"There are two things in the world you never want to let people see how you make 'em - laws and
sausages."
Trying to get these votes back to pass the legislation, we get to watch four meetings with members of congress and hear why they planned to vote against this bill.
- Josh meets with Rep. Katzenmoyer, from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, who needs to raise 10k a week in order to get reelected, and if the NRA makes him a target in the next election, he loses. (PS: Thanks to my cheesehead wife, I knew how to spell Eau Claire without looking it up- I'm also contractually obligated to record all references to Wisconsin).
- Josh also meets with Rep. Wick, a freshman congressman who actually whines because he has only had one photo-op with the President after a year in office He agrees to vote yes, only if he gets a second photo-op of him and the President drinking brandy and playing chess (Josh predicts a presidential beat-down, my points out he is probably a Millennial #burn).
- Leo has a particularly bad meeting with Rep. Richardson, who accuses the White House of not trying hard enough and giving too many concessions. In his words, "no, this is for show, and I think it's an unconscionable waste of the taxpayers money to have it printed, signed, and photocopied- to say nothing of enforced. I want the guns, Leo- you write a law that can save some lives, I'll sign it."
- Finally, Vice President Hoynes has a meeting with Rep. Tillinghouse, who is voting his conscience, believing that you can't get guns off the streets, and "as long as they've got a gun, I want my wife to have a gun, I want my daughter to have a gun, and damn it, I want one too." Rep. Tillinghouse ends up voting for the bill, because he is reminded that Hoynes will be President one day (the insinuation being that he would owe Tillinghouse a favor).
Money and ego are what motivate Katzenmoyer and Wick to vote against the measure, and Tillinghouse votes against his conscience after a backroom deal is made. It's Richardson who takes the moral stand and votes against a bill because it isn't worthy of his support. This is a point of view Sorkin has used before in his movie script for "The American President," where after securing the necessary votes to pass his crime bill by shelving the environmental bill his love interest has been working on, President Andrew Sheppard realizes the error of his ways. He admits the weakness of the crime bill, and shelves it instead.
Given the amount of blatant obstructionism, and partisan rancor (two words that now seem inseparable) in today's House and Senate, it's easy to relate with Josh's assessment of the situation: "I'm so sick of Congress, I could vomit."
Speaking of Josh, he has some fantastic moments in this episode (i.e. looking like a dandy in the $1189 Smoking Jacket and $345 scrimshaw cigarette holder from Sarah Wissinger), but nothing tops his sunglasses game he displays when meeting with Katzenmoyer (my wife wants me to remind you that he's from Wisconsin. He's from Wisconsin). It's at 18:27 in the episode- go watch it again. Did you watch it? That's right. What a badass.
While Josh is having a great day, Leo is having a terrible, horrible, no-good very bad day. Leo forgets about his wedding anniversary (not throwing Margaret under the bus here, but doesn't she seem like she would make sure that Leo had a gift for his wife on his anniversary?)- terrible. Leo tries to make up for it with a Harry Winston necklace, Juillard string quartet, and nice dinner, but arrives to find his wife with a suitcase packed and leaving him- horrible. His meeting with Richardson- no-good. Things could easily become- very bad, but Hoynes is granted a rare moment of decency, and invites Leo to his private AA meeting. Leo ends the episode walking in, and for that, we're all grateful.
Some quick hits from the episode:
- From the speech that started the episode: Sam wrote two and a half paragraphs, Toby wrote 37 pages (Toby doesn't like that they get equal credit), the President got a little extemporaneous with the D section and blew it.
- President takes more of his back pills than he is prescribed, and attends a meeting... in body, if not in mind. He thinks Sam is Toby (but thinks Toby is a nice name), and though he admits that his muscles aren't, you know (he never finishes this thought- are you getting the idea?), but he's focused. The President is seriously considering getting a dog; maybe an Irish Setter(this is not related to anything). Before Charlie finally comes to take the president back to the residence (the President thinks that Charlie is a nice name, too), he agrees to a plan that leaves Toby feeling, according to Toby: "screwed with his pants on."
(Above, Toby gets a hug. Because he's a great writer.)
Despite this terrific scene, the episode ends with the most hollow of victories. The law passes- the crisis set forth at the start of the episode (we were, after all, five votes down) is resolved. There should be celebration- but instead, it's Hoynes who emerges victorious. He seems to be the most political animal in a show about politics, and his political maneuvering doesn't seem to be for the benefit of anyone but himself. Thankfully, the Constitution states that the Vice President also serves as the president of the Senate- one of the two houses of Congress. Which means that we can include Hoynes when we say that we're so sick of Congress, we could vomit.
What's Next? S1e5- The Crackpots and These Women (OHMYGODBIGBLOCKOFCHEESEDAYISHERE!!!)
Like what you've read? Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!
No comments:
Post a Comment