Out in the hall, Connie whispers, "Hi." Sam asks, "When I said, 'Stay out of my way,' did you think I meant --" Connie argues, "It's a bold stroke that'll cost you some independents, but --" "Just so he can expand his union membership?" counters Sam. Connie points out that it will also expand the Democratic Party: if millions of illegal immigrants could come out of hiding, there are millions of potential voters who are going to vote for Bartlet. "Three million voters in California, that's 13\% of the vote, 19\% in Arizona. You know as well as I do that the Republican Party is going to try to outflank us on this. You know it's the right thing to take to the President, so why are you giving him a hard time?" But wouldn't it be a while before all these people would be eligible to vote? How's that going to help them during the next election? Sam complains that Victor's giving Sam a hard time. Connie says Victor's doing his job: "Recognize you're weaker than you were three years ago, have a little humility, suck it up, and give him what he wants, which is going to help you in the long run anyway!" Sam thinks about it and calls Victor to the door. He asks Victor, "If I take this to the President, what do we get?" Victor replies, "California and its 435 delegates." Sam says, "I shouldn't have blown up at you before." Victor assures him, "Nobody'll know." Sam: "Yeah?" Victor nods slightly, and walks away with a half a smile, saying, "Loyalty." Sorry, I can't get behind this complete amnesty for Hispanics only. I'm not sure I'm all that impressed with Connie's exceptional political mind. It should be interesting to see the fallout from this.

Next door, Josh and Toby are meeting with Congressman Mark Richardson, the Black Caucus representative. Richardson says that Josh thinks the Black Caucus votes as a bloc, and that they only care about the cities. Josh thinks that perhaps the Black Caucus can think of better ways to spend $28 billion than on a tax break that will benefit fewer than a thousand African-American families. Richardson points out that the African-American community doesn't think one way about anything. Go, Mark! Toby paces. Mark says that some of their members feel that if black Americans can't pass on the wealth and security they've worked so hard to build up, their efforts to achieve power, clout, and self-sufficiency as a community are undermined. Josh: "You think a few black millionaires justifies a multi-billion-dollar boondoggle?" Richardson replies, "Well, as long as there's a Congress, there are going to be multi-billion-dollar boondoggles. We'd just like to share in them a little bit, please." Can't say I blame him. Toby finally speaks: "We're bleeding here." Mark: "What?" Toby repeats, "We're bleeding here, for God's sake. You can work with us or you can be ignored by a Republican President!" Mark asks how bad it is. Toby says that Buckland's coming after them, and that he and Campos have been meeting. Mark asks, "And while you guys are defending yourselves against Special Prosecutors and Jack Buckland, what happens to the people who got you here?" Toby replies, "Who are you talking to here, Mark? We're not going to forget about failing schools in central cities. We're not going to forget about after-school care, health care for uninsured kids; we're not going to forget about drug treatment, or urban redevelopment, or community policing!" He's almost shouting by the end. Mark says, "Yeah?" Toby insists, "You gotta not forget that we're bleeding!" Mark says, "The black caucus doesn't vote as one mind. I can't promise anything." Josh explains, "The veto's an awfully big risk to take if you can't promise anything." Mark responds: "Then the veto's an awfully big risk to take."