C.J. watches the coverage, almost hypnotized by it. He's leading! Just like she wanted. Or something. Toby arrives to watch as the news commentator says she's never seen any President walking to the Speaker's office in twenty-five years.

The POTUS posse arrives at the Capitol and there's much visual and musical drama as they walk through the halls. They pause at the appropriate door, and Josh walks up to knock on it. It has heavily textured glass windows. Someone answers and Josh says, "Hello. President Bartlet is here to see Speaker Haffley." The guy says they're wrapping up: "Please bear with us a minute. We'll be right with you." He closes the door. Though the textured glass is fairly thick, you can still make out Brad Whitford's nonplussed expression through it, which is pretty funny. This is actually the moment I enjoyed most in the whole episode. Josh walks back and tells Jed, "They're finishing something up." Jed says through a semi-clenched jaw: "Then we just have to wait." He turns toward the waiting photographers, and goes to sit on the nearby bench in a relaxed yet Presidential posture that reminds me of some Kennedy photos. There's an odd feeling in the air. Angela gives Josh a mild "Now what, Stunt Boy?" look. Josh is cool, though.

Inside, Haffley and the boys are all running around like crazy, fretting and squealing and frantically powdering their noses. "My hair's not done!" "Do you have any bobby pins?" "I can't find my black pumps!" "What are they doing here? They didn't even call! Can you believe the nerve?" "Does this appropriations bill make my butt look big?" No, they're just sitting around strategizing and arguing. Seriously, get it together, jerkwads: you people don't get to keep POTUS waiting. Such crust. Haffley says it's a stunt, and that people will see through it. Royce says, "The President has come to us. We don't keep him waiting." They argue some more and Royce seems determined to go out there and observe some sort of protocol, but Haffley loses it. He stands up and yells, "Wait, damn it! We don't go out there until we agree on a game plan." Also, he just broke a nail, and he needs an emery board.

Back to Jed, cooling his heels while photographers take picture after picture. He waits, patient and dignified. Angela says quietly to Josh that they've been waiting seven minutes: "This is a disaster." Josh stares at the door that was closed in his face and thinks: "No." Pause. "This is great." He walks over to Jed and sits close to him, saying, "Let's go." Jed looks at him, puzzled. Josh: "Right now." All right, Josh! You show that lousy building who's boss.