Mandatory Minimums

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From NBC:
A newly energized President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) bucks tradition and throws down the gauntlet when he names two campaign finance reformers to the Federal Election Commission despite threats from his political opponents to introduce embarrassing legislation that would dare him not to sign. But the President wants to go further and floats a controversial new drug enforcement policy. In the meantime, the early reactions to his first announcement are not encouraging, especially from top-notch pollster Al Kiefer (John de Lancie) who is hired to take the public's "temperature". Kiefer's arrival means his attractive cohort, Joey Lucas (Marlee Matlin), accompanies him, and she again draws a smitten Josh's (Bradley Whitford) attention. Toby (Richard Schiff) agrees to seek out his ex-wife, Andrea Wyatt (Kathleen York), a breezy congresswoman, to gauge her response to any future narcotics legislation that would emphasize prevention over enforcement. Leo (John Spencer) -- uncomfortably aware of his own brush with drugs -- agrees to be the Chief Executive's front man for positioning the high-voltage issue of revising the drug laws.

[Joey Lucas]

From The Official Companion:
The President is addressing a ballroom crowd of a thousand, sarcastically asserting that mandatory sentencing is the only was to assure that justice is dispensed. The staff watches from monitors, and the press corps taps away on laptops while C.J. roams the room, doing her spin. She tells them to pay attention, the President’s throwing his cap over the wall. Bartlet tells the story of the Irish lads whose journey was blocked by a wall too high to be scaled. They threw their caps over and had no choice but to follow. He asks how many times have we done that in this country – come to a wall and thrown our caps over?

In a senator’s office, the aide Steve Onorato (Paul Provenza) is watching too, but his boss is having a brandy with his staff and not paying attention to the developments in the ballroom. Onorato senses something’s up.

ONORATO: He’s gonna announce he’s naming two finance reformers to the FEC.
SENATOR: What the hell are you talkin’ about Steve?
ONORATO: Listen.
SENATOR: You said it wasn’t going to happen.
ONORATO: I was wrong.

As pledged, Bartlet is being Bartlet. He unabashedly names Bacon and Calhoun to the FEC. Hearing the news unfold, the senator screams, “Josh Lyman! Get him on the phone! I’m gonna reach down his throat and take out his lungs with an ice-cream scoop!”

Donna brings Josh a cell phone, and he’s ready for the call: “Why don’t you take your legislative agenda and shove it up your ass,” he says, snaps the phone closed, and tosses it back to Donna.

The news spread like wildfire: The President is bucking tradition by naming his own commissioners. C.J. admits to the press the FEC is toothless, but the President upbraided them to symbolically prove a point. C.J.’s assistant Carol (Melissa Fitzgerald) asks Jack, a young reporter, for a follow-up. Jack asks if she’s mistaking him for Danny. It’s clear Danny’s getting frozen out for writing about Mandy’s memo.

The staff convenes at a breakfast meeting, Leo brings up drug policy, and Toby says they can make the case to the President for treatment versus enforcement. Going a step further, Sam wants to tackle mandatory minimum sentences for crack versus powder cocaine. Leo insists on under-taking one battle at a time. Leo pauses to take a call, and asks Margaret to write down some names for him to keep on file.

If Congress introduces English as the national language, California, with its large Hispanic population, will be a key state, and Al Kiefer and Joey Lucas are California specialists. In the Oval Office, Kiefer is delivering a doom-laden message to President Bartlet. With an approval rating of 42%, if he fights for this treatment for the war on drugs, the midterms are lost and re-election is impossible. Mandy’s stepped into the room. Toby glances over at C.J., who hustles over and leads her out.

Josh says drug-control appropriations total $17.6 billion. Two-thirds are spent on enforcement, one-third on treatment, says Sam. They want to reverse the ratio. Kiefer says that the switch will make them look soft on crime.

Joey Lucas has arrived and Josh sets her up with a desk. Josh is all business, despite his special “Joey Lucas” suit, as Donna calls it, worn just for her. In the bullpen, Joey signs something for Kenny to say. “I’m not sleeping with Al Kiefer anymore.” Everyone in the bullpen cranes their necks to hear the conversation. Joey remarks, “Nice suit.”

Still overly self-conscious about making mistakes in the Press Room, C.J. has realized she misspoke at her briefing. She originally mentioned that the President is under no legal obligation to nominate a Democrat and a Republican to the FEC. The White House counsel argues he is responsible. Returning to campaign finance issues, Josh and Leo want Toby to arrange a meeting with a House Democrat on the Ethics Committee. Waiting, Toby says that sounds like his ex-wife. Mumbling that his meeting will indeed be with his ex-wife, Leo tells Toby to say that the President will not ask Democrats to unilaterally drop soft money. Leo asks Margaret to reach back into her memory and arrange a meeting with the list of names he’d given her.

