Campaign Shake-Up

"Campaign Shake-Up" is the seventeenth episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 63rd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 1, 2012.

In the episode, Leslie's (Amy Poehler) opponent in the city council race Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) hires a famous campaign manager named Jennifer Barkley (Kathryn Hahn), while Ron (Nick Offerman) and the parks department attempt to finish a major project for Chris (Rob Lowe).

Plot

Leslie (Amy Poehler) is catching up to her opponent for city council Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) in the polls, resulting in a shake-up of his campaign staff. Ben (Adam Scott) decides Leslie should next obtain the endorsement of Ned Jones (Carl Reiner), the president of Pawnee Seniors United. Ned is impressed with Leslie's plan to install numerous ramps for senior citizens all over Pawnee, but saves his endorsement decision until after his meeting with Jennifer Barkley (Kathryn Hahn), Bobby's famous new campaign manager who works in national elections, having been paid by Bobby's rich father to work in a local election. Although Jennifer is courteous and dislikes Bobby, she later trashes Leslie on television.

Chris (Rob Lowe) tells Ron (Nick Offerman) that if Leslie wins the election, she'll have to split her time between the parks department and city council, which will affect the department as Leslie does most of the work. Ron refuses to hire someone new as he believes it a waste of taxpayer money, so Chris asks him to prove the department can function without Leslie by quickly finishing one major project. Ron decides to take up Ann's (Rashida Jones) proposal of creating sanitary water fountains, as Pawnee's citizens have a habit of wrapping their entire mouths around the spout. Meanwhile, Leslie announces her ramp plan to members of Pawnee Seniors United, but she is upstaged by Jennifer, who announces Bobby's plan for electronic lifts. Ned loves it and Bobby wins the endorsement, giving him a commanding lead in the polls, despite the fact that he has been on a long vacation in Spain. Leslie is furious that Jennifer stole her idea, but Jennifer insists it is nothing personal and reveals she has plans to counter Ben's next move and any other move that Leslie's campaign might make, intimidating Ben.

Ann's meeting with the parks department quickly spirals into a water fight that Chris witnesses, causing Ron to admit he needs to hire someone new. April (Aubrey Plaza) calls Ron and Chris back to the office, where the parks department reveals a new spoutless water fountain to Chris' approval. Ron offers Ann a role in the parks department, but she admits it was April's idea. Ron asks April to take on a bigger role in the department and she reluctantly agrees. Leslie confronts Jennifer on "The Final Word with Perd," hosted by Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson), where Ben tells Leslie to bring up Bobby's absence, but Jennifer retorts that Bobby is in Spain trying to convince European businesses to open factories in Pawnee. Jennifer later privately admits that was a lie, but Leslie and Ben have been soundly defeated.

References