Donna tells Josh, "They're here." Hang on, because there's a whole lot of ShakyCam from here on out. I guess tripods got cut in the first round of budget talks. Haffley and his posse march in, all tough and silent and intense. They walk past Will in the hall. Josh and Donna come over to Will, and Josh asks, "They all here?" Will says they are. Donna looks concerned. She sticks close to Josh, but he firmly says, "Go. Go."

Donna goes into the meeting. VPOTUS is there, and he shakes Haffley's hand, asking, "Who'da thought?" Leo comes over and tells them that Jed will be right in after he finishes his meeting. Senator Royce quietly asks about Ashland. Leo says that's the meeting POTUS is in. Royce is surprised: "He's in the White House?" Leo: "Came straight from his adjustable bed. The man's a force of nature." That's our Chief Justice: Roy "Craftmatic" Ashland. Everybody's fairly orange in this scene, too, though not as much as before.

Jed arrives and stands opposite the Speaker as everyone takes his or her place around the table. For some reason, everyone remains standing. Stephen Culp sure looks good for his age. He's supposedly forty-eight, but he looks about two-thirds of that. It kind of detracts from my buying him as the Speaker. Royce says he wants to thank Jed, saying, "None of us think this is a perfect deal. No one likes to see the sausage made, including the guys who make it." Man. Donna's here -- Josh isn't. How weird is that, people? Big changes afoot, I tell you. Royce blathers on with some conciliatory yatter, and Jed thanks him for saying it: "I think I had to make that little speech the last time around. Or maybe the time before." Everyone chuckles politely as they finally plant their asses. Jed says that this is the third continuing resolution, the third time coming up short: "We gotta do better.