365 Days
Encyclopedia
"365 Days" is episode 122 of The West Wing
.
On the day after Bartlet
has given his last State of the Union address, Leo
returns to the West Wing in an undefined role (later revealed to be a Special Counselor to the President), figuring out what to do during the remaining 365 days of Barlet's term and tells the senior staff that the administration needs to take its "internal temperature" and writes "365" on a whiteboard. The tone of the episode is one of melancholy: Leo wanders about at first, seemingly aimless. He tries, and fails, to give a little speech to the team at the beginning of the episode before they scatter to the crises of the day, and is left in his new office watching old State of the Union addresses. The staffers do return throughout the day individually to ask for Leo's input on policy issues from American policies in Latin America (Kate Harper) to selling Congress on a tax that will actually help poor people (Charlie
).
After the U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (repeatedly referred to as an idiot) makes a speech about the upcoming elections there, a Socialist candidate surges in the polls. His followers later kidnap several American contractors working on drug eradication efforts. The President is harshly critical of the CIA Director and Kate points out that the contractors are prisoners of war. Other international issues that are briefly referred to take place in North Korea, Burundi, and Chechnya.
The First Lady
has to attend a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Martinsville. She is dreading it, until Annabeth
briefs her on the "advantages" (hotties driving the vehicles). This is really the only comic element in a sober narrative, including the First Lady's over the top reaction when meeting the winning NASCAR driver.
The President is sick: he needs to take regular naps. When Leo asks Toby
where the fire was in the State of the Union speech as Toby has pulled his punches (a speech that everyone is lavishly praising him for but Toby makes plain wasn't work he's proud of) Toby looks at him, incredulous and shouts: "You've had a heart attack and he can't stand up!" Toby says that most Presidents spend a lot of time going out and selling their SotU ideas, while he has VP Russell
for a week to cover some of the President's events. He also questions Will Bailey
's loyalty.
The president and Leo have a healthy bland dinner, as befits their medical conditions. Finally Leo blurts out what he wanted to say all day: "You only have 365 days left! Make the most of it before we walk through those doors!" The President is tired and ill, of all people, Leo "Mr. Double Bypass" should know this. But Leo is adamant. Eventually, that evening, the President calls together the White House Staff, and Leo gets to finally speak. 364 days left, he says, and we can affect more change in any one of them than in a lifetime after leaving the White House forever. What can we do? One by one, CJ
, Toby, Charlie, Annabeth, Will, and Kate all suggest pressing concerns, changes they would like to see made in the time they have left.
It is also the first of only five episodes in which character Josh Lyman
does not appear.
In this episode Will feels the need to explain his actions to Leo by saying "I haven't sold my soul to the Devil … I may have rented it for a little while", but it is evident that he has doubts about the Vice President, Bob Russell. After listing a few of Russell's positive traits (plainspokenness, directness and clear-mindedness), he then tells Leo that he has been assuming that Leo and Bartlet must have "seen something in him, to appoint him the VP".
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
.
Plot
The episode opens with Toby being interviewed for his speech writing efforts on the State of the Union address and West Wing staffers are giving him praise which he does not want.On the day after Bartlet
Josiah Bartlet
Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet is a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on the television serial drama The West Wing. He is President of the United States for the entire series until the last episode, when his successor is inaugurated...
has given his last State of the Union address, Leo
Leo McGarry
Leo Thomas McGarry is a fictional character played by John Spencer on the television serial drama The West Wing. The role earned Spencer the 2002 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. McGarry's character, the former United States Secretary of Labor, begins the series as the White...
returns to the West Wing in an undefined role (later revealed to be a Special Counselor to the President), figuring out what to do during the remaining 365 days of Barlet's term and tells the senior staff that the administration needs to take its "internal temperature" and writes "365" on a whiteboard. The tone of the episode is one of melancholy: Leo wanders about at first, seemingly aimless. He tries, and fails, to give a little speech to the team at the beginning of the episode before they scatter to the crises of the day, and is left in his new office watching old State of the Union addresses. The staffers do return throughout the day individually to ask for Leo's input on policy issues from American policies in Latin America (Kate Harper) to selling Congress on a tax that will actually help poor people (Charlie
Charlie Young
Charles 'Charlie' Young is a fictional character played by Dulé Hill on the television serial drama The West Wing. For the majority of the series, he is the Personal Aide to President Josiah Bartlet.-Creation and development:...
