20 Hours In L.A. - TWW S1E16

Original airdate: February 23, 2000

Written by: Aaron Sorkin (15)

Directed by: Alan Taylor (2)

Synopsis

• President Bartlet and his staff make a quick trip to California for a fundraising visit, where a major Democratic donor criticizes the President for his silence on gays in the military. Leo deals with a reluctant Hoynes over a tiebreaking vote in the Senate, Josh reconnects with Joey Lucas, and Zoey gets a new Secret Service agent.

"I know what I'm looking for in a crowd, if that's what you're asking me, Mr. President."

20 Hours In L.A. sees the gang (well, except for Leo, and Margaret ... and Ed and Larry ... and Mandy ... on second thought, where is Mandy, anyway?) make a one-day trip out to California and back to appear at a fundraiser held by Hollywood studio chief Ted Marcus. Just from a practical TV-series-making standpoint, it serves as an episode where nobody has to travel away from Los Angeles for location shots, and they can film outdoor scenes in places close to the Warner Brothers studio (and it's also a lot warmer than whenever it was they filmed those scenes in Washington!). It also portrays the difficulties a President has in serving multiple masters - we see Jed almost dancing at the end of strings held by: Marcus and his agenda of the day, forced there by the realities of raising campaign funds; or pollster Al Kiefer and his numbers, dealing with the hard ups-and-downs of polling demographics and hot-button issues - all the while trying to hold to the principles that got him elected and inspired those around him in the first place. Plus, Jed has his worries as a father, too - Charlie's involvement with Zoey has brought on more hate mail and threats, and so a new agent to protect Zoey while she's at Georgetown.

Meanwhile, the realities of governing continue, as an ethanol tax credit bill hangs in the balance in the Senate. All of the administration's arm twisting can only get 50 votes, meaning the Vice President will be called on to cast the tie-breaking vote and pass the bill. Trouble is, Vice President Hoynes thinks it could be political suicide for his future Presidential hopes if he helps pass a bill he's been fighting against for years.

(As an aside here, the opinion of Aaron Sorkin and others on the production staff regarding government support for ethanol production is pretty clear - they think it's a blatant play for support from Iowa and the Corn Belt, and that ethanol doesn't actually save energy or help reduce the use of foreign oil. As the son and grandson of Iowa farmers, I have somewhat of a different view, and think the criticisms against ethanol are weighed somewhat unfairly when the same types of drawbacks are not used in figuring the energy and environmental costs of using crude oil. Plus it's somewhat odd to see "Hollywood liberals" seem to favor Big Oil over, you know, farmers, but whatever. Anyhow, you can tell Sorkin and the production staff feel pretty strongly about this issue, as it's made clear not only here but in the Santos-Vinick campaigns in Season 7 that the show runners' belief is that politicians' support for ethanol is a dishonest move to buy votes from Iowa.)

Let's talk the VP/tiebreak issue first. Leo actually stays behind in DC to shepherd through the tax credit vote in the Senate. Despite all the pressure the White House is able to bring on Democratic senators, it's clear they can't get more than 50 votes. This means a 50-50 tie, which would bring the Vice President to do, as Leo says, "one of your two constitutional responsibilities" - vote to break the tie. We learn Hoynes served eight years in the Senate, during which time he was steadfastly against such benefits for ethanol production. As a Senator from Texas, looking out for oil interests, this is not a surprise - and he is not happy about the prospect of the President threatening him with consequences if he doesn't break this tie and pass the bill.

As things develop, eventually Leo, then Sam, then the President himself come around to the point of view that Hoynes is right - the government shouldn't be providing tax credits for ethanol production (despite the 16,000 new jobs created and the support for farmers in Iowa). Sam agrees to let three reluctant Democratic senators off the hook to vote "no," ending the tie and getting Hoynes off the hook.

This does illuminate the Bartlet-Hoynes tension a little more, which we've seen before. Hoynes rants to Leo that he believes the administration orchestrated the 50-50 tie just to put him into this position. Leo lists the things Hoynes won't be able to do if he defies the President, with things like losing his West Wing access and not being on the ticket for reelection. Bartlet himself even mulls over asking for his resignation. These guys do not get along well, but the phone conversation the President has with Hoynes at the end of the episode is a revealing scene showing Jed is willing to give credit when credit is due.

The trip! By the way, did you notice the producers have built an Air Force One set? They seem to be justifiably proud, as they show you plenty of pieces of it - a passageway as the gang gets on board:

The section with the press corps:

Another area of the cabin on the flight back to DC:

It's a nice set, and the producers will get good use out of it over the next six seasons.

