2.4 (The West Wing Forums)

Title: 2.4
Description: In this White House

ama - March 21, 2005 06:40 PM (GMT)

President Nimbala of the Republic of Equatorial Kuhndu is in the White House representing the African nations, discussing with drug companies a way to broker a deal to provide much needed medicines to the African nations in return they will stop buying black-market drugs.

Again Donna is used as exposition, to explain things to the viewers; this time it is the cost of drugs in developing countries

QUOTE

JOSH They cost about a hundred and fifty bucks a week.

DONNA Well, that's not totally off the charts.

JOSH A police officer in Kenya makes forty-three dollars a month.

Sam goes on capital beat to talk about the President’s education plan, whilst there he meets a Republican Lawyer named Ainsley Hayes She has been clerking for Supreme Court justice Dreifort. She makes him look ridiculous and cuts slices through his spiel. This leads to one of my favourite scenes of this episode that shows the relationship between the senior staff.

QUOTE

SAM Please, oh, please, let them not be watching.

CUT TO:TOBY'S OFFICE

JOSH Toby. Come quick! Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl!

TOBY Ginger, get the popcorn!

Usless facts time……..

The theme tune used for the TV show "Capital Beat" is the theme from "ITN News" in the UK.

QUOTE

LEO The President likes smart people who disagree with him. He wants to hear from you. The President's asking you to serve. And everything else is crap.

In Aaron Sorkin's "Sports Night", Issac says: "If you're stupid, surround yourself with smart people. If you're smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you."

Never give Toby the chance to make a sarcastic comment!

QUOTE

C.J. That's not the only bargain in Pakistan, Toby. My girlfriends and I go for the spring fashions.

TOBY It shows.

Poor poor Charlie

QUOTE

BARTLET: When they close the book on me and you, it will say that at this moment you were not there for me, and for that, obviously, there'll be some kind of punishment.

CHARLIE Well, you could sing Puccini for me again, Mr. President. We'll call it even.

Something to think about……

QUOTE

NIMBALA What are your annual sales of Fluconazole alone? A billion dollars.

ALAN I don't understand your point, sir.

TOBY I think President Nimbala's saying that there's more money in giving a white guy an erection than curing a black guy of AIDS.

Nice idea Toby but Fluconazole is used to treat fungal infections!

Margaret rocks!

She announces Ainsley is here to see Leo and asks him does he want her to stay, wonder what she was thinking Ainsley would do?

QUOTE

AINSLEY She seems to be a very good secretary.

LEO She'll be happy to hear that, she's standing right outside the door.

He thumps his hand on the door.

MARGARET [VO]Ow.

Thought for the episode

QUOTE

If it was 26 million Europeans dying, we'd have had a solution yesterday

One of my all time favourite scenes with Leo is when he is trying to understand what Ainsley is going on about when she walks into his office.

QUOTE

AINSLEY Yes, sir. I've been thinking about that ever since your office called me on Tuesday, and I have something to say on my own behalf, if you'll permit me a moment to say it, and I understand if you won't, but I would really appreciate it if you did.

LEO I... didn't really follow that, but whatever.

AINSLEY I think that it is wrong for a man in your position to summon someone to the White House to reprimand them for voicing opposition. I think that that is wrong, and it is inappropriate. It's inappropriate, and I'll tell you what else.

LEO it’s wrong? That's fine, except you weren't summoned here to be reprimanded.

AINSLEY Well, then, if you'll permit me, why was I summoned?

LEO You have an interesting conversational style, do you know that?

AINSLEY It's a nervous condition.

LEO I used to have a nervous condition.

AINSLEY How did yours manifest itself?

LEO I drank a lot of scotch.

AINSLEY I get sick when I drink too much.

LEO I get drunk when I drink too much.

This type of writing has to make you laugh! It’s great! It’s so well acted as well. I was re-watching the episode to write this guide and I think it is around this time that the team really found their feet. The acting is sharp and the writing some of the best you will find on TV, it’s some of the best episodes of the West Wing.

QUOTE

LEO: C.J. Cregg thinks you kill your pets. You don't do that,
do you?

AINSLEY No, I don't kill my pets. I don't have any pets. I was thinking about getting a pet, but-- that doesn't matter. The point is...

Doesn’t make sense

In Ways and means [3.03] at the end there is talk of Bartlet's first veto, and in the ‘Portland Trip’ Josh is back at the White House arguing against the Marriage Recognition Act which he tells the President to veto. But during his debate with Ainsley Hayes, about an education bill, Sam is asked by the anchor of "Capital Beat", "Sam, why did the President veto the bill?" In addition to this [3.4] ‘On the Day Before’, CJ tells to the press that “President Bartlet has not vetoed a bill since taking office 33 months ago." [does this cover pocket vetoes though?]

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