20 Hours in America: Part I (25 Sep. 2002)

After Bartlet gives a campaign speech at an Indiana farm, Josh, Toby and Donna are left behind by the presidential motorcade and must work their way across the state with the help of the ... See full summary »

Director:

Christopher Misiano

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (creator), Aaron Sorkin,

Stars:

Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Rob Lowe	...	Sam Seaborn
Dulé Hill	...	Charlie Young
Allison Janney	...	C.J. Cregg
Janel Moloney	...	Donna Moss
Richard Schiff	...	Toby Ziegler
John Spencer	...	Leo McGarry
Bradley Whitford	...	Josh Lyman
Martin Sheen	...	President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet
Ron Silver	...	Bruno Gianelli
John Amos	...	Percy Fitzwallace
Amy Adams	...	Cathy
NiCole Robinson	...	Margaret Hooper
Renée Estevez	...	Nancy
Joan MacIntosh	...	Meredith Walker
Valorie Armstrong	...	Mrs. Harrison

Storyline

After Bartlet gives a campaign speech at an Indiana farm, Josh, Toby and Donna are left behind by the presidential motorcade and must work their way across the state with the help of the farmer's daughter and, later, a teenage campaign volunteer, enduring many setbacks along the way. Josh and Toby obsess and bicker over how best to play the president's intellectualism, viewed by many as snobbery, against Republican opponent Robert Ritchie's "regular guy" persona, while Donna must keep them on track and communicate with the real Americans they encounter along the way. Back at the W.H., the president deals with a terrorist attack at an Iowa college swim meet, meets with Leo, Nancy and Fitzwallace to discuss how to handle the prospect of the U.S. and/or Israel being accused of a conspiracy in the death of Qumari minister Sharif, and interviews secretarial candidates, including a second round with Debbie Fiderer; the wandering party finally arrive at a city with an airport (presumably ...

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 2002 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 23, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Wells Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bartlet mentions President D'Astier of France. This is the name of the newly elected French president who is invited to a formal state dinner in the movie The American President, also written by Aaron Sorkin.

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Goofs

When Josh, Toby, and Donna are in Indiana at the empty ballroom sitting at the round table, there is a bottle of Yuengling Beer. Yuengling is not sold in Indiana.

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Quotes

Toby Ziegler: We don't know what the next president is going to face. If we choose someone with vision, someone with guts, someone with gravitas, who's connected to other people's lives and cares about making them better; if we choose someone to inspire us then we'll be able to face what comes our way and achieve things we can't imagine yet.

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Connections

References Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

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Soundtracks

"Battle Hymn of the Republic"
(uncredited)
Written by Julia Ward Howe

User Reviews

Admiral Sissy Mary

As a follow-up to one of the most hard-hitting episodes in show history, this double-length season-opener is perhaps the funniest ever. Relaxed and smooth funny...like the smooth of a fifty year-old whiskey (i'm imagining). Josh, Toby, and Donna get accidentally left behind by the motorcade after an event in Indiana. A comedy of errors (running out of gas, a time zone change, a wrong-way train, mean girls on bikes...) follows. Amy Adams (CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, THE MUPPETS) plays a modern farmer's daughter. Ernestine Jackson and Tommy Lafitte play diner proprietors who possibly offer the most funny-per-second in show history (get the dry rub). Sam is forced to spend the day staffing the President, making him realize how much dumber he is than Josh. C.J. struggles with resentment from Simon's "little brother", until Charlie schools him. Debbie finally earns the personal secretary position, and Ms. Tomlin is a delight. Qumar reopens the investigation into Shareef's death, leading to some tense (but still funny) scenes between Jed, Fitz, and Nancy. Just when you thought you'd never see her again, Mallory appears. She takes a tired Sam home...let your imagination go where it will, because we won't see her again for two years. In the midst of all this lightness, domestic terrorists set off pipe bombs at a college swim meet. Jed's remarks in the aftermath may put a lump in your throat. Fantastic.