Anyway, this fundraiser is supposed to bring in two-and-a-half million dollars for the Bartlet campaign, I guess (although it's never expressly stated what the funds are being raised for). I mean, the President isn't officially running for reelection yet, so maybe this is just a Democratic party fundraiser? It's not that clear. Unfortunately, the morning of the trip a Republican congressman has introduced a bill to ban gays in the military. Ted Marcus, the studio head hosting the party, insists President Bartlet publicly come out against this bill, even though there's no chance of it ever getting a hearing, let alone becoming law. When he doesn't get these public assurances, he threatens to cancel the entire affair, but he's strong-armed into continuing as long as he gets ten minutes alone with the President.

That meeting proves to be a good moment. Bartlet outlines the realities of political maneuvering and how sometimes taking a public stance, even if it's right, can be the worst thing in the world for actually bringing about change:

President: "Because I know what I'm doing, Ted. Because I live in the world of professional politics, and you live in the world of adolescent tantrum! ... Right now, right now this second, the worst thing that could possibly happen to gay rights in this country is for me to put that thing on the debating table, which is what happens the minute I open my mouth. Do you get that? I'm a human starting gun, Ted. You gotta trust me, I know what I'm doing."

Of course the entire issue of bringing about change incrementally, making the public ground ready for change, versus pushing for the right thing to be done right away despite the opposition and despite the political cost, is something that can take up many textbooks and scholarly studies. Gay rights in particular, it's interesting to note, have been a real-life example here. Barack Obama and the same-sex marriage issue is a good parallel; Obama only came around slowly to publicly supporting same-sex marriage, in some early statements actually saying he was against the issue (instead pushing civil unions), but wholeheartedly supported it once the general public was prepared for acceptance (yet I doubt anyone paying attention to Obama's stances on other civil rights issues ever really thought he actually was against same-sex marriage - as President Bartlet says above, he didn't want the issue out front and number one on the debating table). Is it better to help bring change slowly, step-by-step; or stand up for what's right from the start, regardless of the pushback that might bring about? It's a valid political question, that probably is answered in different ways depending on the particular subject.

Another part of the California visit is a meeting with members of the general public over a proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw flag burning. Again, we know the Bartlet administration is rather progressive and on the liberal side of things, therefore leaning more towards the freedoms of speech allowed in the Constitution rather than coming up with ways to limit them. Jed tries to be a good sport in the meeting, but:

Josh: "How's he doing in there?"

Sam: "He's got that look on his face like he's thinking about ways to kill himself."

And:

President: "There is a population in this country that seems to focus a great deal of time and energy on this conversation, so much so that I am moved to ask this question - is there an epidemic of flag burning going on that I'm not aware of?"

This meeting leads to a lunch gathering with pollster Al Kiefer (as well as Zoey, whose plans to enjoy lunch with real Los Angelenos is dashed when her father shows up and the restaurant is cleared out by Secret Service). As the senior staff looks on in derision and horror, Kiefer makes the point that Bartlet should get out in front of the flag burning issue by voicing full support, bringing up polling numbers that seem to show it's a no-brainer for public support and would guarantee easy re-election.

You can tell Kiefer is kind of creepy, both because the staff has been trying to talk the President out of meeting with him and because he's played by John de Lancie (best known as Q in Star Trek: The Next Generation):

The whole flag-burning amendment issue continues to hang over the staffers at Marcus' party, especially when Josh runs into Joey Lucas. She's running the campaign for a Democratic congressional candidate in California, but also has been running some polling numbers of her own. She lets Josh and Toby know that Kiefer didn't ask all the right questions; the support for the amendment is wide, but not very deep - most voters wouldn't let the issue change their decision in voting for a candidate.

(This is where Lucas begins to change from someone who runs campaigns to someone who's an expert pollster - we'll see her back in that pollster role many more times in the future. She never does make the switch to being a candidate herself, as Josh suggested she should in Take This Sabbath Day.)

One of the most significant plot lines, at least so far as the upcoming seasons, is the situation of the President's daughter and her protection. Here good old Ron Butterfield, head of the White House Secret Service detail, introduces the President to Gina Toscano, the agent who will be in charge of Zoey's protection during her time at Georgetown:

(Gina is played by Jorja Fox, known for roles on CSI and ER, among others.)

The President grills Toscano on protection of his daughter, with a nice scene in his office on Air Force One:

President: "It's not your job to tell me if she's cutting English Lit, it's not your job to tell me if she's dying her hair blue, or going to a strip club, or whatever she's doing with her friends. You know what your job is."

Toscano: "Yes, sir."

President: "Thank you."

Toscano: "Thank you, Mr. President." (prepares to leave)

President: "Gina -"

Toscano: "Yes, sir?"

President: "If she's cutting English Lit, I want to know about it."

