9.
Donna slowly came back to consciousness and couldn’t figure out where the hell she was. This
wasn’t a completely unusual sensation; they’d been traveling for months and often managed
more than one state in one day, but this was different. Then she turned over and discovered
why. She was staring at Josh’s chest…and lying in his lap.
“Josh!”
“What?!” He jumped up when she called his name and nearly tossed her on the floor.
“What time is it?”
“What DAY is it?” Josh countered and tried to rub the sleep from his eyes.
“The west coast ad buy!”
“I took care of it. It’s done.” Josh hastened to tell her and looked at his watch. “5:30?”
“If your crappy watch says 5:30 then it’s at least quarter to 6.” Donna moaned as she sat up.
“We fell asleep here?”
“It appears that way. I need some coffee.”
“You need some more sleep. We both do.” Donna complained and moved to lie back down on
the couch.
“We’ve got staff in half an hour.” Josh reminded her and she groaned. “And can I just ask that
the next time you wake me up from a sound sleep, you don’t do it by shouting my name?”
“The next time?” Donna drawled.
“A man can dream, Donnatella.”
She was saved from a rejoinder when CJ busted into the room with Toby at her heels.
“You’re not going to believe the statement Hoynes issued today.”
“Oh, I’ll bet I can.” Josh wagered and held out his hand for the offending document. He quickly
scanned it before passing it to Donna so she could read it.
“He’s blaming YOU for keeping the MS a secret?” She shrieked.
“Technically, he’s blaming both the Governor and me.” Josh amended. “But I don’t want to get
into it until I’ve had some coffee.” He looked at Donna hopefully.
“Forget about it.” She muttered. “How are we going to respond to this?”
“The day before the primary? Are you nuts? We’re not.” Josh declared. “It’s a knuckle ball in
the dirt.”
Donna and CJ exchanged baffled glances.
“He means it’s not worth swinging at this pitch, but I want to know why he thinks that.” Toby
interpreted.
“We’re not talking process today, we’re talking policy; job program policy here in Michigan. “
“And that would be all well and good except for one thing…everyone else is talking process.”
CJ countered. “Maybe if you did another sit down?”
“I just did one last night! I’m done. Everything about the MS is a matter of record now. Re-direct
them to the Governor’s jobs program.”
“Yeah, ‘cause that will work.” CJ drawled.
“Damn it, CJ, just do it. I don’t have any rabbits to pull out of a hat here.” Josh exclaimed and
caused CJ to leave in a frustrated huff.
“She’s the one out front taking all the shrapnel.” Toby said quietly.
“And I’m not indifferent to that, Toby, I’m just helpless to do much about it at the moment.”
Toby nodded solemnly and left as well. Josh picked up a legal pad he’d been scrawling notes
on and threw it against the wall. Donna silently closed the door to the hallway, but stayed inside
with him.
“You need some food.” She brought up. “I’d say sleep too, but none of us will be getting that for
awhile yet. Let’s go across the street; get a bagel or something.”
“You obviously have more faith in the magical powers of bagels than I do.”
“No, I just haven’t seen you eating much since you’ve been back and your body needs some
fuel just to provide the energy for all the pacing you’ve been doing.” She held out a hand for
him. “Come on. A quick bite of something, anything. I’ll even buy you some coffee – the good
stuff.”
Reluctantly, he took her offered hand and they began walking. Donna blew off several people
trying to stop them and ask questions, promising that they’d be back very quickly.
“You know, someone very smart once told me that even getting the Governor this far was a
miracle.” She began.
“He was right, as usual.”
“Ass.” She said lightly. “Winning the nomination now is even more problematic.”
“Tell me something I don’t know. What are you trying to say to me, Donna?”
“I’m saying that you seem to be taking this on as a personal battle and you shouldn’t.”
“I’m the Director of Strategy, Donna, of course it’s a personal battle.”
“No, as the Director of Strategy, this would be a professional battle and one that would be very
difficult to win. You need to cut yourself some slack, Josh. If we lose this primary…”
“Toby would cut your tongue out for even hinting at such a conclusion.”
