2x18 17 People - The West Wing Episode Guide

The West Wing

- Episode 02x18

Episode: 02x18
Title: 17 People
Type: Regular Episode
Production Code: 226218
First Aired: Apr. 04, 2001

Season 2 » Episode #18 - 17 People

Summary: Toby, thinking that there's something going on with Bartlet, connects the dots and figures out that the President has multiple sclerosis. Toby is the 17th person to find out about the President's ailment and quickly becomes the second person -- the first being Abbey -- to forcefully challenge him on the political and legal ramifications of hiding his disease. Meanwhile, Bartlet decide whether or not to order a heightened security alert for airports when a terrorist is caught at the U.S. border carrying explosives. Elsewhere, Sam and Josh try to add one-liners to the President's upcoming speech while Sam and Ainsley argue over equal rights for women.

Who appeared in this episode?

Guest Stars:

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet	played by Martin Sheen
Ainsley Hayes	played by Emily Procter
Larry	played by William Duffy (II)
Ed	played by Peter James Smith

Episode Quotes

Season 2 / Episode 18: - 17 People

Sam Seaborn: I'm going to register with the Republican Party. And I'll tell you why, if you're curious. It's because they're a freedom-loving people.
Ainsley Hayes: We also like beef.

Season 2 / Episode 18: - 17 People

Toby Ziegler: No, I don't think you did either, sir. I meant that during a night of extreme chaos and fear, when we didn't yet know if we'd been the victims of domestic or foreign terrorism, or even an act of war, there was uncertainty as to who was giving the national security orders and it was because you never signed a letter. So I'm led to wonder, given your condition and it's lack of predictability, why there isn't simply a signed letter sitting in a file someplace. And the answer, of course, is that if there was a signed letter sitting in a file someplace, somebody would ask why. The Commander-in-Chief had just been attacked, he was under a general anesthetic, a fugitive was at large, the manhunt included every federal, state, and local law enforcement agency. The Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware National Guard units were federalized. The KH-10s showed Republican Guard movement in southern Iraq. And twelve hours earlier, an F-117 was shot down in the no-fly, and the Vice President's authority was murky, at best! The National Security Advisor and the Secretary of State didn't know who they were taking their orders from! I wasn't in the Situation Room that night, but I'll bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in your pockets, that it was Leo. Who no one elected! For ninety minutes that night there was a coup d'etat in this country.

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