Toscano: "No deal, Mr. President."

President: "Okay."

The spectre of white supremacists, their anger and hatred hanging over the relationship between Charlie and Zoey, looms over the rest of this season and into the future, so the introduction of this agent assigned to Zoey gives us another window into this plotline. I've always liked Fox's work since ER, and she's quite good here as well - Gina Toscano could have been a longer-running character on The West Wing if only a little unsung pilot called CSI hadn't been picked up by CBS.

On a lighter note to finish things up, Josh certainly seems smitten with Joey Lucas! Even Donna notices, as they're checking into their hotel rooms (for the day):

Donna: "Josh, you've got a crush on Joey Lucas and I think you should do something about it, cause you're really bothering me."

Josh: "Well, that's something I care a lot about."

Donna: "You should call her."

Josh: "I don't have a crush on her."

Donna: "You should call her right now."

Josh: "I'll see her tonight."

Donna: "Gather your rosebuds while ye may, Josh, you know what that means? - It means you should take this time together, rosebuds, because later on you might not be able to."

Josh: "Interpreting the classics with poet laureate Donnatella Moss."

So naturally, when Josh and Joey meet at the party, it's obvious he's crushing on her, so much so that Joey has to tell him that she came to the party with someone. Yet afterwards, as they're preparing to get back on Air Force One for the overnight flight back to Washington, Donna urges Josh to drop in one last time:

Josh: "I'm not gonna knock on her door at one in the morning."

Donna: "Yes, cause you're whisking back to Washington and you had to see her one more time before you left cause God knows what fate awaits you once you get there."

Josh: "Are you okay?"

Donna: "Gather ye rosebuds, Josh."

(Interestingly, in this scene Josh is taking the hotel bathroom toiletries with him in his luggage. He comes out of the bathroom carrying a basket full of shampoos and whatnot and dumps them in his suitcase. Ah, West Wing staffers - they're just like us!)

Anyway, when Josh does go to Joey's room, who should he meet there (wearing a bathrobe, no less) but Al Kiefer himself. Yes, Joey and Kiefer are having a little pollsters' fling - Joey is definitely surprised to see Josh, but also a little bit pleased, you can tell. We are left hoping to see these two flirt again.

And then back to DC, money raised, ethanol tax credit defeated, flag burning amendment put away, and Josh's rosebuds still to be gathered. And the darkness of the threats hanging over Charlie and Zoey, too.


Tales Of Interest!

- The President's Secret Service callsign seems to jump back and forth; in "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" it was "Eagle"; in He Shall, From Time To Time ... it was "Liberty." Here it's "Eagle" again. What gives, Secret Service?

- It's pretty funny to see how irked Margaret is because Leo stayed behind in DC instead of going to California.

- It's also a nice moment to see Leo set Hoynes straight, when Hoynes says he thinks the President can do pretty much whatever he wants. It's a neat insight into Hoynes' sense of privilege and entitlement, which really is one of the big flashpoints between him and Bartlet.

- A dramatic shot by director Alan Taylor, as Leo and Hoynes have their first tense meeting in Leo's office:

Quotes    

President (as everyone is boarding Air Force One; he picks up a telephone): "You two want to see the best part about having my job?" (into telephone) "Colonel, this is the President. I'm ready to go." 

-----

President (heading to limousine): "I'm having lunch with my daughter, Toby, you guys are going to sit with Kiefer and let me know what's worth listening to."

Toby (moving to limousine): "Yes, sir."

President (stopping him): "We'll see you there."

Toby: "I'm not coming in the car?"

President: "No, and you know why? Cause you made fun of the guacamole."

Toby: "I didn't."

President: "I could tell you were thinking it."

Toby: "Fair enough."

-----

Kiefer: "Toby, you're smiling."

Toby: "I just figured out who you were."

Kiefer: "He's going to say Satan."

Toby: "No. You're the guy who runs into the 7-Eleven to get Satan a pack of cigarettes."

-----

CJ: "Pretend you're talking to me."

Sam: "I am talking to you."

CJ: "Walk me outside."

Sam: "Did he offer you a development deal?"

CJ: "Yes."

Sam: "Me, too. Do you know what that is?"

CJ: "No."

Sam: "Me, neither." 

Story threads, callbacks, and familiar faces (Hey, it's that guy!)

• WHAT'S NEXT MOMENT: I wanted to start keep tracking these, as from the final scene of Pilot when President Bartlet says, "Mrs. Landingham! What's next?" it's clear this is a totemic phrase for Bartlet and the show in general. Anyway, I missed one in the previous episode, Celestial Navigation: When Leo is dressing down Secretary O'Leary over her calling Republicans racists, he says, "The President's nuts about you, always has been. He'll cry for three minutes after he fires your ass, and then he'll say, 'What's next?'"