“I’m looking at the same numbers you are. It could go either way.”
“It’s my job to make them go our way.”
“Under normal circumstances I’d agree, but you had an atomic size bomb dropped on you. We
all did. We’re doing our best with the hand we’ve been dealt, but…”
“Donna, I can’t…listen; I get what you’re trying to say.” He tried to wave her off.
“You’ve done an incredible job here regardless of the outcome.”
“I don’t quite see it that way.”
“I know. That’s what concerns me. This campaign isn’t your sole responsibility; we’re a team
here.”
“Boy, have you got a lot to learn about politics.” Josh muttered. “If we tank here tomorrow, I’ll be
the first one hung out to dry. There’s blood in the water, and Hoynes smells it too. That’s what
his damn memo was about today. He figures he can whack the Governor and get a little
payback on me all at the same time.”
“Let CJ respond to it.” Donna pleaded. “She blows it off in two sentences and it’s on to jobs in
Michigan.”
“No.”
“Joshua!”
“We are NOT feeding into THEIR narrative.” He insisted. “It’s my call, Donna.”
“Yes.” She admitted. “Yes, it is. But we used to at least discuss the calls. The last few days it’s
just been directives.”
They reached the diner and although all campaign talk ceased, Josh kept hearing her voice in
his head.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“It’s going to be tight.” Toby declared.
“Yeah.” Josh agreed.
“Very, very, tight.” Toby expounded.
“Yeah.” Josh repeated.
“So I’m saying we might as well drink a little.” Toby pushed the shot glass closer to the Director
of Strategic Planning. It was after 2 am and it was still too close to call.
“We might not have any definitive results for days.” Josh ignored the shot glass.
“Even when we do, we may not know what it means.”
Josh scoffed at that. “That’s what we’ll SAY, but we’ll know what it means.”
“There was nothing else you could have done here, you know; short of, well, stuffing the ballot
box or something.”
“How many of those have you HAD, Ziegler?” Josh laughed.
“Not nearly enough.” Toby replied and took another shot.
“It’s a virtual tie with 79% of the precincts reporting in.” Sam announced breathlessly when he
barreled through the door.
“Really, that’s a win for us when you consider we were down by four points when we got here.”
Toby opined.
Josh laughed again and stood up to leave the speechwriters’ office.
“Josh?” Sam called out to him.
“I’m going to go take a look at the last few precincts.” Josh called back without stopping his
progress.
He found her in the middle of the office with a color-coded map in one hand and note cards in
the other. Just seeing her calmed his nerves. They’d had precious little time for anything
personal between them since Donna had returned to the campaign, but Josh felt the same
magnetic pull to her that he’d felt since the day he’d met her. He came up behind her and ran
his hand down her back.
“Whatcha got, Tonto?” He asked her in a way designed to get a reaction.
“If you’re trying to imply that you’re…” She began.
He chuckled. “Whatcha got?” He repeated.
“It’s only outlying precincts left.” She reported. “My tally has us down by 743 votes, but the
remaining precincts have been strong for us, so…”
“They’re strong for us now, or they were strong for us before…?” Josh asked.
“Who could possibly know at this point?” Donna shrugged.
“You do.” Josh insisted and Donna blew out a breath.
“I don’t know if there are enough votes there for us to make up the deficit.” She came clean.
“There aren’t.” Josh said quietly and continued to their office.
Donna set down the map and the cards and followed him.
“You can NOT possibly know that.” She argued once she’d closed the door between them and
the rest of the office.
“Ah-kay.” Josh said agreeably.
“I mean, there is NO way you could know that.”
“I said, okay.”
“Josh…”
“We’re going to lose this one, Donnatella.” Josh looked down at the floor. “You’re going to need
to help CJ spin it.”
“Me? What are you going to be doing?”
Josh shrugged, but didn’t give her an answer.
“Joshua Lyman. What’s going on in that warped head of yours?”
“At the very least, I need to keep a low profile right now.”
“At the very least?”
