Welcome to season six of the West Wing Weekly. My name is Rishikesh Herway.

And my name is Joshua Malina.

Today we're talking about the season premiere of season six. It's called NSF Thurmond.

Yeah, you know what I call this episode?

What?

Motherf***.

Talking NSF W. Thurmond.

Yeah, that's what I did with the mid-time off. I came up with that.

Okay. Tell us about the episode, Josh.

Okay, sure. It was written by John Wells. It was directed by Alex Graves.

And it first aired on October 20th, 2004.

Let me read you a synopsis.

In the aftermath of the Gaza Strip attack that seriously wounded Donna and killed Admiral

Fitzwallis and two American congressmen, Bartlett faces strong opposition to his peace plans.

Defying the wishes of the majority of Congress, including some of the White House's Democratic

allies, the American people, and the Vice President, Bartlett persists in the hope that inviting

Palestinian and Israeli leaders to participate in the peace talks will forstall the necessity

of a US military retaliation.

Some Leo feels that the President should order an attack to make a decisive statement on

terrorism.

Bartlett's only hope is that a risky secret negotiation will deliver the leader responsible

for the bombings into US custody.

...