It's a West Wing-free week on The West Wing, as we watch the two campaigns struggle to control the agenda. Vinick tries to throw Santos off his stride by focusing on immigration issues, calling for a doubling of the Border Patrol, praising and condemning citizen vigilantes patrolling the border, and introducing legislation to create a guest worker program. He also draws Santos into an "I voted for it before I voted against it" trap by bringing up the Central American Free Trade Agreement. But things aren't perfect for Vinick -- he gives Santos another opening on security issues by canceling an appearance at the VFW, leaving the field open for Santos (an actual V of an FW) to make a speech to the group. And Vinick gets caught lying to a representative of a right-wing religious group about the judges he would appoint, potentially creating a rift with this important bloc of voters. But Vinick's biggest loss is personal, as a long-time Latino staff member decides that he can't be involved in the campaign against the first Latino nominee for President, and resigns.
"Beltway Arnie" Vinick is wrapping up a campaign speech at a rally in Missouri. It's a Monday, according to the subtitle. As he emerges from auditorium, with Secret Service agents and an aide in tow, he is greeted by, and shakes hands with, the delightfully multicultural staff of the hotel. We see that pedeconferencing is truly a bipartisan habit, as Vinick's aide hangs up his cell phone and tells Vinick that Santos has moved up two points in the latest tracking poll. Hey, the aide is played by William Russ, a.k.a. the dad from Boy Meets World. Between him and Patricia Richardson (a.k.a. the mom from Home Improvement), Vinick's campaign is a veritable treasure trove of sitcom parents. A Secret Service agent opens the door to the men's room and tells Vinick that it's "the secure room." Which makes me think that a bunch of agents must have gone over every surface in the bathroom with bug-detecting equipment. Glamorous!
In the restroom, a man introduces himself to Vinick. I hate when that happens. His name is Charles Frost, and he's going to be giving Vinick his daily intelligence briefing. Vinick asks him if he's with the Agency or the NSC; he's actually an Agency employee assigned to the NSC. Vinick asks him, "You mind if I multitask?" And then he walks up to a urinal. Charles Frost looks in the other direction and doesn't say anything. Vinick turns his head around and tells Frost to go ahead with the briefing. Man, I hate talking to people while they're peeing. It happened all the time where I used to work, and I just don't get it. I mean, I know you're standing there peeing in front of everyone, but I still think it's kind of a private moment. Anyway, enough of my neuroses. Frost starts describing a situation in Kazakhstan. The scene ends before we hear any water striking porcelain.
Bruno's in the back of a limo, telling someone that Vinick should resign his Senate seat "so he can't be forced into any more difficult votes." Yeah, because that worked so well for Bob Dole. (Who, I know, doesn't exist in the show's universe, but still -- it's a dumb idea.) Bruno is speaking on the phone with Sheila (formerly known in these recaps as "Jill"), played by the aforementioned Patricia Richardson. She thinks that if Vinick quits the Senate, he'll be breaking his promise to California voters to serve out his term. Bruno tells Sheila that they've already got enough problems with Vinick's voting record. Vinick has just now entered the limo, and he tells them that he's proud of his voting record. Well, I should hope so. It's really the only thing you've got to show for yourself if you're a legislator. Vinick thinks that quitting the Senate would just look like a cheap stunt. Bruno tries to argue with him, but Vinick shuts him down: "Forget it! I'm not quitting the Senate." Bruno tries again, and Vinick asks Sheila, "Will you please tell Bruno, when I make a decision, that's the end of the discussion." Sheila refrains from pointing out that she doesn't need to tell Bruno that, because he's sitting right to Vinick and heard what he said. Sheila tells Vinick that his stop is the Fraternal Order of Police, where he's going to give the "stump plus." That is, the stump speech along with "Homeland Security, the death penalty, a little extra law and order." The television in Vinick's limo shows an MSNBC clip of Santos in his flight suit striding across the tarmac, and Vinick asks if they're ever going to stop showing that clip. Bruno tells Vinick, "That's what I call a stunt." Vinick thinks it's a pretty great stunt. Sheila reminds Vinick that he'll be surrounded by uniforms at the F.O.P., but Vinick thinks it doesn't really matter since he won't be wearing one.
