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Steven Culp on "The West Wing - The Birnam Wood"

Detailed summary:

The President is on the way to the funeral of Admiral Fitzwallace and is in the limo with Kate, Leo, and Abbey. Kate is talking to the President about the Palestinian Chairman's inviting himself to a peace summit at Camp David. Leo is trying to keep the President on track for military retaliation, but the President wants to give the peace talks a chance. Arriving for the funeral, Kate tells the President that she feels that her advice has brought them to this point.

At the White House, Carol tells C.J. that a widow of one of the Congressmen killed in the attack has gone on TV to ask the President to avenge her husband's death. The Senior Staff are discussing how this summit can work, given that the Israelis do not want to deal with the Chairman. Will comes to see C.J. to tell her the Vice President is going to also publicly call on the President to respond militarily.

At Fitzwallace's funeral - President Bartlet delivers a eulogy, emphasizing peacemaking.

In the Situation Room, the President is listening to options for bombing a terrorist camps in Syria and Iran, where one of the plotters of the Gaza bombing is alleged to be hiding. There is no concrete evidence linking Iran to the Gaza bombing and Bartlet refuses to bomb a country, "just because we don't like them."

In Germany, Colin and Josh are talking about the possible summit and the issues of the long standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The doctor comes to see Josh and Colin to tell them what they are about to do for Donna and to say that Donna has asked to see Josh before the operation.

At the White House, Leo and the President meet with the Israeli Ambassador. She makes it very clear to them that the Israelis will not participate in any summit that includes Chairman Farad. In the Press Room, C.J. is briefing the press, who are questioning her on when President Bartlet is going to respond to the Gaza bombing in kind.

Toby comes to see Leo, who is in his office watching C.J.'s briefing. Toby tells Leo about Congressman Korb's widow, who is going to be on 60 Minutes and how they should respond. Margaret comes in to tell Leo that the Speaker has arrived, with many members of Congress. Toby and Leo go to the Roosevelt Room to talk with them. President Bartlet arrives a few minutes later. The Speaker strongly makes his case to the President that the President must respond with military action. The President explains to the Speaker that he is trying to make peace and that's all.

Leo is meeting with General Alexander in his office. The General is impressing upon Leo to move on capturing the bomber, while they know where he is. Kate comes in to see Leo to apologize for getting the President to consider a peace summit. Leo tells her to not worry about it - the President hears what he wants to hear and makes his own decisions.

The President meets with Senior Staff in the Oval Office, he wants to hear ideas on how to get the Israelis to meet with Farad. Toby tries to steer the conversation back to military options, but the President wants to hear ideas on saving the peace summit.

Kate suggests the outlandish idea that they hold the Chairman to his earlier promise to arrest Nasan (the bomber) and turn him over to the Americans - which he must do if there is to be a summit. C.J. points out they can expose him if he says no or waffles on the idea. They make plans to get him a new cell phone (as the Israelis have surrounded the Chairman's compound, cut off his power, and his cell phone is dead). The group leaves the Oval Office, leaving the President and Leo. Leo tells the President about General Alexander's plans to bomb and capture Nasan. The President is mad at Leo for advancing the plans - he wants to give the peace talks a chance. The two fight in the Oval Office on the President's reluctance to use military force on the Palestinians.

In the Residence, Abbey finds Bartlet - the two talk about what he should do. Downstairs, Toby and C.J. are still at work - they talk about what might happen. Will arrives and tells them that the Chairman got the new phone and is on the phone with the President.

In the Oval, the conversation with the Chairman is going as was expected - the Chairman is reluctant to arrest Nasan and turn him over to the Americans. Kate furiously begins to pass notes to the President, including one that says if Farad arrests Nasan and secretly turns him over to the Americans, the US will say the FBI found and arrested Nasan. The President makes it clear to Farad there will be no summit without the arrest and extradition of Nasan.

The phone call ends and the group talk about what the Chairman may do. The President sends them home, leaving Leo alone with the President, again. The President tells Leo they are going to wait.

In Germany, Colin and Josh are waiting on word about Donna. The surgeon arrives to tell them that the operation is complete, but there were some complications, resulting in a lot of blood loss and possible brain damage.

In the Oval Office, Charlie and Leo are talking with the President about Donna. The President wants to call Donna's parents. Leo tells the President that General Alexander is waiting in the Situation Room to deploy the Lincoln Carrier group into Gaza - when the State Department aide comes in to tell the President the FBI in Gaza has been contacted by Palestinian Security Forces - they have Nasan and want to turn him over to the FBI.

Later, in the Residence, Charlie, Leo and Toby await the President. The Congress has overwhelmingly passed a bill calling on the President to strike in Gaza. The President comes out of the bedroom and asks Leo if she [the Israeli Ambassador] is here. Leo responds that she is and the Israeli Prime Minister is wai9ting for the President's call. The President tells Toby to call every Democrat that voted for the military action and tell them if they want any White House support in the future - they better get back in line.

Josh is on the phone with Toby discussing who voted for the resolution. Donna is still unconscious after the surgery. They don't know anything yet.

In the Oval Office, the President is on the phone with Prime Minister Zahavy, he impresses upon the PM that Farad has compromised - surely the Israelis can as well.

Later, the President prepares to fly to Camp David for the summit, which has been agreed to by both the Israelis and the Palestinians. The President tells Leo to stay at the White House - the President knows Leo doesn't believe in the peace summit. He tells Leo that once all the principals are at Camp David, that General Alexander can go ahead an bomb the camp in Syria.

At Camp David, Will gets a phone call from C.J. at the White House, asking how things are going and to tell him the Palestinians are on the way. Carol tells C.J. that Leo is looking for her - and that he's in the White House and not at Camp David. Leo tells C.J. they are keeping the press away from the summit for now. At Camp David, the others begin to stir as word gets around the Palestinians and Israelis are soon to arrive.

The Israelis arrive first by helicopter and the President greets them and thanks them for coming. In the Situation Room, Leo and General Alexander are monitoring the progress of the air strike in Gaza. At Camp David, the President greets the Palestinian delegation, who arrive by limo to Camp David. In the Situation Room, General Alexander points out to Leo how lucky the President is to have Leo at his side. At the summit, the President welcomes everyone to the table.

In Germany, Donna wakes up and calls for Josh. (c) westwing.wikia.com

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