中期选举

枪击事件正值美国国内的中期选举，即除了总统之外的众议院、各州立法院和州政府的选举。民意对总统Bartlet的支持率高达81%，这让多数幕僚感到选举势头的紧迫，因为这一看似高涨的数字仅仅是“同情分”(soft)而不足以支撑Bartlet将来的连任。Charlie在枪击发生后，一直无法面对Zoey，对其他同事和总统的态度也相对冷淡。Sam劝说在杜克大学的同学Tom Jordan参加竞选议员，称总统和真个团队都会力挺他。Toby则力图借此机会对国内恐怖主义大做文章，试图为日后的选举布阵。在白宫举行的广播工作者招待酒会(Talk Radio reception)上，Bartlet到场致辞。与会的每个人都起立致敬，唯独Jenna Jacobs(电台主持人和作者)一人坐在原地不动。Bartlet不得不临时篡改Sam写好的致辞，转而对傲慢的Jenna进行了毫不掩饰的挖苦和讽刺。------------------------------------------------------------IMDB Trivia:President Bartlet criticizes a religious fundamentalist radio talk show host named Jenna Jacobs' with his detailed knowledge of scripture. The segment was adopted from a famous Internet chain letter allegedly sent to Dr. Laura Schlessinger, on whom the Jacobs character was based, and several of Bartlet's questions are identical to the questions posed in the letter.Right after President Bartlett spouts off a list of Bible quotes to Jenna Jacobs to illustrate their inapplicability, Sam Seaborn takes a crab puff from her. This is not an isolated gesture of stealing food; Leviticus 11:10 indicates that shellfish are an "abomination", so Sam's action in effect continues the President's argument. Also, Jacobs is wearing a brooch shaped like a crab on her lapel.