A handsome young man enters the limo (which I'm assuming stopped, because he's not sweating enough to have chased it down). Vinick introduces him to Bruno as Leon. Leon has a laptop computer that he opens up in order to show Vinick and Bruno a television spot that the Republican National Committee would like to run. It's a pretty typical Republican hatchet job, all black and white photos of Santos and a grim voice-over accusing him of voting for higher taxes forty-seven times. Vinick recognizes that most of those votes were probably against tax cuts, rather than votes in favor of tax hikes. As the ad winds down, Bruno asks Leon, "Is this all you guys know how to do? Attack ads?" Leon tries to defend himself, but Bruno just rolls over him, demanding to know whether the RNC has even looked at any of the ads Bruno has written for the campaign: "Anyone with half a brain...." And then Vinick interrupts Bruno to tell him that Leon is not with the RNC: "He's one of us." And I think it's interesting that Vinick seems to identify himself as being part of a group ("us") that is outside of the Republican establishment. Vinick goes on to note that Leon has run Vinick's California operations for years. Leon also informs Bruno that he doesn't write campaign ads: "I leave that for people with half a brain." Bruno doesn't apologize, but he also takes Leon's insult without a murmur. Vinick tells Leon to tell the RNC that he doesn't want to go negative, "yet." Leon says he understand that, but that they don't think that it means they shouldn't go negative. Bruno points out that the press knows Vinick has the power to approve party ads, so any negative ads from the RNC will be blamed on him. Bruno and Vinick both think the ad was a good one, but only for a candidate who is losing. Santos's recent gains aren't enough to scare Bruno into running attack ads, because Santos can't win the Electoral College vote without California (Vinick's home state), and "most of this country can't imagine Santos as President." Leon, with an edge to his voice, asks if Bruno thinks that's because Santos is Latino. Bruno: "Latino, inexperienced, you take your pick. You don't need this ad." Vinick tells Leon to tell the RNC to shelve the ad for now, but to keep it ready in the event that "Santos says one word about [Vinick's] voting record." And then Vinick emerges from the limo to the cheers of an unseen crowd. Credits. Hmmm. Only three people in the credits will actually appear in this episode.
Vinick is recording the "I'm Arnold Vinick, and I approve this message" tag that will run at the end or beginning of his ads. The room is crowded with onlookers. Bruno keeps telling him to do it again in different ways. After one command to do it "softer," Vinick says, "I'm Arnold Vinick, and I'll be the nicest President ever, I promise." People laugh, and Bruno yells at them to shut up. On the take, Vinick pretends to forget his own name until Leon supplies it for him, and Bruno angrily screams at everyone to get out of the room. I know I'm biased, because I find Ron Silver to be a repulsive little troll, but Bruno's kind of an asshole. Vinick does a couple of additional takes, and he and Bruno both decide that they've got what they need.
Vinick and his entourage emerge from the taping and walk onto an elevator. He asks Unnamed Blonde Woman when the meeting with the American Christian Assembly is scheduled. She tells him that it's still not scheduled. Leon tells him that the ACA wants to meet at their HQ in Atlanta, and Sheila wants to meet at the Vinick HQ or in some neutral place. It might happen in Philadelphia, after Vinick addresses the Veterans of Foreign Wars. And then William Russ -- whose character is named Dan even though they never actually tell us that -- shows Vinick some new CNN poll numbers on his cell phone. Vinick puts on his glasses, and takes them off again when he sees that his lead has dropped to five points. Leon points out that every poll has Santos gaining, but Vinick thinks that's just because of the coverage of his reserve drill.
The elevator opens in what looks like the parking garage of the building. Assuming that your typical parking garage is full of reporters screaming out questions. Some of the questions are about the polling, and Dan shuts them down. But one reporter asks Vinick whether he thinks that Santos's reserve drill was just a stunt. Vinick, with apparently sincere outrage, tells them that it was "devotion to duty." He continues, "And I hope Congressman Santos continues to do his duty when I'm Commander-in-Chief."