“Donna, we just lost a primary we were ahead in two weeks ago. You don’t think there will be
repercussions to that?”
“Of course there will be…You’re not talking about repercussions for the campaign, are you?
You’re talking about personal repercussions.”
“I told Leo you picked things up fast.” Josh sat down heavily behind his desk. “The Governor is
going to need a fall guy, Donna.”
“Not you.”
“Then who?”
“The Governor doesn’t work like that, Josh.”
“He’s going to have to learn how then.”
“I can’t believe you’re even talking like this.”
“It’s how these things work.”
Donna sat across from him and just stared at him for a minute. “I think you came back too
soon.”
“Don’t.”
“Josh, you’re taking this personally when there is absolutely no reason for you to do so. Is this
about your father? The promise you made him about electing the Governor?” She received
nothing but silence for an answer. “Do you think the Governor of all people is going to blame
you for this? Hold you responsible?”
“*I* hold myself responsible, Donna!” Josh exploded.
“I can see that.” Donna replied. “Maybe you need to take a little time to figure out why.”
She got up without another word and left him alone in the office.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“Governor!” Josh stood up suddenly and turned off the TV he’d been watching. Since the
Governor had just finished speaking, Josh hadn’t anticipated him showing up in his office.
“Have you got a minute?”
“Certainly, sir.” Josh motioned him to his visitor chair. “You did well out there tonight.”
“So did you.”
“I wasn’t on spin tonight, Governor. Given the recent attention I’ve been garnering from the
Hoynes camp, CJ and Donna felt my presence might be…distracting.”
“I know, but that wasn’t what I was talking about.” Bartlet answered. “What we did out there
tonight, well last night I guess, that was due to you and your hard work.”
“Governor, we lost by 421 votes.” Josh told him slowly.
“They’re still opening absentee ballots.” Bartlet tossed back.
“Yeah, we’re really popular with the military folks voting absentee.” Josh pointed out and
opened a beer for himself before offering one to the Governor who gratefully took it from him.
“So…I was about to go out and make my agreed upon statement when I was accosted by one
Donnatella Moss.” Jed paused and took a deep swallow of the beer. “She was under the
impression that I might blame you for the loss here; that you might be…what was the term she
used? Tossed under the train?”
“The bus, Governor, thrown under the bus.” Josh corrected him with a smile. “I was explaining
to her that you might need to throw some ballast overboard after the loss here to try to pick up
some speed in Florida.”
“What the hell made you think that you were ballast?” The Governor asked point blank.
“Governor…Hoynes is going to make ME the story and have you stuck on the MS disclosure
until after he’s sworn in as the next President.”
Jed Bartlet leaned back in his chair and took another pull of beer from the bottle. “I don’t think
so.”
“Governor…”
“How have you been doing Josh?”
“Besides taking a beating in Michigan?”
“Yes. How are you doing, personally? How’s your mother?”
Jed could see a shutter close down over Josh’s face. “She’s fine, sir. We talk every day.” He
neglected to mention that the daily checks were arranged by Donna, but Jed knew that already.
“You look tired.”
“Respectfully, sir, anyone on your campaign that doesn’t look tired should be fired.”
Jed laughed good-naturedly. “Maybe so, but a little bird told me that you haven’t been taking
very good care of yourself.”
“Please don’t tell the press pool you’re talking to birds, Governor.” Josh teased.
“Only the pretty ones…who chirp very loudly into my ear until I do something about it.” Jed
extended the metaphor a little further. “I’m not firing you, Josh, and I won’t accept your
resignation either.” The Governor neatly anticipated Josh’s next move. “Now if you need a
leave of absence to take care of things at home…”
“I don’t.” Josh answered quickly and decisively.
“Then you should go get some sleep. We’re scheduled to fly out in 7 hours.” Josiah Bartlet took
one last swig of beer before heaving himself up and moving toward the door.
“Governor…”
“See you at the airport, son.” Was his final comment before leaving Josh alone with his
thoughts.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Donna was careful to keep her distance from Josh the following morning when the crew
assembled to leave for the airport. So she was surprised when he chose to sit next to her on
the plane. She was afraid he might be angry with her for going to the Governor.
