When Was the Last Time We Were Lucky | The West Wing 

The show explains that he is in fact sure about nominating the next guy.

@@heddalee oh, wait, was that the guy who dated Abby once?

@@nitzky8936 Yup.

The funny thing is, president is already sure of his choice. He just wanted the guy suffer or squirm a little just because he dated abby decades ago before they met :D. Jealousy is a green eyed beast.

@@onur6020 He didn't care about how that guy felt. He was needling Abbey by delaying a decision.

what was DOW on 1996? LEARN how percent works ...? maybe? bc MATH, you child

Thought that also-

@@op3129maybe your point would be valid if your grammar was coherent but as written, who knows.

Actually, "You just lost your news cycle."

Imagine a world where everyday people could read body language and hear vocal inflections and also not to assume that all words be taken literally...to assume that the other person isn't intending an attack all the time...that's the world I want back...that was the everyday world...where people understood figurative language and didn't live on the literal level all the time.

Don't forget that Dr. Bartlet was a mother who raised 3 daughters while in the spotlight due to Jed's political career and juggling her own medical practice as well as being the First Lady of New Hampshire and then the wife of a presidential candidate, nominee, and elect. She likely read the room, wanted to make light of the nerves the kid was feeling, and is savvy enough to know where the line was and not cross it.

that's sorkin for ya

Yes, we weren't idiots and we had a sense of humour. There nothing you can do about the first point. You might gain the second one eventually!

​@@cambler8558 imagine also talking like that to a 12-year-old

Funny line because it’s more traceable and even more illegal to do it from elected office. Problem is you never hear about it because it’s never huge news when it happens.

It was a joke - dry humor.

Congress is the bastion of insider trading. The President definitely (and his Chief of Staff most likely) have their assets in blind trusts.

'Insider trading' is buying or selling on the basis of private / confidential information (esp. for politicians, knowledge of upcoming regulatory changes or government contracts). It's *not* insider trading when the news is already public.

@@dominicbuckley8309 it is and it isn't. the information that the president is waiting to nominate a replacement might be, the knowledge that the president will nominate x as replacement would be. Besides, someone like Leo would have his portfolio in trust of some kind. Because as CoS I imagine he would have market influencing information on his desk at any given day of the week. That said he was obviously joking (and making a point to Bartlett at the same time).

Sorkin knows which character is Toby and which is Leo.

The market wasn’t open. Also it wouldn’t fall as hard at open because wall st would assume the president would name Ron ehrlich

He knows enough to know Leo is probably serious, but for some reason leaves out the influence of corporate cash on every single aspect of, and every single person involved in US politics above the dog catcher level.

@@seanwebb605 This made me chuckle inside.