Cut to Josh and Santos watching coverage of that remark. Santos is standing in front of a large picture of the U.S. Capitol. He tells Josh that he'll "take any sentence that has 'Santos' and 'do his duty' in it." Heh. He said "duty." Josh thinks that Vinick made a huge mistake by not changing the subject. And then Santos sits down for a live interview with a Sacramento television station. We don't hear the question, but Santos's first answer is that his reserve drill wasn't a stunt: "I've always answered my country's call to duty, and I always will."
Sheila, talking on a headset mic, emerges from the women's room at Vinick HQ. I guess everybody on that campaign "multitasks." She's on the phone with Vinick, giving him hell for "taking a shot" at Santos. Vinick doesn't think he took a shot at Santos, but she tells him that however he sees it, he's guaranteed that the story will be in the news for another cycle. Vinick and entourage (including Bruno, Dan, and Leon) are walking down the aisle of his campaign jet. Bruno tells Vinick that Santos will have some good days, and that Vinick can't let it get to him.
Vinick hands the phone to Bruno and asks him to put Sheila on speakerphone. Bruno hands the phone off to Leon, who pushes the one button necessary to put Sheila on speaker. She tells them that they are sticking with the message of the week, which is "Homeland Security." She points out that Vinick just got the endorsement of the F.O.P., that he'll get the Philadelphia police union's endorsement the day, and that they might get the Houston police union's endorsement as well. Dan thinks that it must drive Santos crazy, as the former mayor of Houston, that he can't even get the endorsement of his own city's police union. Leon wonders if they ever endorse a Democrat. Well, I don't know about the Houston police union, but the F.O.P. and some other national and big-city police unions have pretty much split their endorsements evenly between parties over the last dozen years. Bruno thinks they already have a good week planned out, but Vinick wants to do something to "shake things up now." Vinick tells them, "Santos is not the standard-issue Democratic candidate." Dan thinks he's a lot weaker than the standard-issue Democratic candidate, but Vinick points out that Santos is smarter and tougher than Dan is giving him credit for. Vinick wants to bring the fight straight to Santos. Leon points out that going negative first is a sign of weakness, but Vinick thinks they can do it without ever even mentioning Santos's name. And then they have a deadly dull discussion about how to shock Santos. Really, if I wrote it up, it would go on for about a page. Just be glad I spared you. In the end, Vinick decides to make some policy proposals on "Latino issues." He tells Sheila that they're changing the message of the week, including canceling his appearance at the VFW in Philadelphia. Sheila is pretty angry about this, but Vinick won't be swayed. He wants them to regroup at HQ that night to plan some proposals that will knock Santos off his game. I don't care how much you think you need to retool your message: canceling an appearance at the VFW with one day's notice is going to come off as a deliberate insult. In the real world, that would be the biggest campaign story for at least a few days.
Santos HQ. Josh is on the phone discussing a possible Santos appearance in Cleveland. Because there are still hotel beds there he hasn't broken. As he dickers on the phone, Bram enters his office and hovers over his desk with a grin on his face. Josh takes a break from his phone conversation to tell Bram he can't attend a meeting, and Bram lets him know that the VFW has just invited Santos to take Vinick's spot. See, I told you it was stupid. Josh -- who had just been telling the person on the other end of the phone how difficult it was to change the schedule -- tells Bram that he can change the schedule completely to get Santos to the VFW in Philadelphia. And then Bram hands Josh a new CNN poll in which Vinick's lead is down to five points. He also tells Josh that the Zogby poll just gave Santos the lead in Maine. Boy, Bram is just a bundle of sunshine today. Josh stands up and starts swinging the phone around, shouting "I'm a big 'mo." Or maybe it was, "We've got the big mo." Bram has walked over to a map in which various states are colored blue and red (and white for undecided) to change Maine to white. (Interestingly, Texas is white on this map). Josh gets back on the phone and determines that if he gets Santos to Akron, he'll get Cleveland press coverage. After Josh finishes his call, Bram also lets Josh know that the Vinick campaign caved into the Santos demand to start the debate negotiations at the Santos HQ. Josh thinks this sucks, because it makes it impossible to blame Vinick for dragging his feet on negotiating debates.