“So guess who stopped by after his wrap up speech in Michigan?” He began.
“I KNOW who stopped by.” She replied honestly. Whatever this was between them, it wasn’t
going to go forward with any dishonesty between them.
“Don’t go around me to the Governor again, okay?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry. What? Did you just say ‘no’?”
“Your hearing is just fine. I said ‘no’.” Donna repeated. “I had concerns about you; both
professional and personal. I brought them up with you and was summarily dismissed by you so I
took it upon myself to take it up the chain of command.”
“You took that upon yourself, did you?”
“I did. And what’s more is that I’ll do it again if I need to because I care about you.”
Josh let that sit between them awhile. “Personally or professionally?”
“Personally. Professionally I still think you’re mostly an arrogant ass.” She claimed and made
Josh bark out a laugh.
“Fair enough.” He decided and leaned closer to her. “I’m fine, Donnatella.”
“Uh-huh.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
“I’ve been watching you carefully. You’re not eating and you’re not sleeping.”
“Maybe if you’d come by and tuck me in…”
“This isn’t a joke.”
“I’m fine.” He told her again and this time he picked up her hand in his and held it in his lap
before he tilted his seat back and attempted to disprove her ‘no sleep’ theory.
Donna pretended to focus on the book she brought on board with her, but she kept stealing
glances at Joshua. He appeared to be sleeping, but he could be faking too. He was sneaky like
that. When they started to make their descent into Orlando, she shook kissed him softly.
“Josh? We’re landing.”
“Not yet.” He murmured and pulled her back to him for another kiss.
“I’m afraid so.” She laughed and squeezed his hand that was still resting in hers. He opened his
eyes and looked out the window for confirmation of her news.
“We’re landing already? I slept the whole way?”
“It would appear so. I’d say you were pretty tired.”
“I told you I was sleeping fine.”
“Yes, except your nap in the middle of the day would indicate otherwise. You’re not sleeping at
night, are you?” She asked pointedly.
“Not much.” He admitted. “I just can’t get to sleep lately.”
“You had no problem just now.”
“That’s because you were with me. Hey! Maybe if…”
“Nice try.” Donna cut him off mid-suggestion and turned to look out the window. “Florida. It
looks so warm and relaxing.”
“Not for us.”
“We won’t have time for Disneyworld?” Donna pouted.
“Not this trip, but if you’re very, very good…” He trailed off and kissed her forehead. “You know
what else they have in Florida? Beaches. We should check that out while we’re here.”
“You think we’re going to have time to laze around on the beach?”
“Yeah…no. But maybe a late night walk on one?” He suggested.
“That would be very nice.” Donna sighed. “But I’m not holding my breath on that either.”
Josh made a silent vow that they would get their walk on the beach before they left Florida.
After Michigan, how bad could Florida be?
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
10.
“Where’s Hoynes’ schedule?” Josh bellowed to the group at large.
“I don’t have it here.” Donna answered carefully. She had a good idea what was behind his
request.
“I want Hoynes’ schedule. Now!” He shouted to the room at large.
One of the interns rushed to give it to him. He grabbed it from him and started walking for the
door. Toby intercepted him.
“Don’t.”
“I’m tired of this, Toby.”
“You going over there will just give him, and the press, more grist for the mill.”
“I don’t care anymore. Get out of my way.” Josh insisted.
By now, CJ and Donna had joined the party near the doorway.
“I’ll make another statement.” CJ tried to appease him.
“No, I’M going to make the statement, right in the middle of his fucking event.” Josh declared.
“Donna…” CJ urged her to use her influence on Josh before it was too late.
“Let him go.” Donna weighed in.
“Donna!” CJ shrieked.
“Josh knows what he’s doing.” Donna kept her eyes on Josh. “Don’t you?”
Josh simply nodded.
“Then let’s go.” She suggested and opened the door for him. Josh smirked at CJ and Toby and
followed Donna’s lead.
