I’ve asked a columnist for the TV Times insert and a West Wing fansite…you guys are my last hope.
Josh has a blackboard in his office. There are columns and tally marks all over it. Knowing that he is Deputy Communications Officer (Director?) what is he keeping track of?
Well, first we need to get straight that Josh is the Deputy Chief of Staff. Toby is the Communications Director, and Sam is Toby’s deputy.
As to what’s on the blackboard…if it’s the one I’m thinking of, I vaguely remember seeing “Donna’s birthday” written on it once. So maybe it’s just a place for him to put up reminders? I’m not sure.
You’re right, King. I’ve been up since 3am (it’s 6p now) and I’m pretty loopy.
Maybe he’s tracking an issue in Congress and the tallies reflect who supports what…
speaking of Josh and TWW, since he’s the deputy to the chief of staff, does that mean he outranks Toby and CJ? Does CJ report to Toby? I would think so since speaking to the Press falls under Communicatioins.
I think we discussed this a bit before.
In the real-life White House, currently the Office of the Press Secretary and Office of Communications are separate. But Bartlet’s White House doesn’t always work exactly the same as ours, and there’s been an episode or two where it seemed like C.J. reported to Toby, but it’s never been made explicit.
The question of where Josh and Toby rank relative to each other is more complicated. It’d seem like Josh would outrank him, as Oblong said, but I can remember at least two episodes where Toby ordered Josh to do something. I think possibly they’re more or less equals - Toby outranks Josh on Communications issues, and Josh outranks Toby on other stuff.
Josh definitely outranks C.J., but that doesn’t stop her from kicking his ass sometimes. 
This was made quite explicit last week - something along the lines of:
“If I catch you doing that again I’m gonna cram a motherboard so far up your ass…WHAT?”
“Um, technically, I outrank you.”
“SO FAR UP YOUR ASS, Josh!”
so that sort of means that
A: Toby and Josh are equals and CJ reports to Toby or at least is outranked by him
or
B: CJ and Toby are equals and Josh outranks both of them.
I think I did ask this here before. I know I asked it somewhere on the net, I thought it was a newsgroup.
So can we talk about last night’s episode here, or should we start another thread?
Or C. Toby outranks Josh, being as he’s a Director and Josh is just a Deputy. (Unless someone has an example of Josh bossing Toby around?) But I think choice B is most likely.
Um, I meant A is most likely. Will wait till I’m fully awake to post next time.
FWIW, remember Donna’s joke a few seasons back about being the “Deputy Deputy?”
But I think being a deputy to Chief of Staff would carry as much weight, if not more, then being someone who reports to the Chief of Staff, like Toby does. They both report to Leo.
I think it’s tallys of days until he leaves the west wing and gets a better acting job.
Oblong, I totally agree that it would make more sense that way. Problem is, the actual evidence from the show goes against it. Like I said, I can remember Toby ordering Josh to do something a couple times. Best example: In a first season ep that I can’t remember the title of, a Republican Congressman said he had evidence that a significant number of White House staffers used drugs. Toby told Josh to institute drug testing for all staffers. Josh was strongly against this, but Toby made him do it anyway, over his objections. That scene makes no sense if Josh flat-out outranks Toby; either Toby outranks Josh or, more likely, they’re pretty much equals (and Toby was able to boss Josh around on this particular issue because it dealt with the public perception of the Bartlet administration, which is his area).
I can understand that then. I didn’t see the first season. Maybe there’s some seperation of powers going on. Maybe it’s because Josh would automatically defer to Toby’s judgement even though he could technically go against it. Maybe Sorkin hadnt thought about that yet and it made good drama…
It was probably in April 2002 when this thread was started!
Oh and Brrrraaaiiiinnnnssss!
I’ve always thought the Bartlett administration would have handled a zombie epidemic reasonably well. Shame they never did a zombie episode.
I know I’m nine years late, but part of Toby’s job was wrangling votes in congress. I’m sure his blackboard was just tracking the votes on particular issues the WH was following.
INT - Josh is standing in a corridor. Any corridor. Toby walks into camera, and the camera pulls backward as they continue to walk together. And talk together.
Toby: Josh!
Josh: Yeah.
Toby: What’s this about hordes of reanimated corpses marching through Baton Rouge?
Josh: I haven’t heard anything about hordes of reanimated corpses marching through…
Toby: Baton Rouge.
Josh: Baton Rouge?
Toby: There are hordes of reanimated corpses marching through Baton Rouge.
CJ joins the conversation, appearing through a convenient door.
CJ: There are hordes of reanimated corpses marching through Baton Rouge?
Toby: Yeah.
Josh: Wouldn’t they get stuck?
Toby: What?
Josh: The reanimated corpses. Wouldn’t they get stuck in the mud?
CJ: Baton Rouge isn’t the same thing as New Orleans, Josh.
Josh: I know Baton Rouge isn’t the same thing as New Orleans. I’m not an moron, you know. I graduated cum laude from Harvard University.
Toby: rolls eyes
Josh: Look, I gotta go tell Leo about this. CJ, I’ll get you details for the bwiefing.
CJ: glares The what?
Josh: Nothing.
Josh peels off. CJ and Toby continue walking and talking.
CJ: The walking dead aside, you going to the thing tomorrow?
Toby: The thing at the thing?
CJ: Yeah.
Toby: Yeah.
A beat.
CJ: OK.
Toby: OK.
Aaaaaaand… SCENE.
CJ definately reported to Toby. He has remarked as such to several others (CJ works for me.] and she once refused to something until he ordered her to do it.
gggrrrrrrhhhhhhh!