At Vinick HQ, Dan is telling Bruno about the CNN poll. Bruno thinks Josh will start pushing campaign momentum stories in the press, but Dan tells him, "They ain't got the big 'mo yet." I really think any 'mo on the Santos campaign is going to be a bigger 'mo than anybody on the Vinick campaign. And I say that as a big 'mo myself. Bruno sees that Leon is changing the color of Maine on the map. (The Vinick campaign doesn't use markers on their whiteboard map -- they have magnetic cutouts of each state). Leon tells Bruno that Zogby gave Maine to Santos, and Bruno gives him hell, telling him, "We change our board when our tracking polls tell us to." And then Unnamed Blonde Woman tells Bruno that their own tracking poll is giving Santos an even bigger lead in Maine than the Zogby poll. Leon gives Bruno a look and a little head tilt that says, "I'll take your silence as an apology, you prick."
Sheila is on the phone with someone named George, telling him that Vinick would love to meet with "the reverends," but that the campaign schedule cannot be changed to send Vinick to Atlanta, since Georgia is not a swing state and Vinick has no need to campaign there. The ministers don't want to come to D.C. because they think it will look like they're begging. And then Sheila suggests that George come to Vinick HQ and have the meeting on behalf of the ministers, so that they can preserve their dignity and she can keep Vinick on the campaign trail. He accepts the deal. Vinick has walked up to her by this time, and he is thrilled when she tells him that she just got him out of a meeting with the ministers. And then Sheila harshes his buzz by telling him that he'll have to meet with George Rohr in their place. Vinick is not pleased with the idea, but Sheila points out that George "is a political professional and the reverends follow his advice." She wants Vinick to be nice to him. Vinick asks her, "You're the devil, aren't you? I have the devil running my campaign."
Vinick and Sheila enter a conference room where Bruno, Dan, and Leon are already waiting. Sheila announces that they are changing the message of the week to immigration issues. Leon wonders if they would be doing this if Santos wasn't Latino. Sheila thinks it's just a continuation of longstanding Republican efforts to pursue the Latino vote -- efforts which Leon has been a part of. Leon thinks the press will smell a rat. Sheila thinks they should just respond that these are important national issues that should be part of the campaign. Vinick asks for the actual plan. Dan tells him that on the first day (that is, tomorrow), Vinick is going to announce a plan to double the border patrol to throw a bone to the conservative base. There will be a photo op at a Border Patrol station in El Paso, and another photo op with the Minutemen. Dan refers to them as "the civilians who help patrol the border down there." Leon corrects him, calling them "vigilantes." Bruno earns my grudging respect by asking if they could maybe also hold a campaign event with the local chapter of the Klan. Dan still thinks it's a good photo op that will energize the Republican base. Vinick agrees to do it. On the second day, Vinick will announce another policy proposal -- this time, for a guest worker program. Bruno thinks this is a great idea because it has "crossover appeal for Democrats and moderates." Sheila thinks that this will force Santos to respond. Leon interrupts her: "Because he's Latino. The Latino community's gonna know what you're doing." Vinick decides he wants to do more than give a speech -- he wants them to draft a bill that he can introduce in the Senate. Vinick leaves it up to Leon to figure out the details of the bill. Well, this certainly seems like a prudent way to legislate. On Day Three, the theme will be the Central American Free Trade Agreement (also known as CAFTA). Vinick points out that CAFTA passed six months ago, and wonders how to turn that into current news. Dan points out that Santos has a problem with CAFTA. Vinick wonders if he split with the Democrats on the bill, and Sheila responds, "Worse. He split with himself." Apparently, he voted in favor of CAFTA in committee, but against it on the floor. Vinick throws his head back in a slightly evil and entirely promo-friendly laugh and says, "Oh, he's not gonna know what hit him." Commercials.