It had been almost a solid week for Josh of being pummeled day after day, by name, by the
Hoynes camp. Donna had watched as Josh wound himself tighter and tighter. Then today’s
statement had hit the press. Hoynes was alluding to Josh being unstable since the recent
unexpected death of his father. Something had to give.
They made the ride in complete silence; very unusual for the two of them but Josh took it as a
sign of how well Donna understood him. He didn’t want to be talked out of this and he didn’t
want to discuss what he planned to do once he got there. So she just sat there quietly, and he
knew how hard that was for her to do.
Once they arrived at the town hall meeting, Josh gave her a chance to stay in the car. She just
rolled her eyes and walked into the venue at his side. Josh stood patiently at the back of the
hall, waiting for the right moment. Donna thought he reminded her of a spider when he was in
this mode; holding completely still until he felt his enemy was ensnared in his web.
He didn’t have to wait long for his moment. He stepped forward as soon as the Senator began
taking questions and unapologetically elbowed his way to the front of the line. Donna stayed
back but moved a little to the side to catch the whole floor show.
“I have a question.” Josh announced.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, you’re in for a treat. This is Josh Lyman, Political Strategy Director for
my opponent.” Hoynes announced. “What can I do for you Josh? Or are you here in an official
capacity?”
“I just have one question for you, John, man to man.” Josh informed him. “At what point did you
decide to sacrifice the few remaining scruples you have in order to try to secure the Democratic
nomination for President?”
“Excuse me?”
“You want to come after me? That’s fine. I’m a pro and this is the Major Leagues.” Josh
abandoned the mic and instead walked up to the stage to face Hoynes directly. “You bring my
father into this again and you’ll be taking your meals through a straw.”
“If this is about the statement earlier…”
“I have something to say, and unlike you, I prefer to talk to people in person rather than assail
them through the press.” Josh smiled and Donna almost covered her eyes, she was that certain
Josh was about to hit the man. “You’re not going to be the next President, John. You won’t even
be the nominee of the Democratic party. Want to know why?”
“I think we’re done here.” Hoynes attempted to leave the stage, but Josh continued undeterred.
“It’s because you lack the integrity.”
“Ha! This coming from Bartlet’s Bull dog?” Hoynes shot back.
“The Governor made a mistake, and because he has a conscience, he admitted it, apologized
for it, and corrected it. That takes a kind of personal integrity you don’t even recognize.
Because if you did, you’d focus on the issues instead of taking pot shots at me and my dead
father. The gloves are off now.” Josh turned away from him and walked directly back to Donna.
She turned on her heel and matched him stride for stride as the media vied for his attention.
“Josh!”
“Mr. Lyman!”
“A minute please!”
“Don’t you dare say a word.” Donna warned him sotto voce while they barreled through the
crowd in front of them. They walked directly to the car and had barely put on their seat belts
when Josh’s cell began ringing. When he didn’t answer, Donna’s rang next.
“It’s Leo.” She announced unnecessarily. Josh knew this move would anger his mentor, but he
couldn’t stand idly by any longer. “Donna Moss.” Donna had to hold the phone away from her
ear to avoid going deaf from the shouting coming through the speaker. She turned a glower at
Josh but it was only half hearted. When the noise died down she put the phone back to her ear.
“He needs a minute Leo. I’ll have him call you back…I understand…I think it would be best if we
avoided campaign headquarters for a bit…Bye, Leo.”
“We’re not going back to work?” Josh asked hopefully.
“Not for a little while, no.” Donna confirmed.
“Go ahead.”
“Go ahead, what?”
“Go ahead with the tongue lashing you’ve been patiently waiting to deliver.”
“I have no tongue lashing, Joshua. Frankly, I’m just thrilled there wasn’t any physical
altercation.”
“I wasn’t going to hit the guy, Donna!”
“That’s not what it looked like from where I was standing.” She replied. “Nor from where the
media was standing, I’ll bet.”
“He went too far.”
“Undoubtedly.”
“I had to say something; face to face.”
“I agree.”
“Then why am I being punished?”
