Josh finds Toby sitting alone in the dark. I think they're in the Mess, but as I said, it's dark. Perhaps I needn't have mentioned that. Josh enters, saying, "Five years...I never thought we'd have secrets." Except about their furtive love affairs with Sam. Toby quotes, "'Let thy discontents be thy secrets.'" That's rich, coming from someone like Toby. Josh: "Only if you want them to stay discontents." He chucks a chair on the floor, hard, and sits down, adding, "C.J. showed me your resignation. Why didn't you tell me? You don't trust me?" Toby replies, "I didn't tell you because you would have body-blocked me." Josh: "'Cause it was a stupid thing to do, and you knew it. Don't you want to try to take back Congress so we can legislate on a hundred of ours issues?" Toby: "Spoken like a true reformer." Josh: "I'd like to swim the English Channel, too. Takes more than jumping off a pier." Toby asks, "So we exploit the hard stuff 'til it can't be solved? That's what we want to be remembered for?" Josh explains it to him: "We do what's possible; we exploit what's not. That's how we win elections." Toby reminds him, "Well, I came up on losing campaigns, and every time I lost, at least I knew what I went down for. Carney knew." Josh asks what the losers get to do about Social Security: "Except receive it?" Toby says, "The losers can kick up enough dirt to keep the debate going. Maybe my letter will do that." Josh: "Make you a martyr." Toby: "Make someone else pick up the ball. Inch by inch, we're moving the line of compromise." Josh says this is not Sunday school: "It's the world capital of politics. I could've told you Gaines wasn't going to move." Toby points out that he was willing to move on private accounts. Josh can't believe it: "That's like...inhaling a baby grand." Probably leaves you with horrendous piano breath, too. Toby chuckles weakly: "Yeah. Well, he's out now." Josh is struck by inspiration: "Turner. Roy Turner."

Next thing you know, Gaines is meeting by a fireside with some guy who must be Turner, along with Josh and Toby, in some room at the White House I don't recognize. Got a lotta schmancy gold and china tchotchkes, though. Gaines: "So you're saying you'll ask Democrats to trim benefits over the next twenty years, raise the retirement age over the next sixty years, and give up on this issue forever?" Turner replies, "If I can tell them that you'll settle for small, optional private accounts on top of Social Security, and raise the income limit on Social Security taxes." Toby interjects, "We protect FDR's legacy and admit changes have to be made to save it." Gaines asks, "What about political cover?" Josh says, "We call off the stunts. The DNC won't use this deal against any Republican who votes for it." Oh, they're in the Mural Room. Never got a good look at the mantel before. Gaines glances at Turner. Toby asks about the chances that this will pass the House. Gaines: "A lot of Republicans would like to end the demagoguery on this issue. They'll be grateful that you approached me with a deal." Turner takes a swig of his drink and says, "Actually...to sell this to Democrats...I have to say you approached me first." Gaines says that's a dealbreaker: "If it looks like a Democratic setup...." Turner complains, "I can't look like a fig leaf for some risky scheme to shred Social Security." Gaines says they're saving it, not shredding it. Toby and Josh look at each other wearily as Gaines and Turner bicker predictably. Man. Can we just get Kang and Kodos in here? God, I'm sick of Republicans and Democrats.