MONDO EXTRAS

It's state dinner time; limos are dropping off formally dressed big shots of all descriptions. There are a lot of guests and plenty of media types in attendance. One reporter stops a guy, played by Richard Dreyfuss, and says, "I'm standing here with Senate Minority Leader Robert Rumson, just one of the many guests arriving at what, for a few hours at least, is a non-partisan White House. Senator, the latest public opinion survey shows the President with approval ratings that would make him all but unbeatable, come next November. Is there a Republican who can mount a serious challenge, and are you that candidate?" Rumson demurs, saying he's just looking forward to a pleasant evening.

Lucy's helping her father get dressed by tying his bow tie. He finds it a little tight: "Is it supposed to cut off the blood flow to my face?" He wonders where she learned how to tie a bow tie. She cracks, "Social Studies." He seriously wants to know; she evades the question some more. He asks, "Sweetie, did Mom teach you how to do that?" She admits, "Yeah." He asks, "Is this okay with you? My having dinner with a lady?" Lucy's totally fine with it. He finally believes her, and admits that's he's nervous. She advises him to be himself, and to compliment her shoes. Dad's puzzled. Lucy assures him, "Girls like that."

Sydney arrives at the White House -- wearing a beautiful blue gown in a hard-to-describe shade, something between ultramarine and midnight and royal blue ["It always looks green to me" -- Wing Chun] -- and is met by Janie, who takes her upstairs. She looks dazzled, and dazzling (without being overdone). When they arrive in the room upstairs, A.J. greets Sydney immediately, saying she looks beautiful. Sydney replies, "Thank you. I have no idea what I'm doing here." A.J. assures her that "there's no hidden agenda." He re-introduces her to his wife, Esther; apparently they've met before. POTUS wanders up, saying, "Sydney. Andrew Shepherd. We spoke on the phone." She laughs, and says she remembers. He has to take off for a minute. Esther says that she thinks the way the President and Sydney met is "priceless." It's a damn good story to tell the grandchildren, that's for sure. Esther claims, "Men like being insulted by women. It makes them feel loved. Don't ask me why." I'm not so sure about that. A.J. warns her, "Sydney, when you meet the French President, don't make him feel too loved, all right? We just signed a new trade agreement." They reach POTUS, who's with the French President, in whose honour the dinner is taking place. Shepherd makes the introductions to Réné-Jean D'Astier and his wife Monique. Janie has to drag POTUS off to the receiving line. Sydney and the Prez slowly walk down a staircase. Sydney asks whether he does this often. He replies, "This is, actually, only our second State Dinner. The first one was for the Emperor of Japan, who died shortly after that, so we stopped having them for a while, just in case." Sydney meant, of course, does he date a lot? He says he doesn't, and asks whether she does. She says she seems to go out on a lot of first dates. He wonders how they're doing so far. She responds, "It's hard to say at this point. So far it's just your typical first-date stuff."