Great episode . . . here's the details (sorry no photos)
The post debate campaign is ramping up and hot new issues appear out of nowhere in true West Wing form.
It's Saturday morning at the White House. CJ has come in to help President Bartlett's daughter with wedding details but has to leave as she was getting started to hear about a new international crisis. It seems that an oil deal between one of the Russian republics and China has gone bad. Russia and China are squaring off and China is beginning to mass troops at the border.
Meanwhile, Congressman Santos, has his own firestorm to deal with. He is scheduled to speak at the black church in LA. On Friday night a 12 year old black boy was fatally shot by a latino LAPD officer. The boy had stolen a car and had a gun that "looked" real. Speaking at the church n now was a no win political situation, but they are committed so he has to show. The question is what does a Latino candidate for president say.
Josh puts in a request with CJ for Bartlett to cover, but it's too short of notice. While in DC, Josh calls in on Tody at his apartment. The two have words and ultimately Tody tells Josh that Santos doesn't have what it takes to deal with the tough issues and make the tough decisions.
Sunday morning, the speach is delivered to Santos who promptly puts it in the trash can. He doesn't know what to say yet, but knows it must come from the heart. He arrives at the church to a polite but chilly welcome.
It's awkward as he takes the pulpit. He begins to speak. He says his prayers are with the family of the 12 year old boy . . . and with the officer and his family, not because the officer has experienced a loss but because of the pain and heavy burden he has. He says he thinks about what happened and wants to place blame. Was it the kid's fault for stealing the car? Was it the kid's parents fault? Why couldn't the officer waited one more second? His heart filled with rage. He recalled Dr. King's plea for more compassion. He acknowledged that it had been a long time and still the streets are not safe, that people were tired of waiting (now he was beginning to connect as heads began to nod) . He finished the speach be appealing to everyone the need for more compassion, that it was the only way to make progress as slow as it would be. As he finished his speach and left the church, he had faced the tough issue with leadership and everyone felt good about it.
