It's the Santos campaign jet. We see a television on which there's live coverage of reporters shouting questions at Santos in front of a screaming crowd. The camera follows a smiling extra as she walks through the cabin. She's way too smiley and calm -- are they dosing the campaign staff with lithium? And if they are, why don't they give some to the regulars? In any case, the camera follows Ms. Plath and then focuses on Donna, Santos, and the rest of the entourage as they enter the plane. Santos asks about his meeting with the CIA briefer, and Josh notes that they lost him at the rally. Donna ably steps up to the pitch, responding, "Probably not a field operative." I've always thought that, of all of characters on this show, Donna would make the best recapper. Donna smoothly pulls Santos into a photo op with another Congresswoman. Santos poses while still asking Josh to make sure there is a CIA briefer in Ohio to discuss Kazakhstan. Then there's some business with Otto about the foreign policy section of the stump speech, the failure of Russell to return Josh's call, and a call from Leno. And this time, the call is actually from Jay Leno, which Donna only realizes after she starts speaking to him. Lou starts talking about Michigan poll numbers. All of these conversations go on at once, and Santos looks around and mutters, "Getting a little existential in here." The end result of some of these conversations is that Josh doesn't get through to Bingo Bob, Jay Leno still wants Santos to wear tights on his show, and Santos wants to rewrite a portion of the stump speech about Israel, and asks Otto to set up a call with someone named Waller. And then everyone focuses on one conversation for a moment, telling Santos about the story they're pitching on Vinick's Canadian buses. Santos thinks for a moment, and asks them, "Anyone check where our buses are made?" Lou goes jogging off, calling for Otto, who might not be such an attractive young man to her right now.
Santos enters his private room to find Anspaugh waiting. (In the show, Anspaugh is called Goodwin, but it's too late to change now). Oh, and Teddy is also there. On a television, we can see coverage of Vinick declaring that people who've broken the law should have no right to help make the laws. Santos seems concerned, but Teddy points out that Vinick is losing what little support he might have had in the African-American community. Santos counters that he's motivating his base, so that it may not matter. Donna arrives to tell Santos that he has to pose for a photo with a Senator. Santos notes that he already had a picture taken with the Senator out on the tarmac, but Donna tells him that because the Congresswoman got a photo on the plane, the Senator wants one too. Man, I bet the Senator also wants Evian in his hotel room whenever he travels. Santos throws on his jacket while Anspaugh tells him he should make a statement about convict voting in Ohio. Santos thinks the disenfranchisement laws are rotten, but also notes that he's not "for giving the vote to every ax murderer." Santos does think, however, that non-violent ex-cons should be able to vote. And really, what does violence have to do with it? If someone has served his time, and is no longer on probation or parole, what's the justification for stripping him of any of his rights? I think there's more justification for not letting the corporate criminals ever vote again. I mean, if someone has experience embezzling a few million from a large corporation, it's probably not too big a stretch to committing election fraud. We should keep them away from the polls just as a precautionary matter. Josh tells Santos that he'll have Otto draft some language. So I guess Otto is a speechwriter. I had no idea. Santos leaves, and Josh, Anspaugh, and Teddy continue the conversation. Apparently, talking about letting ex-cons vote is not good politics, especially in the states they most need to win. Josh (who is still on hold for Russell, a phone against his ear) mentions Colorado, and Anspaugh asks him, "You try calling the Vice-President?"













Comments