The West Wing: The White House Pro-Am   Rewatch 
August 26, 2014 12:41 AM - Season 1, Episode 17 - Subscribe

Diplomacy figures into how best to advise the First Lady on some actions; hate mail prompts the President to ask his daughter to cancel a date.

The President's and First Lady's staffs feud over rival agendas when her public statements about foreign child-labor abuse inspires a Congresswoman to attach an amendment that will surely torpedo a long-delayed international tariff bill favored by the President. What's more, when the revered chairman of the Federal Reserve dies, the President is under pressure to name the former head's top lieutenant as his successor -- the same man who seriously dated the First Lady in college. Away from the White House, Zoey clashes with her boyfriend Charlie when she suggests that they not step out together at an upcoming club opening at the request of the Secret Service which is concerned about recent hate letters concerning their interracial relationship. Josh asks opinionated Toby to mind his manners prior to parleying with important Congressmen.

Airdate: March 22, 2000
Director: Ken Olin (another thirtysomething alum!)
Writers: Lawrence O'Donnell Jr., Paul Redford & Aaron Sorkin
Yeah Count: 43
Number of times Mandy speaks, appears or is referred to in any way: ZERO.
posted by ApathyGirl (6 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
I'm pretty sure this is a good link to watch online, free. If I'm right, then the rest of the season appears to also be available - I'll go back and link them in each episode over there on the right under recaps.

posted by ApathyGirl at 12:44 AM on August 26, 2014


"There's a first-year enthusiasm on this show. The people here really care about it--that's hard to find," says Ken Olin, who starred on "thirtysomething" and is directing an episode about a blowup between the president and first lady over her meddling in his legislative affairs.

From "Art Meets Politics", March 7, 2000.

This is a terrific article about the show right at the time this episode aired.
posted by ApathyGirl at 12:57 AM on August 26, 2014 [1 favorite]


BARTLET
When was the last time we were lucky?

LEO
Super Tuesday.


I love how Leo says they weren't lucky on the day of the election.

TOBY
You're concerned about American labor and manufacturing?

CONGRESSMAN 1
Yeah.

TOBY
What kind of car do you drive?

CONGRESSMAN 1
Toyota.

TOBY
Then shut up.


Oh god, this grinds me. Every fucking time a Congressman comes into the White House, they walk right into a stupid Toby rhetorical trap. There is no one in Congress dumb enough to respond to that line that way, and I am personally represented by one of the dimmest lights in Congress, and I know for a fact that he is not dumb enough to respond to that line that way. Okay, it helps that I live in Michigan, but still, "I drive a Corolla, made by American workers in Tupelo, Mississippi," is a line that any Congressman would know by heart.
posted by Etrigan at 6:30 AM on August 26, 2014 [4 favorites]


The show wouldn't be the same if it didn't have it's conservative strawmen.
posted by cuscutis at 12:28 PM on August 26, 2014


This is the episode with one of my favorite exchanges between the President and First Lady when he tells her to just be wrong. Just stand there in your wrongness and be wrong.
I also like Danny Concannon's scenes, his advice to Charlie and the awkward talk with Bartlett.
Such a relief also whenever Mandy isn't around.
I believe we have the Jackal to look forward to in the next episode?
posted by wabbittwax at 12:39 PM on August 27, 2014 [4 favorites]


I just noticed in this episode that Danny Concannon is working on a full beard; a few episodes ago Mandy said something to CJ about "don't you think Danny would look better with a full beard?" CJ downplayed it, but the guys teased her later that episode because she was off-kilter that Mandy had been flirting with him. I'd never noticed that detail before, and I'm going to assume it was intentional. I always forget how simply delightful Danny is with CJ.
posted by lilac girl at 12:35 AM on October 5, 2014


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