In the conference room, Sheila, Dan, Leon, and Bruno go over the schedule for the few days. Unnamed Blonde Woman enters and tells Sheila that George Rohr is waiting for Vinick in the conference room. So, I guess this room with the conference table, in which we see people always conferring, is not the conference room. Got it.
Dan enters the conference room and greets George, telling him, "You look great. The private sector's been good to you." George, with utter disdain in his voice, asks, "'The private sector?' Is that what you guys call religion?" Dan hems and haws, telling George that he just meant to distinguish his current work from his former job in the Speaker's office. Oh, hey, George is played by Peter MacKenzie, also known as Herman's Intellect on that early indicator of Fox quality, Herman's Head. As shocked as you might be that I remember that show, I'm even more shocked that it apparently was on the air for three years. That show used to be the byword for television crap. I mean, until Yes Dear came along.
Sheila enters Vinick's office, where he is sacked out on the couch taking a nap. She taps his shoe, and he wakes up, a bit disoriented. She tells him that George has arrived, and he gets up with a sigh. Drama queen. He tells her, "If I win this election, George Rohr never sets foot in the White House, you got that? I mean, not even a tour." Somehow, I suspect that the same thing will be true if Vinick loses the election. Sheila warns Vinick that George is going to want a commitment on judges, and that Vinick needs to avoid making one while still appearing open to input from the anti-choice religious right.
Vinick and Santos enter the conference room, where Vinick greets George, apologizes for not being able to meet with "the whole group" in Atlanta, and asks everyone else to leave the room. Vinick asks George if he can get him anything, noting that there may be some pizza still left in the boxes that are on the table. George declines, but that doesn't stop Vinick from rummaging through the boxes, looking for some leftovers. George seems put off (as anyone would be, because rude much?), and Vinick apologizes, noting that "the campaign is the only excuse left for someone [his] age to eat junk food." But he doesn't stop eating the pizza. George tells Vinick that the Council (which I thought was the Assembly, but whatever) is concerned about judges. George tells Vinick that the ministers are going to need "a guarantee" on judges. Vinick interrupts him, and tells him that when he's elected, he'll be eager for input from George's group, and that he's going to make Sullivan (his highly religious and conservative running mate) the point person for judicial appointments. Vinick points out that Sullivan "shares [George's] views on everything that's important to [his] organization." George looks constipated, and says, "You mean, to my religion." No, George, I think he means your organization, because there are lots of folks who share your religion but most definitely do not share the political goals of your organization. With a sigh, George tells Vinick that putting Sullivan in charge isn't enough -- his organization wants a guarantee. Vinick points out that Santos is even more pro-choice than Vinick is. George: "Reverend Butler and the others think that just means Santos wants to kill a few hundred more babies a year than you do." Vinick, outrage in his voice and speaking for the majority of Americans who are pro-choice, asks George, "You think I want to kill babies, George?" And then George threatens Vinick, pointing out that if the right-wing voters stay home on Election Day, he can't win. Vinick pauses, leans in, and says, "Okay, can we speak confidentially?" And...scene.
It's Tuesday, and Dan, Leon, and Vinick are at a Border Patrol station in El Paso. Dan gets off the phone and tells Leon that Santos has moved up another point, leaving Vinick with a four-point lead. Vinick is making remarks to some Border Patrol agents and some reporters. He tells them that doubling the Border Patrol is not just about stopping illegal immigration, but that it's also about protecting the U.S. from terrorists. Vinick is wearing a light blue plaid shirt and some khakis that are way too big for him in the ass. I know this will sound ageist (and maybe it is), but he looks like he's packing some Depends under there.
On the Santos campaign jet, somewhere in the sky, Lou walks past some reporters. (Yes, "Lou." The mob has spoken.) One of them asks her if she has any comment on Vinick's proposal to double the Border Patrol. Lou answers her question, but not really: "No, I was not surprised the Santos VFW speech was interrupted by applause eighteen times." The reporter cuts her off, pointing out that Vinick is labeling the border as a security issue. Lou tells her, "I'll get back to you on that." Reporter: "Really?" Lou: "No."
