Stirred

"Stirred"
The West Wing episode
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 61
Directed by	Jeremy Kagan
Written by	Aaron Sorkin & Eli Attie (teleplay) Dee Dee Myers (story)
Production code	227218
Original air date	April 3, 2002
Guest stars
Tim Matheson David Dunard Randy Oglesby Felton Perry NiCole Robinson Jim Jansen
Season 3 episodes
October 10, 2001 – May 22, 2002 Isaac and Ishmael Documentary Special Manchester Part I Manchester Part II Ways and Means On the Day Before War Crimes Gone Quiet The Indians in the Lobby The Women of Qumar Bartlet for America H. Con-172 100,000 Airplanes The Two Bartlets Night Five Hartsfield's Landing Dead Irish Writers The U.S. Poet Laureate Stirred Enemies Foreign and Domestic The Black Vera Wang We Killed Yamamoto Posse Comitatus
List of The West Wing episodes

"Stirred" is episode 61 of The West Wing.

Plot

When a large truck carrying uranium fuel rods crashes in a remote Idaho tunnel, Bartlet's staff prepares for a potential – environmental or terrorist – crisis.

Meanwhile, Bartlet's campaign staff has discovered that his current Vice President, John Hoynes is not going to benefit the re-election ticket, prompting a secret meeting to discuss alternative running mates with staff reactions ranging from interest to shock. Secretly aware that his fate is in question, Hoynes ponders how to promote one of his favorite bills, one that would provide Internet access to low-income households ; he works with Sam to resolve the issue and makes a personal sacrifice in order to save the bill. Also, Hoynes attends the same Alcoholics Anonymous meeting as Leo, and Leo prompts him to tell the President of his condition.

The President assists Charlie in filing his tax return online, but Charlie is dismayed to find out that the economic stimulus check he received is more a tax advance than a rebate which turns his anticipated refund into an amount owed.

At Donna's request, Josh seeks a presidential proclamation honoring the retirement of her favorite teacher, but the task proves more difficult than he first imagined. The President does the next best thing in giving the teacher a personal phone call.

Hoynes tells the President his truth, but the President decisively ends any speculation about Hoynes' future in the White House.

Episode title

The episode's title refers to the famous James Bond-catch phrase “shaken, not stirred”. While assisting Charlie in filing his tax return, Bartlet comments about Bond's preferred method of preparing a martini: “Shaken, not stirred, will get you cold water with a dash of gin and dry vermouth. The reason you stir it with a special spoon is so not to chip the ice. James is ordering a weak martini and being snooty about it.”

Notes

President Bartlett asks Mrs. Morello if she had her students read Beowulf in the original Middle English. However, Beowulf is famed for being an important piece of Old English, not Middle English.

External links

• The West Wing Episode Guide
• Stirred on TV.com