- La Palabra
Infobox Television episode
Title = La Palabra
Series = The West Wing
Caption =
Season = 6
Episode = 128
Airdate =March 9 2005
Production = 2T5018
Writer =Eli Attie
Director =Jason Ensler
Guests =Gary Cole Teri Polo Tim Matheson Ray Wise Castulo Guerra Michael Reilly Burke Karis Campbell Matthew Del Negro Larry Cahn
Episode list = List of "The West Wing" episodes
Season list = Infobox The West Wing season 6 episode list
Prev =
Next ="La Palabra" is episode 128 of "The West Wing".Plot
As Super Tuesday approaches, the three Democratic nominees battle it out to win California as the state legislature passes a controversial anti-immigrant bill.The Latino voters are expecting Santos to condemn the bill that will ban illegal immigrants from carrying a driver's licence. But he wont get drawn in, he wants education and health care as his key issues. However, financially, he's in trouble, and is considering a remortgage on his house to carry on, as least until Texas. Josh feels terrible about this development.
Donna senses all is not well in the Hoynes camp, and insists Russell's campaign move to California instead of remaining in New York. Santos has been there for three days trying to make headway on the important issues. Sure enough, Hoynes becomes engulfed in another sex scandal. Santos and his team can't believe they could definitely come in second now that Hoynes is out.Russell wants the Governor of California to endorse his campaign, but now the Hoynes scandal has erupted, he's not endorsing anyone. However Santos comes up with a move that vetos the controversial bill, without him having to say a word condemning it. The press are full of questions for the Governor, but he tells them "Ask Matt Santos about his healthcare plan". It's as good as an endorsement.
Amazingly, Santos wins the California primary.
In this episode, Will appoints Donna as the spokesperson for the Russell campaign. He does this by thrusting a statement into her hands and telling her to read it to the rapidly approaching herd of press. Initially fazed, she very quickly gets into her stride.
Goofs
When Russell is flying to California, the external shot is of
Air Force Two but the internal shots are taken inAir Force One as referenced by the steps leading up to the second level of the boeing 747.Trivia
The Opening Scene where a member of the press sends a message to Josh by writing on a piece of fruit is identical to Richard North Patterson's novel,
No Safe Place . It is also - perhaps unknowningly - a copy of the 1984 election, when those on Air Force One celebrated the last day of the campaign by rolling oranges down the asile.The bill presented in this episode seeks to require proof of residency in order to obtain a CA driver's license. In real life, this has been the law in CA since January 1994, because of SB 976. State Senator Gil Cedillo, among others, has been trying to pass the opposite of the bill described in the episode -- a bill seeking to remove the requirement of proof of residency. [http://dist22.casen.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={3F9B89DB-FBA7-4A48-9B7E-09946FD027DC}&DE={31F0B148-99F5-4140-808F-CB555CE27B9C}]
References
External links
* [http://epguides.com/WestWing/ The West Wing Episode Guide]
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