S6E19 · Ninety Miles Away

New rumors about Fidel Castro's health cause the President to re-examine the economic sanctions against Cuba that haven't worked for 40 years, and he sends Leo McGarry to meet secretly with the Cuban dictator. The occasion causes C.J. to check into Kate Harper's past with the C.I.A., but she is unaware of a past encounter between Kate and Leo. Meanwhile, Charlie discovers the complexities of dealing with a termite invasion of the White House.

Plot summary and ending

Spoilers ahead. Coverage follows the scope labeled below.

Complete story — includes the ending

When speculations fly surrounding the nexus between communist Cuba and the United States, President Bartlet is propelled into a dubious conundrum: continue secret talks with Cuba's ailing dictator and lift the longstanding embargo or to yield to bipartisan political pressure and reaffirm decades-old sanctions. Meanwhile, Leo and Kate learn that they have more in common than politics when a distant memory of corrupted elections and bar-room antics reveal a more intimate connection. Note: The episode title refers to the distance between Cuba and the United States quoted by Bartlet.

Sources and content license

Source and revision history · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, The West Wing season 6. HTML formatting and reference markers removed. · Content license