"They don't like us in Texas."

"I know that, Leo, everyone knows that. They've always hated us, so why would we be going there in vain?"

"Because -"

"He just got back from Philly on Tuesday, it's trips like this that do no good but just make him more tired and make him look like he's running for election as a... person who's not the president, and as of last time I checked, he was. So why -?"

"Because I don't like the numbers we've been getting," Leo said, lowering his voice. "We're gonna get whomped in Texas worse than usual, and Pennsylvania's looking bad. They're looking like they're gonna go with Gilette. Which means we're SCREWED unless we find more votes in those places. Either that or if we get more in Chicago than we did last time and swing Illinois."

"And going to Texas is gonna change anything?" Josh asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It might."

"He's gonna get his ass kicked on some stupid-ass comment..."

"When doesn't he?"

"Never."

"So why not go?"

"Yeah, yeah," Josh said, rolling his eyes.

"Go home, would ya? Wheels up at 7 tomorrow morning, go pack a suitcase and get some sleep."

"Yeah." Josh headed off down the hallway.

~*~*~*~

"Okay, we have time for one more question -"

"CJ! CJ!" The reporters clamoured for the attention of the exhausted press secretary. She was running on a half-hour of sleep and wanted to sleep at least a little more before the plane took off, because she knew there would be no sleeping on the plane.

"Katie."

"Sources inside the Press Office say the motorcade route has been changed for the Austin parade. Why did it change, and what if any involvement did the Vice President play in it?"

"It changed because...it did, and sofar as I know the Vice President played essentially NO role in the change."

"Then why was he a part of the meeting?"

"Because he's the second-in-command and he's going on the trip. All the essentials were in that meeting, including the President who, while being the most powerful man in the world, has no say in trip agendas." The press laughed lightly. "Folks, you need to be at the plane tomorrow at 6:30, we're leaving at exactly 7, on the dot, which means wheels up will be at right about noon." More chuckles. "That's all, see you on the plane."

~*~*~*~

"All is in place, sir."

"Good. I'll be there tomorrow. Day after, we strike."

~*~*~*~

Sam tried not to yawn as the plane lifted off. Yawning was a sign of weakness - a sign that he should be targetted and tortured...

A sign that he was bored and should be quizzed on inane trivia by the president.

But finally, unable to hold it in anymore, he yawned - turning away as best he could as he did so, and trying to cover it up with a cough...but the President caught it.

"Sam, did you know that the name of the airfield where Airforce One landed when Kennedy was here is 'Love Field'?"

So Sam resumed trying not to do the action he wanted most to do - in this case, it was groaning.

~*~*~*~

The sun shown brightly, and Jed squinted as he stepped off Airforce One and into the hot Texas late-morning sun. Waving, he smiled for the Bartlet Supporters who had shown up - hard to believe that, in a state that hated him so much, there were still so many people who came out to welcome him to their state. //Unless they're being sarcastic...// he thought as he descended the steps and was escorted by the Secret Service to the motorcade, Abby at his side, smiling forcedly and waving.

The rest of his staff descended the stairs as well, Josh leading the way and grinning broadly, dimples showing, earning a fair amount of shouts as well. "See? They may not like US, but they sure like me!" he bragged to Sam and Toby, behind him and not interested. They were doing last-minute changes on the speech the President would be doing once he reached the dining hall.

Vice President Hoynes stepped off his own plane a short distance over and was greeted with more shouts than the President. Not surprising, considering it was his home state.

They arrived at the hotel shortly thereafter and Donna raced after Josh. "What's going on?" she asked him in the sort of voice you might use when concocting a plan.

"What do ya mean?"

"Something's up between the President and the First Lady -"

"She doesn't want him running for re-election."

"-And the President and Hoynes."

"Hoynes feels like second-chair, which he is, 'cept he's in his homestate. He wants to be running the show."

"Margaret overheard something."

"I wish you guys would stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?"

"The West Wing Gossip Chain."

"We're in the Hyatt."

"Nevermind. Normally it's the West Wing Gossip Chain. One of you - usually Margaret or Nancy - overhear something and then you blow it all out of proportion and spread it around to everyone."

"Don't you want to know what Margaret heard?"

"Not really."

"Margaret heard -"

"Didn't I just say I didn't want to hear?"

"Yeah, but since when does that matter to me?"

"Fair point."

"Thanks. Margaret heard this big blow-out argument between the President and Hoynes. They were practically at each others throats -" Donna slammed the door of the hotel room and looked around nervously, speaking in a whisper. "The President called him a Rodeo-Riding Jackass Prick."

"Good for him." Josh smiled.

"Josh -!"

"Donna. The two of them are complete adversaries, we know that, we've always known that. Right now, that's hardly our biggest problem."

"What is our biggest problem?"

Josh was silent a moment. "That's not the point."

"Okay."

"Can I have my schedule now?"

"Sure."

~*~*~*~

"Are we still to-"

"Yes, you're still to go with exactly what we talked about."

"The route's been changed..."

"Yeah. Just like we planned..." The deep voice laced with a thick accent chuckled.