Steve Onorato surprises Sam in his office. Sam thinks Onorato wants Josh, but Onorato has other plans. Meanwhile, Toby’s having a picnic with Congresswoman Andrea “Andy” Wyatt (Kathleen York), on a patch of grass astride the Tidal Basin. As far as drug policy concerned, she wants action on mandatory minimums. Ethically, she doesn’t have a problem with what Leo’s got cooking, but she wants to be there.

Steve Onorato is telling Sam that the Senate will have to confirm Bartlet’s FEC nominees. However, he knows the White House is gearing up for a major drug policy initiative, and that Sam’s been the point man for it. Onorato says if they dump the nominations and the campaign finance reform that rides on their coattails, there might be room to work on drug policy.

Leo reprimands C.J. for another stupid, amateur FEC mistake. A moment after that, Danny tells her it’s bush league to deny him access. C.J.’s less than sympathetic after the attack. “You’re on the outside lookin’ in for a while, so get used to it.”

C.J. has set up Leo’s mystery “special event,” and seven senior congressional aides are sitting in the Press Room but don’t know why. Leo explains that a debate is about to begin on the best way to fight drug problems. The White House believes that more money should be put into drug treatment. Their bosses want to spend more on prisons. Leo shoots the starting gun.

LEO: Dick, in July of ’96, your boss’s son was arrested for carrying twenty-five grams of cocaine. That’s a crime that usually carries what, Toby?
And they all turn to see TOBY standing at the back at the side. Near him is Andy.
TOBY: Eight to fifteen years.
LEO: And what did the congressman’s son get?
TOBY: Six months’ house arrest.

Leo’s hammering his point. “The President wants a lively debate. He wants to hear opposition. But he’s not going to stomach hypocrisy.” Leo says if they start bleating that Bartlet’s soft on crime, he’s got seven great stories for the press. An aide accuses Leo of bluffing. Leo motions to Carol, who opens a door to reveal that the press is right there. Leo assures them, “We play the full nine innings at this level.”

Andy admits that “it was a little fun.” In the interests of full disclosure, she tells Toby she was recently on a date and her date bumped a car. A cop was going to Breathalyse him but didn’t when he recognized the congresswoman. Whether of political or personal curiosity, Toby asks who she was out with. The general counsel for the Baltimore Orioles. Toby’s not sure but she should keep away from the Yankee’s divisional rivals, or the American League altogether.

[Joey Lucas]

From The Official Companion (cont.):
Toby calls Sam to Josh’s office and asks Sam to repeat what he just said. Sam recites that Steve Onorato came by and said if they dropped the FEC, he could warm things up on drugs. Josh and Toby chuckle at an inside joke that Sam’s clearly not part of.

JOSH starts LAUGHING, then claps SAM on the shoulder –
JOSH: You made the big time, Sam.
SAM: What’s goin’ on?
JOSH: He knows about Laurie.
SAM What do you mean?
TOBY: He knows you’re friends with a call girl.
SAM: (beat) What does –
JOSH: He wants to move you out to the front of the field so he can drop Laurie on you.
SAM: Are you serious?
JOSH: Yeah.

Sam’s steamed. He feels like he’s been made a fool of. He says he wants to call the senator and tell him to shove it.

JOSH: You know what this is like? This is like The Godfather, where Pacino’s telling James Caan he’s gonna kill the cop. It’s a lot like that scene, only not really.

Josh finally goes to talk to Joey. On Charlie’s advice, he’s found a memento of the White House to give her – a coffee mug. He asks Kenny for a private moment with Joey. He tells her he wore a special suit today. “For me?” she asks. Josh nods and shyly says he’s got to go.

Up in the residence, Leo’s telling Bartlet he’s self-conscious talking about drugs two months after announcing that he’s a recovering addict. Bartlet sympathizes, but argues that there’s no one better qualified to talk about treatment. C.J. comes in to apologize for her FEC gaffe. Within moments, Sam, Toby, and Josh arrive at the presidential bedside. Sam asks if the President is any closer to a decision on drugs. He says he’s a day closer. They’ll be more meetings tomorrow, and in the meantime everyone’s got to calm down. There’ll be mistakes. “Minimize them. Fix them. Move on.”

BARTLET: Listen to me. I’ve never lost an election in my life. We do this right and people are gonna respond. You all had a good day.

He says they have to let Mandy out of the doghouse. She was doing her job, and Danny was, too. Toby lingers a little and says he saw Congresswoman Wyatt. He mentions mandatory minimums and says that Andy’s right. Mandatory minimums for crack – the majority of which is used by blacks are much higher than for powder, which is used predominantly by whites.

TOBY: That should be part of the discussion.
BARTLET: It will be.
TOBY: Good.

As the staff files out, Leo’s left alone with the President. Bartlet says he’s sleeping better and he’s dreaming about a great discussion with experts and ideas, with energy and honesty. He says he wakes up and he thinks . . . “I can sell that.” They say good night and Leo leaves him to sleep.