The Supremes (The West Wing)

"The Supremes"
The West Wing episode
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 105
Directed by	Jessica Yu
Written by	Debora Cahn
Production code	176067
Original air date	March 24 2004
Guest stars
Glenn Close Jesse Bradford William Fichtner Lily Tomlin Mitchell Ryan Milo O'Shea Melissa Marsala Kathleen York Deirdre Lovejoy Robert Picardo NiCole Robinson
Season 5 episodes
September 24, 2003 – May 19, 2004 7A WF 83429 The Dogs of War Jefferson Lives Han Constituency of One Disaster Relief Separation of Powers Shutdown Abu el Banat The Stormy Present The Benign Prerogative Slow News Day The Warfare of Genghis Khan An Khe Full Disclosure Eppur Si Muove The Supremes Access Talking Points No Exit Gaza Memorial Day
List of The West Wing episodes

"The Supremes" is episode 105 of The West Wing and the 17th of the fifth season. The episode centers on the appointment of a new Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Plot

Owen Brady, the conservative anchor of the Supreme Court, has died. Evelyn Baker Lang (Glenn Close), a federal judge, is brought in by the President's senior staff to appease the left and frighten the right and hence make confirmation of their real choice, moderate Judge Brad Shelton (Robert Picardo), easier. At her meeting with Josh and Toby, her awareness of the political realities of the situation impresses them both; however, she is still considered an impossible choice. Due to the success of the strategy she is asked in again – Democrats are elated the White House is considering "bold choices" and the Republican staff director of the Judiciary Committee Lisa Wolfe issues "threats and admonitions."

Although still a "red herring", Baker Lang is asked by Josh and Toby to discuss the potential concerns the Judiciary Committee would have during a confirmation hearing. She again shows remarkable awareness of the political issues involved, describing in detail how she would answer the varying reproductive rights concerns of each Republican member of the committee. After further discussion, Baker Lang reveals she had an abortion in law school after Roe v Wade legalised abortion. Due to the height of public concern over the nomination, CJ argues Baker Lang cannot be used as a decoy for Shelton; "you keep this up, someone's going to take it to the press and this bright woman is going to be a checkout counter spectacle. Get her out of the building." When discussing the short list with the President he reacts angrily to the fact that Baker Lang has been removed due to "legal activity" and demands her name be reinstated.

Following the meeting, Donna relates an anecdote about her parents' cats that inspires Josh to find a controversial but brilliant solution; the White House will ask ailing Chief Justice Roy Ashland (Milo O'Shea) to resign to be replaced by Baker Lang. In return for her confirmation they will give Republicans the opportunity to name a conservative to replace Brady. Josh's argument is based on the belief that the court would be better served by the maintenance of the status quo (a staunch liberal chief justice and a staunch conservative associate justice) rather than the nomination of a moderate. The President instructs Josh and Toby to take the plan to the Chief Justice, who agrees. The Republicans name Christopher Mulready (William Fichtner) as their choice for the seat. Despite his extremely conservative views Josh and Toby invite Baker Lang and Mulready in to speak with the President. In a chance meeting Toby witnesses how Baker Lang's and Mulready's arguing "works", and after personally speaking with them, the President ultimately agrees to announce both Baker Lang and Mulready as his nominees to the Supreme Court.

Errors

When Senator Roland Pierce asks Josh Lyman "You couldn't find a single warm-blooded centrist to put on the court?", Josh argues there are six of them, plus two conservatives (one of whom would be the deceased Justice Brady) and liberal Chief Justice Ashland. This statement by Josh contends that Justice Roberto Mendoza is a centrist, though as seen in previous episodes The Short List, Celestial Navigation, and Six Meetings Before Lunch, Justice Mendoza is very much a left-leaning judge. This error is corrected later in the episode when President Bartlet tells Judge Christopher Mulready that Judge E. Bradford Shelton is at the top of the list. Mulready then names just five Justices who if they were to drop dead, the center would still be well tended under Shelton, excluding Mendoza's name as a centrist. This concurs with the assertions made in the rest of the episode that if Mulready and Lang are appointed in the place of Ashland and Brady, the court will remain balanced with 2 liberals, 2 conservatives, and 5 moderates.

External links

• The West Wing Episode Guide
• The Supremes at the Internet Movie Database
• The Supremes at TV.com