The Exit Polls or The Waiting Game

A West Wing Word

We open up on election eve, Josh, Donna and most of the Santos Campaign senior staff are at the hotel in Houston. We learn that Ronna (not to be confused with Donna) is a lesbian and that most of the senior staff is involved in various 'campaign flings.' Josh and Donna go to bed together for the first time. Back at Vinick headquarters in California, Bruno has brought a young women up to their offices for an early election day fling. Bruno seems to use campaigns as an excuse to go after younger women, we saw him do something similar after the Bartlet re-election victory in 2002. Later in the episode Bruno states that its one of his election day 'good luck' traditions.

The Santos's arrive in Houston after an election eve rally in L.A., after voting they return to the house and Matt acutely has some free time for a change. So used to always working and having to do three things at once Matt doesn't know what to do with himself: "What am I going to do all day?" Mrs. Santos has an idea and in accordance with this episodes real theme they go up to the bedroom. Vinick meanwhile is doing some last minute campaigning in California after going to his home town of Santa Paula to vote. Last minute campaigning in your home state is usually not a good sign by the way.

Josh tries to rally the troops at Santos HQ with a not very effective little speech and then proceeds to try and micro-manage election day operations, despite his staffs constant reminder that they have everything under control. We learn that it raining in Boston and Santos workers are providing umbrellas for voters, and that team Santos is afraid that Gov. Ritchies Republican replacement in Florida Gov. Swenson, is somehow going to make things difficult for their volunteers there. Josh goes down stars to the hotel ball room to check on preparations for that nights party but is called back up to look at the first exit polls. It seems that Republican values voters are staying at home and that Santos is acutely competing in the south, though their New England numbers are less then they had hoped for. Josh keeps looking at the numbers and while they indicate they are winning he keeps thinking that something isn't right. (Meanwhile back in California Bruno is thinking the same thing.) After Josh has another his fit about the Minnesota numbers, Donna takes him back to his room and the two 'continue their relationship', the West Wing usually isn't this smutty by the way.

Checking in on our real 'west wing' crew we find that the Bartlets are up in New Hampshire to vote. We see Charlie for the first time this season (actor Dule Hill has been filming some new cable TV series), who is brining loads of job offers to C.J.'s desk. C.J. thinks its to early to be looking into a post White House job, but eventually Charlie tells her the reason he is pushing is that he would like to continue working for her after the presidents leaves office. This statement inspires Ms. Craig (who has been feeling kind of nostalgic) to start considering her future and we see her looking through some of the job offers. Will and Kate bump into each other in the hall and we find they are still 'seeing a lot of each other' if you know what I mean. When asked about what he's going to do after Bartlets administration is over, Will says thats he's been feeling kind of nostalgic himself about his roots in California local politics, and might head back there to run Mayorial races or something. Kate seems to react rather strangely to this and later that day seeks Will out to apologize. Kate is worried about what is going to happen to her and Wills relationship, saying that unlike 'the others' around here she doesn't "live and die with the Democratic Party", and would like to stay and help whoever is elected through the Kazakhstan thing. It is also implied that Kate voted for Vinick. Finally, despite the apparent theme of this episode it really does look like we're never going to see the whole Charlie/Zoey thread resolved.

Back at Santos HQ the states that have been called so far include Indiana and Kentucky for Vinick and Pennsylvania and South Carolina for Santos. Annabeth decides its time to go and get Leo from his hotel room but when she arrives there its strangely quite. When Leo doesn't respond to her calls she enters the bathroom, presumably to find the VP candidate sprawled out on the floor (this is pretty much how I thought they'd do this scene). Annabeth calls out for help and the last thing we see in the episode is the secret service rushing into Leo's room.

Next Week: Election part II and the aftermath of Leo's passing.