Lou enters Santos's private chamber. (Not like that, you pervs.) She tells him about Vinick's Border Patrol proposal, and Santos wonders how Vinick will pay for it after his tax cuts. She tells him to save that for the debates: "You need to keep chipping away at Vinick's lead on national security issues." Santos notes that Vinick is only making that proposal because his opponent is Latino. Lou tells him that it's time for some one-on-one interviews, and that the story of the day is "momentum, momentum, momentum." A reporter from the Boston Globe enters and immediately asks a question about the Border Patrol. Santos immediately spins it around to the campaign's momentum, claiming that as his poll numbers go up, the Republicans will come up with more and more desperate ploys. Lou watches his performance with approval.
Bruno storms through Vinick HQ. As he enters Sheila's office, she asks him why he hasn't left for the Santos HQ to start debate negotiations. He leans over her shoulder and starts messing with her computer, telling her that there's something she has to see. He browses over to the Drudge Report, where the top headline is "Vinick Promises Pro-Life Judges." Sheila hops on the phone and asks the operator to get Vinick for her. Vinick is arriving at the Minutemen encampment. Leon is with him in the car, and he hands Vinick the phone. She tells him about the Drudge article. He tells her that he has to go speak to the Minutemen. She tells him that they'll issue an immediate denial of Drudge's story. But he tells her hold off on that. Sheila: "You didn't promise him anything, did you?" Vinick doesn't answer, telling her that they'll speak later. He hangs up. Bruno asks Sheila what Vinick said. She tells him that he said nothing, and he notes that they have a pretty big problem. Commercials.
On the border, Vinick is speaking to some crazy Minutemen. I'm sure they were just thrilled when the Secret Service agents arrived and seized their weapons. Patronizingly, Vinick asks one of the Minutemen if they've caught anybody yet. The Minuteman thinks that with all the publicity about their presence, immigrants have just found another place to cross the border. Vinick says that just demonstrates why "we have to get tough about his." A reporter asks if Vinick thinks the Minutemen should get tough, and Vinick clarifies that he means that the country has to get serious about protecting its border. The same reporter points out that the Border Patrol has asked the Minutemen to stop what they're doing, and wonders why Vinick is supporting them. Vinick looks over at Leon, and tells the reporter, "I understand why the Minutemen are here. I understand their frustration, and I share their goals. But I agree with the Border Patrol. We should leave law enforcement to the professionals." Vinick tells the reporter that if the government doesn't increase the Border Patrol, "we're going to have more and more vigilantes coming here to do it themselves."
Santos is touring a Boeing production facility, inspecting some plane that is being built for the military. A reporter asks Santos whether he agrees with Vinick's characterization of the Minutemen as vigilantes. Santos tries to spin the question back to his topic, but the reporters are persistent. Santos ends up telling them that he doesn't see how Vinick can promise to double the Border Patrol and still cut taxes. Lou dials her phone. Santos gets pulled into other questions about the Border Patrol. Finally, he tells a reporter that he agrees with Vinick that the Minutemen are vigilantes. Lou gets Josh on the phone and tells him, "We have a problem."
At Santos HQ, we see Josh taking Lou's call. Bram enters and brams him away to the debate negotiations. Why is Bram at HQ when Santos is on the road? I thought Bram was his designated chaperon? As they walk down the hall, Bram tells Josh, "They sent Bruno." Josh gets a sour look on his face and says, "Of course they did."
Josh and Bram enter the conference room, where they find Bruno slouched down in a chair. Josh looks at him and asks, "What are you doing here?" Bruno explains that he's there for debate negotiations, but Josh explains that he meant to ask why Bruno is working on a Republican's campaign. Bruno tells Josh that he'd love Vinick if he got to know him. That doesn't really matter to Josh, because Vinick's a Republican. Josh wonders if Bruno is trying to revive his career by crossing party lines: "Taking a salary, or a percentage of the ad buy?" Bruno tells Josh that he made so much money off Bartlet's campaigns that he's thinking of providing his services to Vinick without charge. Josh just stares at him. Bram is wondering how he found himself in the middle of this spat.
