: The reality of President Bartlet’s worsening Multiple Sclerosis (MS) becomes a central focus. The White House doctor informs the staff that the President must limit his working day to 6 or 7 hours, including a mandatory nap. 💡 Key Themes & Context
: The episode highlights the "tragedy" of a lame-duck presidency. While the staff wants to achieve major goals, they are physically and politically limited by the President's health and the upcoming election. [S6E10] Faith-Based Initiative
: After being approached by Josh Lyman in the previous episode, Congressman Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) agrees to run for President on one condition: Josh must manage his campaign. This mirrors the "Bartlet for America" origin story between Leo and Jed. : The reality of President Bartlet’s worsening Multiple
: The title "Faith-Based Initiative" refers both to the legislative push for religious-based social programs and the personal "leaps of faith" characters take—specifically Josh's faith in Santos and Santos's faith in himself. While the staff wants to achieve major goals,
: This was the first television episode written by Bradley Whitford , who played Josh Lyman. He discussed the writing process in detail on The West Wing Weekly podcast. 📺 Where to Watch