• The first mention of a California fundraising trip came in The Crackpots And These Women, with Mandy pushing hard for attending a fundraiser hosted by movie producer Larry Posner (and Toby pushing back hard against it, because of Posner's violent, lowbrow movies). In Lord John Marbury, Mandy mentions to Josh in passing how good everybody is going to look in California. So, is this the original trip mentioned in October? Or have there been multiple fundraising trips to California with different movie executives? It seems doubtful that there have been multiple trips since the fall, particularly with Margaret's irritation at not going,  which you wouldn't expect if Air Force One was zipping back and forth across the country all the time. This seems to be a little glitch in the continuity. Although it is somewhat ironic to realize that Mandy, the one pushing for the Posner trip in October, the one excited about looking good in California in January ... Mandy doesn't make this trip. In fact, she doesn't appear in the episode at all. Her only mention is as one of the messages waiting for Josh at the hotel.

• Ted Marcus is played by well-known character actor Bob Balaban (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Seinfeld, the Christopher Guest movies, so much more):

• I mentioned the return of Joey Lucas as she begins to turn from campaign manager to polling expert. We'll see her again.

• This is not the last we see of Al Kiefer, either.

• Also the ethanol tax credit issue becomes a key part of the Santos-Vinick campaign storyline towards the end of the series' run.

• CJ expresses ignorance as to what exactly a movie development deal is, going to great lengths having the filmmaking process explained to her. At the beginning of Season 2 we are going to discover CJ was a publicist in Hollywood before joining the Bartlet campaign - she should certainly know what a development deal is.

• President Bartlet complains several times about not being able to sleep lately. We haven't seen any mention at all about his MS since we learned about it in He Shall, From Time To Time ... - is this sleeplessness supposed to be related to his illness? Or, more likely, from the ongoing pressures of the presidency?

DC location shots    

• The outdoor confrontation scene between Leo and Hoynes was filmed outside the headquarters building of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), more precisely in the 1700 block of C Street NW. (Hat tip to The West Wing Weekly podcast - in their recent episode on Season 4's Privateers, in which potential DAR membership for Abbey is part of the plot, I discovered The West Wing filmed many location scenes at DAR Headquarters, as the building is well-suited for the Washington "look." Without that snippet, I wouldn't have even known where to start looking for this location site. Thanks Joshua Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway!)

• The early airport scene as they leave for California - could that be Dulles Airport again? If I had to guess, I'd imagine they shot this scene (with the Virgin Airways 747 later CGI-ed into Air Force One) at the same time they shot the scenes returning from overseas for Take This Sabbath Day. I mean, I wouldn't figure they would have borrowed the 747 multiple times for tarmac filming. Just a guess.

References to real people    

• Former Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes is mentioned by a speaker supporting the flag burning amendment.

• Former Supreme Court Justice William Brennan is quoted by David Hasselhoff - yes, that David Hasselhoff appears as a guest at the fundraiser. (Donna mentions his work in Baywatch, Knight Rider, Nick Fury, The Cartier Affair, Pleasure Cove, and Panic at Malibu Pier.)

• Donna then mentions seeing actor Matt (Matthew) Perry at the party- strangely enough, Matthew Perry will actually appear in several episodes of The West Wing in coming seasons, making one wonder - why doesn't Donna mention how much Joe Quincy looks like Matthew Perry?

• Also appearing at the party are Jay Leno (host of NBC's Tonight Show at the time) and model-actress Veronica Webb. CJ and Leno have this conversation (with a callback to Pilot):

CJ: "Jay, the President appreciates your laying off Leo McGarry the past few months, it hasn't gone unnoticed."

Leno: "Hey, you guys give me monologue material every night."

CJ: "Well, if there's anything I can do for you -"

Leno: "You know what'd be great? If you could get the President to drive his bike into a tree again - (CJ laughs) See, that's my bread and butter, that's what I live on." 

(That's CJ with her back to us, Leno in the middle and Webb on the right.)

• Product placement (and there's a lot): CJ and Donna discuss skin-care products on the flight to California - Clinique City Block oil-free daily face protector, Lancome high-protection sun stick for face and lips, Elizabeth Arden Modern Skin Care daily moisturizer); the hotel in Los Angeles is the Sheraton Universal Hotel (conveniently nearby to the Warner Brothers lot where The West Wing was filmed); it appears the Playa Cantina restaurant in Santa Monica may have fictional, although I have experienced having guacamole made at your table at a Mexican restaurant in San Antonio, so these things do happen.

End credits freeze frame: Leo and Hoynes on the steps of the DAR Headquarters.