History Recap / TheWestWingS01E01Pilot

->'''Sam:''' Ms. O'Brian, I understand your feelings, but please believe me when I tell you that I am a nice guy having a bad day. I just found out the Times is publishing a poll that says that a considerable portion of Americans feel that the White House has lost energy and focus. A perception that is not likely to be altered by the video footage of the President riding his bicycle into a tree. As we speak, the Coast Guard are fishing Cubans out of the Atlantic Ocean, while the governor of Florida wants to blockade the port of Miami. A good friend of mine is about to get fired for going on television and making sense. [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers And it turns out that I accidentally slept with a prostitute last night]]. Now, would you please in the name of compassion tell me which one of those kids is my boss's daughter?

On the way to his office, Sam is arguing with [[ThoseTwoGuys Ed and Larry]] about gun stats when his assistant Cathy (Creator/SuzyNakamura) joins them, and Ed and Larry leave. She tells Sam Leo's wife wants Sam to meet with [[ExactWords her daughter's fourth grade class]] and tell them a little about the history of the White House building. Sam's not happy with this, because Leo's wife has had a grudge against him since [[AnythingThatMoves he tried to hit on her at a party]], and also because Sam doesn't know anything about the history of the White House building. His pager beeps, and he calls the number, [[OhCrap which turns out to be for an escort service]]. Sam tells Cathy to page him and put through whoever calls; sure enough, it's Laurie, who's excited to hear from Sam, but less happy when he tells her they accidentally switched pagers.

-->'''Cathy:''' [[AnythingThatMoves You tried to hit on her at party fundraiser.]]

President Bartlet, who's walking with a cane, greets everyone and tells Reverend Caldwell he needs to denounce a fringe group called the Lambs of God, and though Caldwell denies it, insists that it's his responsibility. As Leo and Sam come into the room, the President remembers how he was so angry one time, he backed his car out of the garage when the door was still closed, and mentions the reason why he got into the bike accident in the first place was because he was just as pissed; his granddaughter Annie gave an interview in a teen magazine where she expressed her views on abortion, and in retaliation, the Lambs of God sent her a doll with a knife in its throat. Caldwell and the others are shocked to hear this, and the President kicks them out, but not before ordering Caldwell again to denounce them. As Caldwell leaves, he assures Leo he'll fix the situation, and Leo urgently tells him to do so.

* LiteralistSnarking: Mary Marsh makes a barbed remark about Toby and Josh's "[[StealthInsult New York sense of humor]]", Josh points out that he's not a New Yorker, which does nothing to improve Marsh's temperament. Though it’s played with a little, since it’s implied that Josh has picked up on the veiled anti-Semitic implications of her comment but is still trying to be conciliatory and move the subject on by brushing it off with a joke.

* LiteralistSnarking: Mary Marsh makes a barbed remark about Toby and Josh's "[[StealthInsult New York sense of humor]]", Josh points out that he's not a New Yorker, which does nothing to improve Marsh's temperament.

* DeathGlare: Mary Marsh, who has been throwing her weight around with the senior staff throughout the previous scene, sheepishly responds to Bartlet's order to C.J. to show her and her colleagues out by muttering "I believe we can find the door." President Bartlet then turns around, gives her a look that is designed to obliterate lesser men, and makes it clear that under no circumstances is she meant to have the last word, ''[[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking the President does]]''.

-->'''Toby:''' "She meant Jewish."
--> [A stunned silence. Everyone stares at Toby.]
-->'''Toby:''' "When she said 'New York sense of humor', she was talking about you and me."

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: In-universe; the President riding his bike into a tree is played for laughs at the President's expense over what a klutz he is throughout most of the episode, until he appears at the end and reveals ''why'' he rode his bike into a tree; he wasn't concentrating because he was incredibly pissed off, and he was incredibly pissed off because his granddaughter had received a death threat from an extremist Christian group after making some pro-choice comments in a teen magazine.

-->'''Mary Marsh:''' You don't believe in any god that I pray to, Mr. Lyman.
-->'''Josh:''' Lady, the god you pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud!

C.J. Cregg (Creator/AllisonJanney), the Press Secretary, is running on a treadmill and trying to make conversation with the man running next to her when he tells her that her pager is ringing. She tries to look at it and almost falls off the treadmill.

* SocietyMarchesOn: When this episode aired, POTUS standing for President of the United States was a WhamLine. Now, this is CommonKnowledge.

* LetMeGetThisStraight:

After an EstablishingShot of a UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC hotel, we see inside that Billy, a ''Wall Street Journal'' reporter, is trying to ask Sam Seaborn (Creator/RobLowe), the Deputy Communications Director, if Josh is on his way out, but Sam refuses to answer. It's not just that he doesn't want to answer, it's also Sam is [[DistractedByTheSexy distracted by a woman named Laurie (Creator/LisaEdelstein) who's smiling at him from across the room]].

After an EstablishingShot of a UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC hotel, we see inside that Billy, a ''Wall Street Journal'' reporter, is trying to ask Sam Seaborn (Creator/RobLowe), the Deputy Communications Director, if Josh is on his way out, but Sam refuses to answer. It's not just that he doesn't want to answer, it's also Sam is [[DistractedByTheSexy distracted by a woman named Laurie (Lisa Edelstein) who's smiling at him from across the room]].