In Richmond, Leon, Bruno, and Dan are meeting with Vinick in a hotel room. Bruno tells Vinick that the New York Times loves the guest worker program, and he thinks there's even a chance for an endorsement. Dan tells him that's the "kiss of death for a conservative." Eh, I think by the general election that's not the case. And it's not as if not being a conservative prevented Vinick from winning the nomination. Oh, look, Sheila's there. She tells Vinick that George called and wants to have a "clarifying meeting." Vinick tells her to have Veep nominee Sullivan speak to George: "He knows how to talk to those people." Sheila slowly puts down her coffee cup and reminds him, "'Those people' can take this election away from you." Vinick tells her that he can't meet with George again. Sheila says that George claims that Vinick promised him approval of judges. Vinick: "That's because I did." Pause. Pause. Pause. Bruno: "You promised them judges?" Vinick: "Yeah. I lied." Sheila is shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- to hear that Vinick lied. Vinick points out that George also lied, since he promised to keep it a secret and then leaked it to Drudge: "I lied to a liar." Vinick is getting angry, muttering under his breath. He stands up and yells at Sheila, "He's what's wrong with this party. He's the problem, not me." Yeah, he may be the problem, Vinick, but it's not as if you and your so-called moderate friends haven't gone along with George and his pals for years. Vinick thinks that if George and his "gang" want to have a say in picking judges, they should run for the Senate. Sheila asks Vinick if he's done. Vinick: "Yeah. You?" She tells him she is, and starts to walk away. Vinick tries to weasel his way out of the lie, telling Bruno and Dan that George had him cornered in the meeting, so he decided to tell him what he wanted to hear and then ignore him after the election. Yeah, this is the guy I want negotiating with the leader of China over some crucial security issue. I mean, he couldn't even stand up to Herman's Intellect. Sheila starts yelling at Vinick that if he had asked her, she would have told him it was a stupid plan because George was sure to leak the promise. Vinick: "I thought you said you were done?" Sheila: "I lied!" In the silence that follows, Bruno suggests calling in Sullivan to help out.
Back in the Capitol, Vinick announces that he's introducing a resolution calling for speedy implementation of CAFTA. He ties CAFTA back in to the idea of securing the border with Mexico by claiming that improving the economies of Central American countries will decrease the flow of immigrants into the U.S. A reporter asks Vinick whether he's trying to highlight his support of CAFTA because Santos voted against it. Vinick: "He did? I thought he voted for it? I'm not sure how he voted; you can check on that." And that? Was masterful. Another reporter asks about the judge promise, and Vinick claims that this is not the appropriate place for campaign discussions.
Santos campaign jet. Santos has a compress across his face. Josh is telling him to expect a question on CAFTA. Santos asks, "Is that because Vinick just said something about CAFTA? Damn, he's good." Lou tells him not to worry about CAFTA because the voters don't care about it. Lou goes to get the reporter, and Santos asks Josh if he'll be able to get some sleep after this interview. Josh tells him, "Two hours, I promise." Oh, he meant "sleep," not sleep. Got it. (Not that you can see me, but I just made a finger pistol and a clicking sound.) The reporter asks a question on CAFTA, and Santos masterfully spins it around to China. (He's really good at that.) But this reporter is more persistent, asking, "Why did you vote against CAFTA?" Santos tells him that he's for free trade and fair trade, and that CAFTA was not fair. And then he says, "Look, I voted for CAFTA before I voted against it." Did you just hear a giant ripping sound? It sounded kind of like newsprint. Or maybe headlines. It might just be my imagination. Santos explains that he voted for CAFTA in committee, but that it was "a mess by the time it got to the floor," so that's why he voted against it. His explanation is reasonable, but I suspect that he voted against it due to pressure from Party leaders, and that embarrassment over that fact is what's causing him to be so clumsy here. He's probably had to convince himself that it was a purely principled vote, and he doesn't really believe it. Josh and Lou both look incredibly frustrated that they are not able to eject the reporter from the plane without a parachute.
