of shocked silence from Vinick, they go through a little routine about whether Santos is asking, and whether Arnie would consider it if Santos were asking. Vinick asks whether Santos plans to stick to the domestic promises that helped get him elected, and when he confirms that he will, asks why he'd consider nominating someone who so diametrically disagrees with him on those issues. Vinick keeps working over the phrasing of Santos's question, "If I'd consider it." After a bit, he smiles and concludes that this is all a strategy by Santos to float a trial balloon that he might nominate Arnie in order to grease the wheels for whatever Democrat he does eventually nominate. Vinick also reveals that he's figured out that Santos wants to nominate Baker. At the end of this speech, Santos gives a small grin and neither denies nor confirms Vinick's theory. But he does ask Vinick what he thinks about Baker. Vinick gives his analysis of what Baker brings to the table and what the Senate Republicans will think of him. Still smiling, Santos asks, "What are you gonna do ?" Vinick: "I'll do...I'll do what I'm good at." Whine and moan? Oh, no, Santos guesses that he's going to run again. Vinick: "I hope you get your tax increase. It'll give me something to run against." Vinick stands to leave, but Santos asks him whether he has time to discuss Kazakhstan. Vinick sits back down, and they talk foreign policy. Vinick has already sussed out the good cop/bad cop routine that Bartlet and Santos have worked out, and thinks it might work. Santos: "I'm going to need another cop when Bartlet leaves office." And then Santos offers Vinick the post of Secretary of State. Santos lays out all of Vinick's qualifications for the job (which include that he agrees with Santos on foreign policy), and then tells him, "You are the best strategic thinker I know. I'm not asking you if you'd consider it, Arnie. I'm asking you to do it." We cut to commercials before we hear a response from Vinick. Both actors did a very nice job in that scene.
Santos's office. He's just finished briefing Lou, Amy, and Barry on his conversation with Vinick. Amy wonders what happened to the original plan to float a V.P. offer to Vinick to smooth Baker's confirmation, but Santos tells her that Vinick saw through that right away. They all think it's a bad idea, because Vinick's a Republican and because he might leak the story and cause them some embarrassment. Santos thinks the risk is worth it.
Vinick has just finished briefing Sheila and Bob on the conversation. He tells them that he turned Santos down, but that Santos asked him to sleep on it and respond the day. Bob and Sheila both think Vinick should accept. Vinick thinks that Santos is doing this just to prevent Vinick from running for President in four years. Neither of them points out how ridiculous that idea is, but it seems clear from their expressions. Vinick also thinks that Santos is just appointing him as Secretary of State so that Baker will get confirmed more easily. Bob: "You think they'd horse-trade with a job like State?" Vinick considers and thinks that doesn't seem likely. One thing about the Vinick character I like is that when he's alone or with the people he really trusts, he gives voice to his darker thoughts. He's not all sweetness and light. Vinick finally reads Sheila's face and asks, "You really don't think I can win, do you?" She thinks that he might have a chance if he were ten years younger, and he claims that the aging Baby Boomers will want to vote for him. Sheila delivers some hard truths, and Vinick sighs and stands up. He tells them that the thing that most tempts him to accept the offer is to keep Santos from appointing his second choice, who Vinick thinks will screw up the world pretty fast. Again, here's the complexity -- Vinick is starting to make excuses in his own mind that will allow him to change his position. Sheila walks over to him and tells him, "You can enter the history books as maybe the last honorable senator and a great Secretary of State. Or you can be the guy who just didn't know when to quit."
It's the day. Helen and Santos are touring a public school. It's all shiny happy people. The principal reels off info about the makeup of the student body, and we learn that only 8% of the students receive free lunch. They walk outside, and Helen expresses surprise that there were no metal detectors. The principal tells her, "D.C. doesn't have any metal detectors in our elementary schools." Helen realizes she just embarrassed herself, but the principal is totally gracious about it. There are kids playing in the schoolyard, and one foxy-looking teacher way in the back. She's wearing a beret. I bet all the kids love her. (My favorite elementary school teacher wore gauchos, and once a week we would move all the desks aside and have a dance party. She was awesome, but it was her exotic clothes that really put her over the top). The principal leaves the First Couple, and, as they walk away, it's clear that they both think this is the perfect school for their kids.
Transition HQ. The rude receptionist is still just putting people on hold when Vinick enters. Ronna greets him, and tells him that she'll get Santos.
In Santos's office, Santos is telling Amy to leak the fact that he's considering asking the Electoral College to vote for Baker. He ends up laying out a strategy that will result in speedy Congressional confirmation hearings for Baker. Ronna enters, and passes Barry a note, and Barry tells Santos that Vinick has arrived.
Barry fetches Vinick. Vinick asks what Santos is up to, and Barry tells him, "It sure as hell wasn't my idea. And you'd be doing me a big favor with the party if you'd turn it down."
Vinick enters, and he and Santos are left alone. Vinick immediately accuses Santos of offering him the position for strategic reasons. Santos repeats that he really wants Vinick at State. Vinick tells Santos, "I wouldn't lift a finger to help Baker with Republicans." And right then I could tell that he had already accepted the position, even if he hadn't consciously admitted it yet. The rest of this scene is just bargaining over the terms. Vinick starts throwing out every reason why he thinks he shouldn't accept, including fears that Santos will ignore him and run all foreign policy out of the White House. Santos calmly denies each bad thing Vinick throws at him. Vinick asks what will happen when he disagrees with Santos. Santos responds, "I will give you all the time you need to set me straight." Good luck with that. Santos goes on to say that, after listening to Vinick, he'll make the decision and expect Vinick to support it. Vinick paces for a bit, and tells Santos, "I'd have to have my own Deputy Secretary." Santos tells him he can have any Democrat he wants, and also offers to consult with Vinick on the undersecretaries. Vinick also wants to be clear that he won't do anything political to help Santos or the Democrats. Vinick, having talked himself into the job, feels a little buyer's remorse and walks over to the fireplace. He turns to Santos and says, "This is crazy. I don't see how this can work." So Santos shows him how it can work, by picking up the daily intelligence briefing, walking over to Vinick, and starting to talk to him about the job he's already decided to accept. Credits.
It wasn't a horrible episode, and I'm not opposed to episodes about some of the newer characters, but it just felt like filler to me. In any case, just two episodes to go.