History Recap / TheWestWingS01E02PostHocErgoPropterHoc

This episode contains examples of:

-->'''Laurie:''' Ooh, geez, Sam. How do the girls stay on their feet with you?

-->'''Mandy:''' It's [[GiacomoPuccini Puccini]]. Wagner's German, and you're a moron.

-->'''C.J.:''' They declined."

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Series/{{Castle}} Captain Montgomery]] is Dr. Morris Tolliver. [[spoiler: And he ends up getting killed as well]].

* ElNinoIsSpanishForElNino: After President Bartlet asks the staff if they know what "post hoc, ergo propter hoc" means (see TitleDrop below):

* IncrediblyLamePun:
-->'''President Bartlet:''' What's in Jordan?
-->'''Dr. Tolliver:''' Amman.
-->'''President Bartlet:''' You should stay here. We got Amman, a woman, little kids, the works.
-->'''Dr. Tolliver:''' 131 over 84.
-->'''President Bartlet:''' [[LampshadeHanging See, that was a joke]].
-->'''Dr. Tolliver:''' [[SarcasmMode Good one]].
-->'''President Bartlet:''' Everybody's a critic today.

-->'''President Bartlet:''' 27 lawyers in the room, anybody know "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc"?...Leo?

-->'''President Bartlet:''' C.J., on your tombstone, it's gonna read, "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc".

-->'''President Bartlet:''' After it, because of it. It means one thing follows the other, therefore it was caused by the other, but it's not always true. In fact, it's hardly ever true. We did not lose Texas because of the hat joke. Do you know when we lost Texas?

-->'''Toby:''' Sarcasm's a disturbing thing coming from a woman your age, Mrs. Landingham?

->'''C.J.:''' U.S.A. Today asks you why you don’t spend more time campaigning in Texas and you say it’s cause you don’t look good in funny hats.
->'''Sam:''' It was "big hats".
->'''C.J.:''' What difference does it make?
->'''President Bartlet:''' It makes a difference.

* InsistentTerminology: Sam slept with a call girl, not a hooker, and it was accidentally.

* GoLookAtTheDistraction: [[WalkAndTalk As Leo and Dr. Tolliver are talking about the latter's newborn daughter and his picture of her]], Margaret comes up and chides Leo for adding someone to an appointment. Leo responds by giving her Dr. Tolliver's picture to look at, and she predictably melts.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Series/{{Castle}} Captain Montgomery]] is Dr. Morris Tolliver. [[spoiler: And he meets the same fate here]].

* TranquilFury: President Bartlet at the end, after [[spoiler: the plane carrying Dr. Tolliver is shot down and everyone is killed]]; "I'm gonna blow them off the face of the earth with the fury of God's own thunder." And it is *chilling* to watch.

-->'''Staffer #2:''' It's an Italian opera by Wagner.
-->'''Mandy:''' It's Puccini. Wagner's German, and you're a moron.

-->'''Josh:''' Rule number one, she can't punch me. Rule number two, I would prefer it if the two of you didn't get drunk in the middle of the day...Rule number three, and I really can't emphasize this enough, you answer to me and you answer to Toby. My office is drawing up some instructional charts that pretty much outline the chain of command. For instance, you answer to me and you answer to Toby.

Mandy is upset because Senator Russell makes a deal that effectively neuters his campaign run, so she quits. As it happens, the senior staff is able to convince Leo they need a new media director, so he agrees to hire Mandy, much to Josh's consternation. Vice-President John Hoynes (Tim Matheson) makes a comment about White House policy that seems strained, and when C.J. tries to ask him about it, he blows her off; she covers for him, but Leo sees through this and chews the Vice-President out for it. Sam confesses to Josh and Toby about seeing Laurie; not only that, but he wants to see her again (though not paying for her services, of course), and does so. Finally, Syria shoots down a plane carrying President Bartlet's [[spoiler: physician]], along with other Americans, and the President, who earlier had talked about how reluctant he was to use force against his enemies, is ready to strike back.