Leo walks into the White House and greets various people until he gets to the West Wing office area. He sees Donna Moss (Janel Moloney), Josh's assistant, and asks her to get Josh. Instead, Donna yells for Josh, and asks Leo about the President's bicycle accident, which he brushes off. Leo makes his way to Josh's office, where Josh is on the phone. When he hangs up, Leo asks how many Cubans are on fishing boats heading to Florida. Josh points out "boats" is a charitable term, and thinks they should send in the Coast Guard, or any government agency that's going to give them food or blankets. Leo tells Josh he looks like hell, and Josh decides to ask whether the President is upset with him. Leo snaps the President is upset, and Josh had no business going off on the Christian Right like he did. Josh agrees with Leo that "Al Caldwell" is a good man, but he wasn't there, and argues while they need him, they don't need people like John Van Dyke and [[AlliterativeName Mary Marsh]]. Leo walks away, but admits Josh was right.

In the President's outer office, Mrs. Landingham (Kathryn Joosten) asks Leo about the President, and Leo tells her the President is a klutz, which she doesn't like to hear inside the Oval Office. Leo tells Bonnie, another secretary, to get the senior staff in for their meeting and to set up conference calls. He then asks Margaret (Nicole Robinson) to call ''The New York Times'' crossword to correct them for their spelling of Khaddafi:

Josh is at his office, watching the footage of his appearance with Mary Marsh (Annie Corley) that got him into trouble in the first place. Donna comes in and brings him coffee. Josh tells her to close the door, and points out [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness in the year and a half Donna has been his assistant, she's never brought him coffee]]. He acts unconcerned about whether he's going to get fired, and she urgently reminds him how much he helped the President get elected. Toby knocks on the door, and comes into the office as Donna leaves. After chiding Josh for his performance, Toby says he's scheduled a meeting between himself, Josh and C.J. with Mary Marsh, Al Caldwell and another member of their group (America for Better Families) to talk about the President's upcoming Sunday radio address on family values. Josh isn't happy with this, and points out again while Caldwell is a good man, he's friends with bad people. Toby retorts that this meeting is the best way to save Josh's job. Josh swallows his pride and says he'll be there. Toby then shows Josh a picture of Mandy Hampton, Josh's ex-girlfriend, who has apparently left a well-paying job to do consulting work in D.C.

Mandy (Moira Kelly) is driving her convertible and on her cell phone, telling a reporter not to screw her over. A police officer pulls her over for driving too fast.

On the way to his office, Sam is arguing with [[ThoseTwoGuys Ed and Larry]] about gun stats when his assistant Cathy (Suzy Nakamura) joins them, and Ed and Larry leave. She tells Sam Leo's wife wants Sam to meet with [[ExactWords her daughter's fourth grade class]] and tell them a little about the history of the White House building. Sam's not happy with this, because Leo's wife has had a grudge against him since [[AnythingThatMoves he tried to hit on her at a party]], and also because Sam doesn't know anything about the history of the White House building. His pager beeps, and he calls the number, [[OhCrap which turns out to be for an escort service]]. Sam tells Cathy to page him and put through whoever calls; sure enough, it's Laurie, who's excited to hear from Sam, but less happy when he tells her they accidentally switched pagers.

Leo walks through Lafayette Park with Reverend Caldwell (F. William Parker), pointing out how religious the President is, even when it's cost him politically. The reverend wants to know why Leo demonizes him, and Leo brings up Josh's point about Caldwell being friends with bad people. Caldwell says he needs Mary Marsh for political muscle, and also thinks Leo isn't making a big enough deal about what happened. Leo points out the President wants to fire Josh, and he's been trying to talk him out of it, but isn't sure if he can. Reverend Caldwell, who says he doesn't want a holy war, says he would regret that, and agrees with Leo the meeting Toby organized is a good idea.

As one staffer escorts Reverend Caldwell, Mary Marsh and John Van Dyke (David Sage) into the Mural Room, Cathy goes into the Roosevelt Room and tells Mallory O'Brian (Allison Smith) and her fourth grade class they'll be ready in another minute. As Donna, in Josh's office, convinces Josh to change his shirt, Sam walks into the lobby, and Cathy reminds him about the meeting. Sam reminds her he doesn't know anything about the history of the building, and asks Cathy to tell him which one Leo's daughter is. Cathy says she doesn't know, and leaves. Sam walks in and introduces himself to the class, and starts to tell everyone about who he is and what he does when Mallory reminds him the class came to hear about the history of the White House building. Sam tries to bluff his way through the question, but [[EpicFail fails spectacularly (among other things, he mixes up which Roosevelt the room was named for)]], and Mallory asks the class to excuse her and Sam while they step outside. Outside the room, Mallory calls Sam a moron, and Sam admits in this particular area, he is. He then asks Mallory which of the class is Leo's daughter, because it would help if he could make things easier for him if he could get her to have a good time. Mallory doesn't want to let Sam off the hook.