Abu el Banat
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| “Abu el Banat” | |
|---|---|
| The West Wing episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 97 |
| Written by | Debora Cahn |
| Directed by | Lesli Linka Glatter |
| Guest stars | Lily Tomlin Dylan Baker Elisabeth Moss Annabeth Gish Steven Eckholdt Nina Siemaszko Ron Canada NiCole Robinson Mark Moses |
| Production no. | 176059 |
| Original airdate | December 3, 2003 |
| Season 5 episodes | |
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| List of The West Wing episodes | |
"Abu el Banat" is episode 97 of The West Wing.
[edit] Plot
As the entire Bartlet clan gathers for the White House Christmas tree lighting ceremony (though Ellie's late, as usual), Christian missionaries are arrested in Sudan for proselytizing and a Congressman holds a press conference to rail against the government in Khartoum's actions. Leo first bashes the Sudanese government for falsely harrassing Christians, then finds out the missionaries were doing what the Sudan said, and arranges a payoff to local officials to get them safely out of the country.
Meanwhile, the DEA has suspended the license of a doctor who assisted with the suicide of a terminally ill patient in Oregon (where euthanasia is legal), and Bartlet's Attorney General is siding with the DEA; and Bartlet's son-in-law, Doug Westin, has decided to run for Jed Bartlet's old seat in Congress. He won't get White House backing but Josh has a hard time bringing this fact to his attention. When Doug lists the impressive steps he's taken to get his campaign started, the President realizes that his daughter Elizabeth (Doug's wife) has arranged them and says she should be the one running. Elizabeth then gives her father a pointed lesson in trying to live other people's lives for them.
On the DEA matter, Bartlet notices that AG Fisk is cracking down on doctors in his home state of Mississippi, and warns him he'll be fired if he keeps it up. Toby raises the uncomfortable question of assisted suicide to the President because MS is one of the most common conditions that lead to euthanasia; Toby also pushes Will Bailey to get the new VP to speak out about assisted suicide, and punishes Will with an eviction from his West Wing office when the VP declines. C.J. is pained on the matter because her father's condition, previously diagnosed as early-onset Alzheimer's, is deteriorating. The President later broaches the issue of his MS and euthanasia with the First Lady, and comes down against any medical intervention, saying "it'll get bad and that's all there is". He then asks the First Lady if she'll be there with him as it happens, a clear reference to their only recently semi-ended estrangement. She thinks for a second and then nods and says yes, she will be there.
The title refers to a visit the President paid to Egypt with his family. The guide constantly introduced him as "Abu El Banat" to everyone they met. He asked the guide "What does that mean" The guide told him "Father of daughters". The guide then paid for the future President's tea out of sympathy for his son-free family life.
