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Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Premiered: September 14, 2003
[replays]
Synopsis
Tommy Flannegan (John Slattery) accepts a job offer for James Carville to prep Gov. Howard Dean for the September 9 Democratic Presidential Debate in Baltimore, a choice that upsets Mary Matalin and Maggie Morris (Mary McCormack)--they worry that it will cause a rift with some of the firm's other clients.
Democratic consultant Paul Begala helps Carville and Flannegan prep the candidate at the St. Regis, while Maggie visits with clients (including Senators Don Nickles and Rick Santorum) and tries to ensure them that Carville is not representing the firm in this case. Flannegan and Carville do some spin doctoring at Morgan State University while Mary and Maggie watch the debate with friends at Mary's house.
Gov. Dean's joke about Trent Lott (suggested earlier by Carville) gets a big laugh, much to the displeasure of Matalin. Maggie has a cellphone conversation with someone who can't meet up with her that evening.
The next day, Mary and James interview job applicant Francisco Dupré (Roger G. Smith), who was seen earlier having his shoes polished, getting a manicure and haircut, choosing ties, and greeting Howard Dean at the debate. Dupré comes recommended by an investor in the firm. (The favor is "a must-hire, not an 'interview our daughter,'" Mary observes.) Suave and somewhat ingratiating, Francisco invites the couple to join him at an upcoming Branford Marsalis concert. James thinks the applicant is "bizarre" but Mary offers that he may just be "too good to be true."
Appearing as themselves:
Paul Begala
– Co-host of CNN's political show, Crossfire; his political consulting firm, Begala & Carville, helped elect President Clinton in 1992 [bio].
Matty Carville
– Daughter of Mary Matalin and James Carville.
Alice Chernault
Maria Cino
– Assistant Secretary and Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service [bio].
Michael Craig
– Writer for The American Prowler, the website for The American Spectator magazine [site].
Gov. Howard Dean
– Governor of Vermont from 1991-2002; running for Democratic nomination in the 2004 Presidential election.
Jill Hanson
Caroline Critchfield Hunter
James Miller
Susan Molinari
– Member of the Congress from 1990-97, Republican from New York; currently Chairperson of The Century Council, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking.
Sen. Don Nickles
– Republican Senator, Oklahoma.
Jose F. Rejas
Sen. Rick Santorum
– Republican Senator, Pennsylvania [bio].
Sally Vastola
– National Republican Congressional Committee Executive Director [site].
Locations: (all Washington, D.C., unless otherwise noted)
1350 I Street
– Fictional firm's location.
St. Regis, 923 16th Street NW
– Hotel where Carville, Flannegan and Begala prep Gov. Dean for the debate.
Ronald Reagan Republican Center, 425 Second Street NE
– Where Mary meets with Senator Don Nickles.
Grooming Lounge, 1745 L Street NW
– Where Francisco gets a manicure and haircut.
La Colline, 400 North Capitol Street NW
– Restaurant where Mary finds Senator Rick Santorum.
American Gas Association Headquarters, 400 N. Capitol Street, NW
– Mary and Sen. Santorum pass by it on their way to Louisiana Ave, with the Capitol Building seen in the distance.
Pink, 1127 Connecticut Ave NW
– Upscale clothing store where Francisco shops. Based in London, with several locations in the U.S., the chain's namesake Thomas Pink was the inspiration for the term "in the pink."
Washington, D.C. Amtrak Station, track 18
– Where Carville and Flannegan catch train for Baltimore.
Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
– Location of September 9 Democratic Presidential Debate.
Procedural Terms & Trivia:
"Entertaining Hypotheticals"
– Paul Begala warns Howard Dean against this, opining that President Bush owes much of his success to avoiding such questions.
"Primary Strategy 101"
– Carville advises Howard Dean that "primary strategy 101 is... I'm this and they're that... and you always wanna be the this that they can't be..."
"Heat & passion on television"
– When Howard Dean brings up this topic, Carville recommends wearing a shirt with a loose collar.
"Both sides of the Bay"
– During his interview, Francisco Dupré remarks that he has worked "both sides of the Bay", i.e., he has worked for both San Francisco mayor Willie Brown and former governor Jerry Brown of Oakland.
"Public relations, campaigns..."
– During Dupré's interview, Mary Matalin lists the services her firm offers: "Public relations, campaigns... crisis management, we lobby the hill, strategize..."
"Don't spill any Chinese food..."
– At one point during the train ride to Baltimore Tommy Flannegan (John Slattery), utters this intriguing line to someone (his child?) on the phone: "Don't spill any Chinese food on your spiderman costume."
"Depression Dean"
– Mary Matalin's pet name for Gov. Howard Dean.
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