Slow News Day

Infobox Television episode
Title = Slow News Day
Series = The West Wing


Caption =
Season = 5
Episode = 100
Airdate = February 42004
Production = 176062
Writer = Eli Attie
Director = Julie Hébert
Guests = Melissa Marsala
Josef Sommer
Kate Burton
Michael Nouri
Scott Allan Campbell
Joaquim de Almeida
Episode list = List of "The West Wing" episodes
Season list = Infobox The West Wing season 5 episode list
Prev =
Next ="Slow News Day" is episode 100 of "The West Wing".

Plot

Toby watches a replay of the latest State of the Union address and notices that a powerful Republican Senator broke party ranks and applauded along with Democrats during President Bartlet's calls for Social Security reform. Toby talks to Josh and finds out that the Senator, Gaines, has basically stopped fundraising; he believes that the longtime advocate of saving Social Security may be receptive to a bipartisan deal. The President's not wild about spending political capital on the notion but allows for a very stealthy approach by Toby that involves not talking to Leo or Josh about it. Unfortunately, Toby's efforts light up the radar of a Wall Street Journal reporter very quickly, and he finds hostility from both Gaines and a high-profile female Democratic Senator who don't trust him or each other to get the concessions needed on both sides to make the process work.

Josh has separately decided to engage in some political games in Gaines' home state of Illinois and becomes suspicious of Toby's secret mission, later enlisting Donna in a fruitless spy mission to learn what he's talking about. News of Toby's efforts gets to C.J. and then to Leo, who is furious at Toby, as is the President because Toby's stealth mission is now visible to everyone. Toby decides to draft a resignation letter and Leo tells the President (who looks and sounds guilty because he agrees with Toby and left his senior aide dangling alone) that he has to accept it.

Josh also confronts Toby but has no argument to Toby's simple statements of fact, but then Josh has a brainstorm--the name of a Democratic Senator named Turner who is a huge advocate of Social Security reform. The two Senators agree on the adjustments needed and both say they can carry a majority to get the measures enacted, but hit a wall when both want to take credit for the initiative. Toby then has the key idea: the White House will pretend it had no role in the process and the public and Congress will be informed it was a joint effort by Gaines and Turner. Toby watches the entire process with quiet satisfaction, tells C.J. they can work on Medicare now, smokes a triumphant cigar and heads home for the night.

External links

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