Main stories of the episode.
The White House is inundated with various crises whilst trying to host a state dinner for the President of Indonesia
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SAM: Toby, do you really think it's a good idea to invite people to dinner and then tell them exactly how to run their lives?"
TOBY: "Absolutely. Otherwise, it's just a waste of food. . . . "
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Toby organises a behind the scenes chat with one of the Indonesians President’s advisors
A hostage situation arises in Idaho, Mandy attempts to help with near fatal consequences
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MANDY It really bugs you that the President listens to me sometimes.
JOSH Yes, but you shouldn’t take it personally. It bugs me when the President listens to anyone who isn’t me.
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The teamsters are brought to the White house to attempt to avoid a strike, it looks hopeless until Bartlett intervenes
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BARTLETT: At 12:01 am, I’m using my executive power to nationalize the trucking industry.
LITTLE You can’t do that, Mr. President...
BARTLET Fourteen White House lawyers disagree. Truman did it in ‘52 with the coalmine.[Actually it was the steelworkers but never mind!]
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It is the first time we meet Abbey Bartlett who sums up her husbands weakness’ well
| QUOTE |
You know, one of the things that happens when I stay away too long, is that you forget that you don’t have to power to fix everything. You have a big brain. And a good heart. And an ego the size of Montana.
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Useless facts time……..
This is the first episode in which Stockard Channing appears as the First Lady. She is credited as a special guest star. Not until the beginning of season 3 does she appear in the opening montage
Things that don’t make sense?
There is no way Laurie would be allowed in the White House without an extensive background check and never under a false name.
Things that are just wrong (goofs)
Someone (I forget if it was Donna or Toby) said that there is no such language as Indonesian, because the Indonesian people speak hundreds of different languages. This is not true, and the language that Ramahidi Sumahidjo Bambang spoke with the cook was not the Batak, but Indonesian.