).
After the U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (repeatedly referred to as an idiot) makes a speech about the upcoming elections there, a Socialist candidate surges in the polls. His followers later kidnap several American contractors working on drug eradication efforts. The President is harshly critical of the CIA Director and Kate points out that the contractors are prisoners of war. Other international issues that are briefly referred to take place in North Korea, Burundi, and Chechnya.
The First Lady
Abbey Bartlet
Dr. Abigail Anne "Abbey" Barrington Bartlet, MD, is a fictional character played by Stockard Channing on the television serial drama, The West Wing. In the show, she is the First Lady of the United States, the wife of President Josiah Bartlet.-Overview:...
has to attend a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Martinsville. She is dreading it, until Annabeth
Annabeth Schott
Annabeth Schott, played by Kristin Chenoweth, is a fictional character on the political drama The West Wing. She joined the Bartlet administration in Season 6 as the Deputy Press Secretary for Media Relations following the promotion of C.J. Cregg to White House Chief of Staff...
briefs her on the "advantages" (hotties driving the vehicles). This is really the only comic element in a sober narrative, including the First Lady's over the top reaction when meeting the winning NASCAR driver.
The President is sick: he needs to take regular naps. When Leo asks Toby
Toby Ziegler
Tobias Zachary 'Toby' Ziegler is played by Richard Schiff on the television serial drama The West Wing. For most of the series' duration he is White House Communications Director.-Creation and development:...
where the fire was in the State of the Union speech as Toby has pulled his punches (a speech that everyone is lavishly praising him for but Toby makes plain wasn't work he's proud of) Toby looks at him, incredulous and shouts: "You've had a heart attack and he can't stand up!" Toby says that most Presidents spend a lot of time going out and selling their SotU ideas, while he has VP Russell
Bob Russell (The West Wing)
Robert 'Bingo Bob' Russell is a fictional character played by Gary Cole on the television serial drama The West Wing.After the resignation of Vice President John Hoynes due to a sex scandal in May 2003, the Bartlet Administration was forced to replace him with another Democrat...
for a week to cover some of the President's events. He also questions Will Bailey
Will Bailey
William "Will" Bailey, is a fictional character played by Joshua Malina on the television serial drama The West Wing, holding various posts in the White House Office of Communications, Office of the Vice President and a backbencher Congressman .-Character biography:Will grew up in Belgium, as his...
's loyalty.
The president and Leo have a healthy bland dinner, as befits their medical conditions. Finally Leo blurts out what he wanted to say all day: "You only have 365 days left! Make the most of it before we walk through those doors!" The President is tired and ill, of all people, Leo "Mr. Double Bypass" should know this. But Leo is adamant. Eventually, that evening, the President calls together the White House Staff, and Leo gets to finally speak. 364 days left, he says, and we can affect more change in any one of them than in a lifetime after leaving the White House forever. What can we do? One by one, CJ
C. J. Cregg
Claudia Jean "C. J." Cregg is a fictional character played by Allison Janney on the television serial drama The West Wing. From the beginning of the series until the sixth season, she is White House Press Secretary in the administration of President Josiah Bartlet...
, Toby, Charlie, Annabeth, Will, and Kate all suggest pressing concerns, changes they would like to see made in the time they have left.
It is also the first of only five episodes in which character Josh Lyman
Josh Lyman
Joshua "Josh" Lyman is a fictional character played by Bradley Whitford on the television drama The West Wing. For the majority of the series, he was White House Deputy Chief of Staff in the Josiah Bartlet administration...
does not appear.
In this episode Will feels the need to explain his actions to Leo by saying "I haven't sold my soul to the Devil … I may have rented it for a little while", but it is evident that he has doubts about the Vice President, Bob Russell. After listing a few of Russell's positive traits (plainspokenness, directness and clear-mindedness), he then tells Leo that he has been assuming that Leo and Bartlet must have "seen something in him, to appoint him the VP".