“You consider being given a few hours off work a punishment? You really have a twisted kind of
logic.”
“You’re going to tell me Leo isn’t pissed?”
“No, Leo’s completely pissed, but mostly, I think, because he didn’t get a heads up first.”
“If I’d given him a heads up…”
“He’d have stopped you.” Donna finished.
“He’d have tried anyway.” Josh stopped at the stoplight. “If we’re not going back to the office,
where are we going?”
“East.” Donna pointed.
“Why east?”
“Because that’s where the beach is.” Donna smiled. “You promised.”
“It’s like an hour east of here.” Josh objected.
“And your point is?”
Josh broke out in a grin. “I guess if we’re going to play hooky…”
Josh turned on the radio which, predictably, caused more debate.
“We’re going to the beach. We need 50’s tunes.” Donna argued.
“NPR.” Josh countered.
“Normally an acceptable choice, however, since we are beach bound…” Donna found what she
deemed an appropriate channel.
“If we’re not going to be in the office, don’t you think we should at least listen to what’s
happening politically?”
“Sure. I’ll bet they’ve got a nice segment on your Hoynes appearance by now.”
“Fair point.” Josh conceded.
“We need to stop at a store too.”
“Because…”
“I need some suntan lotion. I have alabaster skin, you know.”
“I do.” Josh smirked at her and rubbed the back of his hand down her cheek.
After stopping for supplies, which included food for lunch, Donna got back in the car to find
Josh on his phone. He mouthed “Leo” to her and she nodded in response.
“Yeah…I’m being kidnapped to the beach. It looks like we’re having lunch here too…Yeah, tell
CJ I’m sorry for the headache I caused…Right…They said what…? Are they smoking crack
over there…? I could call…Yeah, I guess you’re right…Leo, I…Yeah…See you later.” Josh
closed his cell phone and gave Donna a rueful look. “CJ is going to have my head on a platter.”
“Nah. I’ll protect you.” Donna promised with a smile. “I got us fried chicken and pasta salad.”
“And we’re going to eat this on the beach? Where there’s, you know, sand?”
“It’s called a picnic.” Donna explained. “It will be fun.”
“I sincerely doubt it.”
They bantered their way to the beach where Donna expertly spread out their meal. She kept
the conversation light until they’d finished eating and she cajoled her companion into walking
along the shore with her, sans shoes and socks.
“What did Leo have to say?” She asked.
“He hadn’t read the Hoynes statement before he called the first time. Once he read it, he
understood why I went there. Although he did suggest that next time something like this comes
up we work on a retaliation plan together.”
“And the Governor?”
“He responded to Hoynes call for my resignation by saying he stood by me. Then he suggested
if the Senator was taking pot shots at me, perhaps he didn’t have any constructive ideas for
how to move the country forward.” Josh reported.
“That’s my guy.” Donna replied and had Josh’s eyebrows going up. “Politically speaking. “ She
amended.
After a minute of silence, Josh continued. “I shouldn’t have gone to Hoynes. The first rule in this
business is that you don’t become the story.”
“You didn’t do that, John Hoynes did.”
“I just gave him another headline and a couple more news cycle of crazy Josh Lyman.”
“You had that covered before your appearance today.”
“Nice!”
She grabbed onto his arm and pulled him closer to her. “It needed to be done and you had to
be the one to call him on it. You did it professionally, for the most part…though the ‘taking
meals through a straw’ comment might be construed as a physical threat.”
“Then I explained myself clearly.” Josh muttered. “I should call mom before she sees it on CNN.”
“I left her a message while I was in the store.”
“Of course you did.” Josh sighed. “Is there anything you don’t think of?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” Donna smiled. “I’m really quite handy to have around.”
“So I’ve discovered.” Josh stopped walking and held her close. “Brains and beauty too.” He
leaned forward to kiss her lightly. “Things have been so crazy since we’ve been back. It occurs
to me that maybe I haven’t told you how glad I am that you’re here with us; with me.”
