In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part II

Infobox Television episode
Title = In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part II
Series = The West Wing


Caption =
Season = 2
Episode = 24
Airdate = October 42000
Production = 226202
Writer = Aaron Sorkin
Director = Thomas Schlamme
Guests = Stockard Channing
Timothy Busfield
Elisabeth Moss
Michael O'Neill
NiCole Robinson
Grace Zabriskie
Allen Garfield
Peter White
Ernie Lively
Jody Wood
Episode list = List of "The West Wing" episodes
Season list = Infobox The West Wing season 2 episode list
Prev =
Next ="In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part II" is the 24th episode of "The West Wing".

Plot

The episode opens with the surviving member of the trio of gunmen from the Rosslyn assassination attempt eating at a diner in West Virginia. He steps outside and is immediately caught in a spotlight and surrounded by dozens of Federal agents, quickly forced to surrender, and arrested.Charlie later comes by as the President is awake and recovering from his surgery. He tells the President he can't believe someone tried to kill him, but Secret Service Agent Butterfield tells him "the President wasn't the target". Charlie asks who was, and with no answer, is horrified to realize they were trying to murder him.Toby is upset because the President exited the Newseum in the open air, which was a security change from the previous method of having him leave buildings under a tent or canopy. Toby was the main proponent of this change and wants to reveal this fact to the media. Agent Butterfield refuses to allow him to do so, saying Toby was not responsible for an act of madmen, that the Secret Service would never let anyone prevent them from protecting the President, and that the Secret Service does not comment on security procedures at any time.While Josh continues to undergo surgery, further flashbacks show how the entire main Bartlet team came together and pulled off a miracle:
*Sam becomes disillusioned with his corporate law job and particularly with putting together the purchase of Korean oil-carrying vessels, trying to torpedo the deal and earning a harsh rebuke from his firm's chairman. When Josh returns to Sam's office and points to the grin on his face, Sam realizes that his friend saw "the real thing" at Josiah Bartlet's rally in New Hampshire, and quits his job on the spot to join him on the trip to Manchester.
*C.J. has a very high-paying job at a Hollywood PR firm. When she isn't able to secure award nominations for a studio's bad films, the studio chairman tells her boss that he will pull all of his business from them if C.J. is not fired. The newly unemployed C.J. returns home to find Toby waiting for her. She promptly falls into her swimming pool, and while she dries off, Toby tells her that Leo McGarry was impressed with her work and wants her to come work for them.
*Donna is a campaign volunteer in Manchester. She lists her checkered and uncompleted undergraduate work to a skeptical Josh, who tells her they can't afford to bring her to South Carolina. She says she will go for free and sleep in her car. Impressed by her talk about finding her place again, Josh gives her his staff badge so she can begin her work on the campaign.
*The team has a hard time dealing with Jed Bartlet's hyperfocused style, but they gain momentum after a surprising third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses. They then discuss a plan to stay close to John Hoynes and earn delegates and donors from another candidate, banking on a win in Illinois that will lead them to run the table on the way to the nomination. On primary night in Illinois, Josh finds out that Jed has won, but his celebrations are interrupted when Donna gives him the news that his father has passed away. As Josh waits for a flight home for the funeral, Jed meets him at the airport, telling him that that his father was proud of him and that he should come back only when he is ready. Jed, who had been doubting himself until that night, tells Leo "I'm ready," and makes a stirring victory speech......as we return to the present time, and Josh wakes up for the first time having survived his surgery.

External links

* [http://epguides.com/WestWing/ The West Wing Episode Guide]