Episode Number - 217
Original Airdate - March 14, 2001
Story by - Peter McCabe
Teleplay by - Aaron Sorkin
Directed by - Bryan Gordon

The President's staff waits impatiently for an elderly but stubborn Senator (George Coe) to yield the floor as he stages a marathon filibuster hoping to stave off a vote on Bartlet's Family Wellness Act bill while Toby is leery of the Vice President's sudden interest in supporting another bill tightening fuel-emission standards. Elsewhere: CJ anxiously paws through her memory as she seeks to locate a missing ceramic cat statue given to the President by a Mideastern potentate who expects to see it displayed during his upcoming visit; Josh strains to finish business in time to catch a flight for a weekend visit to the spring-training camp of the New York Mets in Florida.

Screen Caps
coming soon

Quotes
Bartlet: "Could Howard Stackhouse possibly be a bigger horses patoot?"
Leo: "I don't know what part of the horse that is exactly but I've always thought he was a decent guy."
Bartlet: "He's a curmudgeon. A grouchy old crank."
Leo: "So are we."
Bartlet: "You are. I am full of mirth."

CJ: "There are so many days here where you can't imagine that anything good will ever happen. You're buried under a black fog of partisanship and self-promotion and stupidity and a brand of politics that's just plain mean. Yes, Hoynes had us nervous with his admonishment of Big Oil and yes, the President was making us nervous too. But that's for tomorrow. Cause tonight I've seen a man with no legs stay standing, Dad, and a guy with no voice keep shouting. And if politics brings out the worst in people, then maybe people bring out the best. Cause I'm looking at the TV right now and damn if 28 U.S. Senators haven't just walked onto the floor to help. I'll catch the first plane out in the morning, and if you wouldn't mind not turning 70 until tomorrow, that'd be great. In the meantime, I love you so much. Your daughter, Claudia."

More?