In the galley of the jet, Josh is telling Lou that they need to get Santos into a town hall where he can explain his CAFTA vote. Lou interrupts him to tell him that the latest tracking numbers just came in, and that Vinick is up by twelve. A reporter comes around the corner and tells them that she just heard that "Vinick's tracking has him up by twelve." Josh pauses, and then says, "That's not what we have." Heh.
A hotel in Houston. Sullivan greets George, telling him, "I don't know why they bother to keep giving me hotel rooms. This campaign doesn't let the V.P. candidate actually sleep." George tells Sullivan that they have a serious problem. Sullivan points out that his organization has never asked a nominee for a public pledge on judges in the past. George: "We've never had a pro-choice nominee before." George wants a reason to support Vinick, and Sullivan offers himself. I mean, as a reason to support Vinick. George doesn't think that's enough. He tells the story of Vinick promising anti-choice judges but then denying it publicly (also claiming that it was one of the ministers who leaked the promise to Drudge). George clearly feels humiliated, and he basically threatens to release a statement affirming that Vinick lied to him. Sullivan asks him not to do that, as a personal favor. He points out that if he becomes the Veep, he'll automatically become the frontrunner for the Republican nomination: "You want to be my friend, George. Being my friend is a lot better than being my enemy." Sullivan tells George that Sullivan will be the one advising Vinick on judges: "You already know what kind of judges I want. You've seen the judges I've appointed as governor. You approved every one of 'em." Don't listen to him, George! He's lying, too! I know, because West Virginia judges are elected, not appointed. Sullivan is kind of yelling at this point, in that jovial businessman kind of way. He calms down and then promises George that if Vinick is elected, he will listen to George and Sullivan about judges. And then, without waiting for a response, he dismissively thanks George for coming to speak with him. He tells George that he's willing to sit down with anybody in George's group who has a problem with Vinick. He puts on his jacket and tells George, "You know what the worst thing about the campaign trail is? Surprises. I don't want any. You got that?" Geez, he turned into Fat Tony there for a second. I despise Sullivan, but at least he's not a total wuss like Vinick was. Hmmm, I see that Sheila was sitting in the background for this entire meeting.
Vinick and entourage walk down some stairs. Leon stops Vinick and hands him a letter, telling him that he's heading back to D.C. that night. Vinick wonders what Leon just handed him. It's Leon's letter of resignation. Vinick asks if Leon is having problems with Bruno. Leon lies and tells Vinick that he needs to spend more time with his family. Vinick knows a liar when he sees one. And then Leon tells him that he never thought he'd be working for Vinick against Santos. But all of a sudden he has a slight Latino accent. One that was completely undetectable before this instant. He continues, "I can't be working all day and night to beat the first Latino nominee for President. And now that we're using his heritage against him...." Vinick denies that's what he's doing, but Leon reminds Vinick that he was in the meeting and that he saw what he saw. And then Vinick blames Santos for not being "way out ahead of [Vinick] on this stuff." Leon tells Vinick that his mother-in-law just taught his toddler twins to say "Santos." He doesn't want to have to tell them someday that he worked against Santos's election. And then he walks away. Eh. Leon's departure would have been more meaningful if we'd had more than one episode to get to know him.
Vinick is called over by a Secret Service agent. Sullivan is there. He praises Vinick for hitting Santos so hard with "that border stuff." Vinick asks how the meeting with George went, and Sullivan tells him, "Got him back in his cage for now." Vinick asks Sullivan if he promised anything to George. Sullivan slaps Vinick on the back and says, "I'll tell you after the election." And then Vinick and Sullivan are introduced, and they walk in to receive the endorsement of the Houston police union. Credits.
week on The West Wing: the west wing!