I've heard something about the election going to the House, so this makes sense. However, I don't see the Senate picking the VP in our scenario... There's no Democratic canidate to select. More likely Santos will have the opportunity (even if he has to spend some political capital to get it) to nominate his VP after the Inauguration... You know, that is if Santos wins. If he doesn't then the Bartletverse is dumped with the Religious Right Southern Nutjob (Hey, I'm just talking about his charaterization... I'm a Southern Republican)

No one wins the election. Neither candidate gets the 270 electoral votes, and it goes to the House for final vote. Which means the House votes for President and the Senate votes for VP, but with Leo dead, it looks like it will be a mixed administration (Democrat President with Republican VP).

This is jsut a guess of course, but it looked like that's how the numbers added up on the big board (for you Dr. Strangelove fans out there)...

Regarding Leo's last appearances: It seemed to me, watching the show before "Election Day" (can't remember the title) that all the strategy scenes with John Alyward (who was the head of the DNC, and who is better known for being on ER in its early years) seemed like they had been written for Leo instead. He's giving sage advice on campaign strategy--Leo's role. I'm pretty sure the episode was filmed after John Spencer's death, not before. It was a very smooth substitution, but it seemed like a substitution to me.

As far as this one goes, I was disappointed that they didn't call it "Election Day, Part 1"--I was hoping it would finally be over when the episode ended. Now it turns into a long night...

I thought, at least up until the last 2 elections, that the candidates always know by the afternoon, based on exit polls. I guess the point was that exit polls are useless now.

I also liked the way that Santos was able to relax finally--those were good scenes after the chaos of the last few campaign episodes.

I also can't understand why you'd pay Allison Janney and Dule Hill (there he is! Don't blink!) to be in the episode and then only give them those 2 short scenes. I'm really tired of the White House scenes consisting of Will and Kate. It's just not the same place anymore, with everyone good besides C.J. and the President gone. Realistic for the last few months of a presidency, though, I guess.

I'm looking forward to the last 6 episodes, especially with all the returning people (and SAM! SEABORN!)

Wow! Janel/Donna is one hot momma! Does anyone have any screenshots of her?

This was a good episode, because it shows what it is like when all the campaigning comes to a climax and then boom . . . all of a sudden for a few hours, there is absolutely nothing you can do.

I will be watching Bravo tonight (Monday at 8 PM Eastern) to watch this episde again. And of course, I can't wait to see what will happen next week.

Chris: I've heard the same (went to school to get into Politics, but lost interest upon graduation). Again, its sucks to be the body man.

Leo: I've said (and posted) in last weeks comments that the spoiler for who wins is out there (And I think it follows your hints, though I think you misread that conversation... I think that they're setting up the possiblity for a "Too Close to Call" scenario for the end of election night, but I think it will be called by the end of next week's episode.

However, who becomes the next SecState might suprise a few, so that may be your shocker.

While I was suprised with everyone's hook-ups, was anyone else paying attention to the sudden hints for next weeks episode besides Leo's death? The writers were giving hints as to who won the election. Think outside the box and oh by the way...next Sunday isn't the last episode - you watch, there's a shocker coming.

I thought Josh losing it was perfect -- Election Day is the day the strategists lose control of the process they've been spending months trying to keep control of... The only character that seemed a bit unfocused and lost was Santos, actually.

Oh... and for anyone who has worked night-and-day for a political campaign... it does create some strange bedfellows. I think that whole piece was an insider nod to anyone who has ever spent 18 hour days on the trail.

The remaining episodes are:

Election Day Part II
Requiem
Transition
The Last Hurrah
Institutional Memory
Tomorrow

Bob: Its funny how EVERYONE remembers Leo in that scene (Its more funny how someone brings it up EVERY week it feels like). Good post tonight. I'd be lying if I said that I really didn't appreciate my TiVo this week. There's that little 8 second rewind button... I've always known Janel Maloney was a beautiful woman, but wow.

So, it seems that all of the main players in the Santos campaign er... releaved some stress this week. Except for Bram. Gotta feel sorry for that guy. (Also leaves you wondering how far Leo and Annabeth's relationship progressed prior to his heart attack).

Bill: I have to disagree. I think that this has been a strong season from the first episode.Most seemed to be caught up in looking for certian characters who had less episodes, but I think its been a great season. I just rewatched the first several episodes, and several early ones stand out (Toby confessing as an example). I mean, none had the quality of last year's '90 Miles Away,' but I'm just saying :)

Yeah, its time for my weekly lamenting on how good this show has gotten this season for it to be cancelled. You've got to wonder with its critical resurgance, if it had stayed on Wednesdays, would the ratings have come back as well? I guess all is well with the Aaron Sorkin reunion tour that is Studio 60, I'll be in pretty good shape next season (I know finding a spot for Janel Maloney would be pushing it, but, ya know.... I also wonder if we're going to have our favorite sound and vidoe guys from Sportsnight/Press Corps from West Wing back in the both (I know "Katie" will be in the Mauren Dowd role, but I'm talking about the SportsNight guys. I think there's probably several openings for recurring characters in the Studio 60 control booth).

I digress. I did have a major problem with this episode. Josh seemed to do this whole breakdown thing. And while that behavior isn't atypical of Josh, we saw him being the calm in the storm last week. As much as I'm looking forward to the next two (three?) episodes and how they handle John Spencer's passing, I will hate to watch Josh live through that. First his sister in the fire, then his father the day President Bartlet wrapped him the Democratic Nomination, and now his surrogate father Leo on the day he gets a little known Texas Representative elected President.

At least he has Donna.

Yeah, I dug Janel. And Josh's character is becoming more odious. But please, as a previous poster asked, does anyone know exactly how many episodes are left?