Synopsis

As the physical toll of Bartlet’s multiple sclerosis grew increasingly evident, a senator appended a controversial rider to the federal budget bill: a measure designed to outlaw same-sex marriage. The move seemed a deliberate challenge to the President, a gauntlet thrown down. Meanwhile, the internet buzzed with a persistent rumor questioning the personal life of Communications Director CJ Cregg, a speculation that intensified when she declined to address the allegations with a public statement.