Directed by John David Coles
Written by Aaron Sorkin, Paul Redford, Dee Dee Myers, Mark Goffman, David Hanelman, Debora Cahn, David Gerken, Michael Oates Palmer, William Sind, & Paula Yoo
A couple of odd questions from reporters lead CJ and Joe Quincy to discover that VP Hoynes is having an affair with his staffer, to whom he leaked sensitive information. To spare the administration and himself from the scandal, Hoynes resigns.
This episode provides examples of:
- Camp Gay: Stu Winkle, gossip columnist.
- Classified Information: Hoynes' affair is exposed because he was showing off classified information to the woman, who in turn leaked items to the press to promote her Compromising Memoirs.
- Heel Realization: Hoynes, at the end. Even though Bartlet and Leo say he can ride out the scandal and that they won't let someone like Winkle bring him down, Hoynes admits he committed a felony by leaking classified information and that he can't expect his family to endure the fallout of his indiscretion.
- How We Got Here: The episode begins with Bartlet receiving Hoynes's resignation letter from one of his staff.
- Something Only They Would Say: A variant - Joe Quincy finds information within the column about Helen Baldwin's book that only could have come from the Vice President.
- Tempting Fate: Everyone feels incredibly stupid repeating the "life on Mars" question asked by the science reporter, until Leo confirms that the report does exist and is classified.
- Wham Episode: John Hoynes resigns as Vice President, a role he's had since the beginning of the series.
- Wham Line: "We have a leak."
