Arnold Vinick had spent most of his life in Washington and he had been sad that his time there was coming to an end. He walked into what was once his senate office and looked around at half filled moving boxes and the remnants of a staff that got him within an eyelash of the Presidency. As he sat behind his desk he noticed a sudden commotion in his outer office. When he moved toward the outer office to investigate he saw secret service agents doing a sweep of the area and then his former opponent, the new President-Elect of the United States was standing in his doorway.
Matt Santos smiled at his former opponent and extended his hand and greeted him warmly. Arnie broke the silence asking the question that was hanging in the air, "How can I help you Mr President-Elect?" Matt paused for a moment and then asked if he and Arnie could speak in private. When Arnie showed him the way into his office he was very curious where this was going to go.
Matt sat in Arnie's office and looked around. Thinking this is what his Congressional office would have looked like had Josh not shown up to recruit him on this ride. He decided he couldn't waste a lot of time so he got right to it. "Arnie, I came here today because my staff agrees with me that I need your help. You are the best strategic thinker I know and what we are dealing with in Kazakhstan I need a mind like yours to help me navigate it." Vinick was caught off guard by the admission and even more so that he would come to him for this type of help, he stayed attentive as Matt continued with his proposal. "I have been going over possible cabinet appointments and I keep coming back to one that I know is going to shake up this whole thing." Matt sat forward on the chair he was in and looked Arnie in the eye. "Arnie, I would like you to be Secretary of State."
To say he was shocked would be an understatement, during the last Republican administration he had openly lobbied for the job only to have it go to a member of the party he did not like. Now he was being offered this by a Democrat that barely beat him. "What brought this on?", Arnie said to his former opponent with a highly questioning tone. Matt was undeterred and went into the reasoning. "When I look at the whole board I need someone with me on foreign policy that generally agrees with me, but would have the spine to tell me I'm wrong and hash it out with me, not just take what I said as the gospel. I know you and I may agree but I also know you would put me in my place if it needed to happen. I also know you respect the office and the process enough to go sell the decision I made either way."
When Matt was done, a shell shocked Arnold Vinick asked for some time to think it over. Matt allowed him that time but asked to please keep it under wraps. He did not want a leak about this and having to play games in the press. Arnie agreed, reminding him of the briefcase issue and Matt acknowledged his agreement. The two men emerged from Arnie's office and said their goodbyes. One leaving to think over an offer and the other to continue building a staff to run the country.
While the meeting between Santos and Vinick was going on, there was another high-level meeting taking place in the OEOB. Toby Ziegler was busy working on the final message and address Josiah Bartlet would give as President when he got a visitor in his office. When he realized it was the President, he immediately stood up and asked how he could help. Jed smiled at him and said "I need you to take a meeting with the incoming VP at the OEOB. I understand he has been asking around about you and I really don't want to hear him complain he can't find you." Toby chuckled as Jed smiled at him. "When did the VP Elect need to see me?" No sooner did he finish his question, Leo McGarry was standing behind his oldest friend about to knock on Toby's door. Jed turned and smiled, then looked at Toby, grinned and said "Now."
As Leo and Toby walked over to the OEOB they made small talk like two old friends. Leo asked about the twins and Toby returned in kind, checking on Leo's new grandson. Once the trek to Leo's office had been completed the door was closed and the VP elect got right down to business. "Toby I would like you to be my Chief of Staff, this obviously would be a downgrade from your current position. This way you can spend more time with your children and also continue to do the work you have done for the past eight years." Toby sat there absorbing the offer and knew the answer he needed to give immediately and it was the easiest answer he had given since accepting the offer to be Jed Bartlet's Communications Director, "I accept Mr. Vice President Elect." Leo gave his trademark smirk and extended his hand and as they shook he saw a genuine smile break out on Toby's face. Then Toby asked the question Leo had already prepared an answer for, "When do you want me to start? Will can handle the end of the administration, but I would like to finish the last address." Leo had been prepared for this and told Toby he would not need to start until after the final address in two weeks and he had already worked this out with the President. Toby smiled and shook his head already knowing that the two old friends had this all worked out. As the meeting wrapped up Toby asked one final question, "Can I name a deputy or am I inheriting your son in law, by the way I am fine either way?" Leo thought for a minute, then he answered truthfully "Talk with him, I am going to have him on staff either way but if you like him and can work with him so be it." Toby nodded and thanked Leo for the opportunity, and made his leave to finish the final address for the President, and his mind was already beginning to think of the message he was going to craft for the incoming VP.