S7E14 · Two Weeks Out

Complete story — includes the ending

With the election two weeks out and both candidates polling even in California, both the Santos and Vinick campaigns scramble to the state to try to gain free media from public events. Toby advises Josh that California is the big issue and that Santos should head there immediately. Santos' press coverage in California is trumped by Vinick holding a til-they-drop press conference outside the nuclear plant. Vinick, whose hand is broken by constant handshakes, has a stroke of luck when Bruno discovers Santos' briefcase in a holding room. Vinick and Bruno must make a difficult decision: do they use its contents against Santos, or take the high road and return it? The briefcase contains evidence that suggests that the Congressman may be supporting an illegitimate child. Vinick asks to meet with Santos, whereupon the Congressman angrily denies the accusation. When Vinick, still refusing to believe Santos, continues to push Santos, Santos shocks him with the revelation about the child's true parentage. The girl is actually his niece, and the daughter of his irresponsible brother who took off shortly after the mother became pregnant. Santos, after finding out about his niece, has been financially supporting her and her mother because he knows his brother never will. After chastising Vinick for jumping to conclusions and expressing his dismay that Vinick would stoop so low, he angrily leaves, while Vinick--mulling over what he has just been told--is left in the room. Note: Alan Alda won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for this episode.