Speaking of missing things, I'm guessing everybody else missed this as well?

http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-aa...p-tv-headlines

I noticed him, from various interviews. He isn't the prettiest fellow, but he does make so B-E-autiful TV.

I knew that was Sorkin, but couldn't get a screencap to post here and ask everyone else.

Would've preferred that he wrote the ep though.

Very well said. I knew the minute Mallory brought the present to CJ for Bartlett what it was but still couldn't help tearing up when Bartlett opened it (along with a couple of other scenes).


There may not be cabinet members who could fill in, but somewhere along the line is a Senator or someone who doesn't change with the admin who would be kept away from the ceremony.

In response to your previous ques, it was confirmed in a ep that Toby's brother told him about the shuttle.

Speaker of the House
does the attorney general automatically lose their job when a new president is elected? if not that job is close to the top of the succession list

From http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0101032.html

• Vice President
• Speaker of the House
• President Pro Tempore of the Senate
• Secretary of State
• Secretary of the Treasury
• Secretary of Defense
• Attorney General
• Secretary of the Interior
• Secretary of Agriculture
• Secretary of Commerce
• Secretary of Labor
• Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
• Secretary of Transportation
• Secretary of Energy
• Secretary of Education
• Secretary of Veterans Affairs
• Secretary of Homeland Security

I think the order goes on further than this but it is at least a start. Anyone else surprised how high Homeland Security is? That job got made up this decade.

Not really. I mean, they're last on the list behind the likes of: Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Education and Veteran Affairs...

I'm not an expert in this area, but I believe once a cabinet position is created, they're automatically on the list of succession. However, there was this notation on the page "In late July 2005, the Senate passed a bill moving the Homeland Security secretary to number 8 on the list. The bill is awaiting House approval." So they'll be right behind the Attorney General.

wow. so much to talk about but here goes....

while it wasn't anything spectacular, i think for west wing fans, it was a very fitting ending. from the first season on, i always thought that this show should be a show about the bartlet presidency with the last shot, i always thought, should be of bartlet leaving the oval office for the last time. well, i got one of two requests. while i think that the show improved by leaps and bounds this season and i would have enjoyed another season, i am glad they chose to end it now. i would've hated to get involved in the santos presidency just to have it taken away halfway through.

however, after i watched this and upon reflection, i think that the way they ended everything was very appropriate. with everything that is going on in DC during inauguration day, i think it was a nice reflection that life goes on, similar to what we saw during "requiem" and leo's funeral.

while it wasn't perfect, i think that without sorkin actually writing it, it was still pretty darn good (although it would've been nice to see toby). the showing of the pilot though did make me sad for some things. if nothing else, it showed how vital i think leo was to the show and how it seemed to suffer when they reduced his role.

so to end up, the good things about the finale...we get to see ed, larry, ginger, ron butterfield, and mallory ()). donna's and her new office, WWLD?, "do you ever not think of this as leo's office?", and many more.

farewell west wing. while it wasn't always fantastic, it was well worth the ride.

WWLD was an awesome note to leave for Josh.

I used to really love this show so I had to watch the finale. But I stopped watching when Sorkin left the show so I have no idea where the story went. Can someone give me a quick rundown of why Toby needed a pardon?

He leaked info about a top secret spacecraft in order to save the lives of astronauts that were stranded in space. The governement did not want to use it because other countries would then know about it.

Nice move up for Teri Polo.

From Gaylord Focker to the Prez.

teri polo....FLILF

Especially in those hooker boots she had on a few episodes ago when they were looking for a school for their children.

Daaaaanmn.

two things i forgot to mention earlier.

1. HUGE props to w.g. snuffy walden for perhaps the best television soundtrack for the last seven years. as a classical musician by training, the opening theme is perhapos my most favorite tv theme ever. he did a great job on sports night and i am hoping he will be working on studio 60.

2. ronna is just damn hot.

Once they learned they were canceled, they should have jettisoned everything from the script except the few seconds of Inauguration. No renewal or no spinoff, so you spent 2 years and bigmoney contracts for a cast to play the President and staff of summer rerun season.

For some reason I liked that scene where the guy moves in to Charlie's office and doesnt pay attention to him.

Forgot Lily Tomlin was still there.

didnt see Vinick

The scene with CJ asking if Mallory wanted to see Sam and she just shakes her head like they couldnt afford him for another scene.

Josh only had a "Charlie" role too as he had just a few words, being the only member of the original crew to 'supposedly' remain in the White House.

Vinick was only shown on a tv when they were showing who was attending the inauguration

don't forget about sam and donna.