The California 47th

"The California 47th" is episode 81 of The West Wing.

Plot

While U.S. troops intervene to stop the ongoing genocide in Kundu, the President flies to California to campaign for Sam, right after he lets the Kundunese Ambassador know that he's taken over the country's airport and the President of Kundu has 36 hours to surrender or face the full force of the U.S. military. Unfortunately for the White House (and Sam), Congressional Republicans have just announced a tax-cut proposal. The Administration's response: a plan that would raise taxes on the rich, which no one on the White House staff wants the President to talk about in Sam's affluent Orange County district. And that is just problem No. 1. They must put off their response for 50 hours or it will destroy Sam's campaign. But Sam finds out from one of his aides, and uses his spot on the podium to force the President to mention the tax plan. At least two aides are fired from Sam's employ, each with the riposte "You're gonna get creamed"... The President makes the decision to leave Toby in California for a week to manage the rest of Sam's campaign. Toby and Charlie are arrested in a bar in Orange County after bigoted locals insult Congresswoman Wyatt over her pregnancy. This was part of a string of mishaps that included a ground transportation snafu that caused massive rush hours delays, Donna accidentally having a meeting with a member of California's Communist Party (and after one of his aides insults her for it, Sam fires him), and a clear disconnect between Sam's ideals and the DCCC plans for his campaign, all of which prompt the President, exasperated, to exclaim, "Every time we come to California we're absolutely the Clampetts."

Will remains in the White House with instructions to respond quickly to the Republican tax-cut proposal. His first problem is that he is worried about Sam's campaign, he frets that Sam's team are not doing enough to make his campaign stand out against the Republican incumbent. Secondly, the entire speech-writing staff have quit in protest at him getting the Deputy Communications Director's job. He is left with four young female interns named Lauren, Lauren, Lauren, and Cassie. He makes them wear Washington Redskins' jerseys with numbers on while they work at getting the speech out and he tries to tell them apart.

Leo stays behind to monitor the Kundu intervention with Admiral Fitzwallace, and they both note with helpless horror that the genocide is continuing by forces who want to kill as many civilians as possible before the intervention has enough force in place to stop it. Two ambassadors from neighboring countries warn Leo of the consequences of U.S. casualties in the area, and relay an offer from the Kundunese President that he'll stop the genocide for $500 million in undirected aid, as well as a promise he won't be arrested and charged with war crimes. Leo tells them to forget it, but gets word later on that three American soldiers have been kidnapped by Kundunese militia and he tells the President who then decides to return to Washington to deal with the crisis.

External links

• The West Wing Episode Guide