“You don’t have to. I’m tuned to you.” She quipped and kissed him teasingly in return. Their
playful kisses turned more serious and soon they were both gasping for air. “We should
probably be getting back.”
“I guess…” Josh said reluctantly and held her hand as they walked back to their car and all the
way back to the city.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“But we brought you back these beautiful shells.” Josh protested when CJ accosted him in the
hallway.
“Those weren’t your idea, they were Donna’s.” CJ astutely pointed out.
“Yes, but I had to carry them in my pockets and now they’ve got sand everywhere.”
“Good.” CJ replied. “I hope you’re itching for days!”
“Ceej.” Donna interjected. “He had to do something.”
“No. WE had to do something. Are we, or are we not, a team here?”
“CJ…” Josh tried again.
“And is it not MY job on the team to respond to press requests and statements from political
opponents?”
“CJ, it was my dad.” Josh said quietly and everyone in the office went silent.
“Fine. You get a pass this once, but stay FAR away from the press for the time being.” CJ
allowed. “And leave my shells on my desk.” Josh kissed her cheek and went to deliver the
shells.
“He’s really hurting, CJ.” Donna added. “He wouldn’t admit it but it really sent him over the
edge.”
“That’s what Hoynes’ plan was in the first place.” CJ replied. “That’s how the man operates.
Hitting below the belt is his favorite move. We need to stay above the fray.” CJ paused. “He
really said Hoynes would be eating through a straw?”
“I really couldn’t make out all the words from where I was standing.” Donna shrugged
innocently.
“Uh-huh.” Was the unbelieving reply. “Memorize that line, would you? And let’s hope video
doesn’t show up somewhere.”
“Where do you need me?” Donna asked.
“With four days until the primary? Where don’t we need you?”
“CJ? You’re going to want to see this!” Toby called from his office. Donna and CJ rushed in.
The TV was blaring.
“…this showdown was initiated by Josh Lyman, the Director of Strategy for Governor Bartlet’s
Presidential campaign.” Said the reporter.
“The race for the nomination has hit fever pitch. Don’t we expect these kinds of blow ups at this
point?” The news anchor asked.
“To some extent.” The reporter agreed. “But what makes this altercation more interesting, at
least to those of us who follow these things carefully, is that Josh Lyman used to work for John
Hoynes. In fact, Lyman left a well paid senior advisor position with Hoynes, who was then the
Democratic front runner, to join what was at that time, a long shot campaign for Governor
Bartlet. Since Lyman’s defection Governor Bartlet’s star has done nothing but rise, while
Senator Hoyne’s has done nothing but fade.”
“Until recently, right?” The anchor prompted. “When the Governor revealed he had Multiple
Sclerosis?”
“That’s right, Peter. Now the Hoynes camp, buoyed by a razor thin victory in Michigan, has
been relentlessly attacking the Bartlet campaign; with most of its attacks focusing on…Josh
Lyman.”
“So what are both camps saying about this…clash this morning?” The anchor asked.
Leo and Sam joined the group loosely formed around the television.
“The Bartlet campaign has stated through their spokesperson CJ Cregg that they stand by
Josh Lyman’s call for this primary to be grounded in the issues of the day and the candidate’s
ideas, not personal issues of people working in the respective campaigns.” The reporter
shared. “The Hoynes camp is pointing to the event today as further evidence that the Bartlet
campaign is floundering and their strategy director who isn’t making rational decisions.”
“Hmmm…” The news anchor considered. “Should make for an interesting primary in a few
days.” He concluded and signed off.
“Get Josh.” Leo ordered.
“He’s not going to want to be the front man on this; he never wants to be the story.” Donna
warned.
“He should have thought of that before he made his statement at the Hoynes event.” Toby
suggested.
“Come on, Toby. Did you really expect him not to react to a statement that was designed…”
Sam countered.
“Exactly. It was designed to provoke a reaction from Josh and he gave it to them!” Toby
complained. “Now the debate is about ‘this’ instead of about the issues we’ve spent the last
week trying to frame.”
“Josh is NOT the story.” Donna insisted.
“He is now.” Leo interrupted.