# West Wing questions (10/17) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2001, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-questions-10-17/88268 "2001-10-18T18:58:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-questions-10-17/88268/21 "2001-10-19T16:39:36Z")
I think the negotiation was over the percent of the “ad buy”. Does anybody know what that means, exactly? How are political consultants compensated? The scene reminded me of one from the first season, where Leo & the Prez are strong-arming a minor functionary on the census bureau (or something like that). Leo meets with him with a Marine in full dress uniform outside the door, then takes him into the Oval Office, where the prez just happens to be meeting with the Sec’s of State and Defense and the CIA director, causing the functionary’s eyes to bug out. This one was a little more subtle. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-questions-10-17/88268/22 "2001-10-19T16:55:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HelloKitty \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by watsonwil \* > > Also a great scene that really rang true was when Silver (who I liked this episode) hammered Leo and then fold to the Prez under the weight of the oval office (though I didn’t catch whether he got a greater or less % of the add revenues.) \*\* > > Oh, I really liked that scene…Bruno thought he was the tough one, but when it came down to brass tacks, Bartlet had his number! > > Jed said, “So, I understand you want 12% of the ad revenues?” when Bruno had just said to Leo, “I want 13% of the ad revenues” and Leo was trying to get him down to 12%. So of course Leo got what he wanted as POTUS turned the tables on Bruno. Ron Silver is excellent in the role. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-questions-10-17/88268/23 "2001-10-19T20:37:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jsc1953 \* > **I think the negotiation was over the percent of the “ad buy”. Does anybody know what that means, exactly? How are political consultants compensated?** There are political consultants who work strictly as consultants. They give the politician advice and get paid for it. What I gather is that Bruno is also an advertising-type consultant. He’ll not only provide the political advice, but produce the campaign advertising. Traditional compensation for advertising (though it’s changing now) is to be paid a percentage of the total advertising budget, a commission on the “buy”. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-questions-10-17/88268/24 "2001-10-19T20:48:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Oblong \* > \*\*Is the show set in Oct. or Nov. of 2001 with the election set in Nov. of 2002 or are we closer to primary season? > > I didn’t see the first 45 min. of this episode, have they talked about Hoynes? Is he expected to challenge Bartlett? > > How much do you want to bet they get a female or minority Veep if it’s not Hoynes? > > Can Bartlett really lose? \*\* 1. I think it’s pretty much in real time (ie, fall 2001, with elections next Nov). Nobody’s even talking about the Iowa Caucus or the New Hampshire primary yet. 2. No mention of Hoynes in this episode. There was an episode last season, when Hoynes was acting as if he was planning to run; but that was when Hoynes knew Bartlett had MS and no one else did. Hoynes was probably assuming Bartlett wouldn’t run again. 3. Wouldn’t surprise me. 4. Only if the show gets cancelled. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-questions-10-17/88268/25 "2001-10-19T23:25:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jsc1953 \* > > 1. I think it’s pretty much in real time (ie, fall 2001, with elections next Nov). Nobody’s even talking about the Iowa Caucus or the New Hampshire primary yet.\*\* I think we are all basing this on the fact that in the 2000 season the show had mid term elections. In the West Wing, the presidential elections seems to be 2002 (while WE will be having our midterms). ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-questions-10-17/88268/26 "2001-10-20T04:49:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > \*\*5) Can someone explain the laws behind not allowing a government official to interfere with the FDA? > \*\* It almost seems too obvious, but I assumed that it was simply considered improper for the White House to tell the FDA what to do. Even if the reasons were honorable, it’d still look like the WH flexed some executive muscle and got its way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-questions-10-17/88268.md?page=1)