Cut to the hallway, where a whole bunch of nosy press-types are debating whether or not Josh is going to get fired for mouthing off to Mary Marsh on TV last night. Everyone convenes in the press gallery, where C.J. welcomes everyone and starts with the news of the day, beginning with the announcement about the President's accident, which causes everyone to titter. C.J. gives them a wry look and tells them to "by all means, enjoy [them]selves."
Cut to Josh's office, where we finally get to see the TV footage in question. At this point, I'd like to personally thank Josh for playing his videotape of the incident over and over again, so I didn't have to in order to transcribe it. (Josh: I was always on your side against Billy Madison. You deserved to win the academic decathlon.) Basically, all that happens is they start debating about the nature of God, and he fires off with, "The God you pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud." It doesn't seem like that big a deal to me, but I plead my Canadian-ness as an excuse for not getting hotter under the collar.
Donna comes into Josh's office, bringing him coffee, which she apparently never does, because this makes Josh nervous that he's getting pre-getting-the-axe sympathy. Donna bolsters him up by reminding him that "You won that election for [the President]...you and Leo and C.J. and Sam." I'd consider these encouraging words, too, if only a Shelley Duvall lookalike weren't saying them. As it is, I keep looking over her shoulder for a mallet-wielding Jack Nicholson.
Toby knocks at the door and Donna leaves as he enters. Toby wants to make a suggestion, which is "not to be mistaken for an implication that I like you." He invites Josh to sit down with him, C.J., and the Religious Right gang for coffee this afternoon. Josh considers this hypocrisy, at which point Toby gets pissed off and yells, "I'm in charge of the message around here. It's my job to tell the President that the best thing he can do from a PR standpoint is show you the door." After this outburst, there's silence and some Serious Music starts playing. Toby looks levelly at Josh and says quietly, "Come to the meeting, be nice, keep your job." Josh says he'll be there.
Things lighten up a bit when Toby pulls out a newspaper clipping and shows it to Josh. Apparently, Mandy's back, whoever she is. Not much is said, but Josh kind of smiles and says, "That's a good picture of her." Do we need to be told that this some sort of former love interest come back into the picture?













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