Take This The Sabbath Day

Plot
This episode is mostly about President Bartlet trying to make a decision about commuting the death sentence of a man who has been convicted of drug-related murders. There are a couple scenes in Toby’s synagogue where Toby’s Rabbi tries to convince him against capital punishment. Joey Lucas is introduced, a deaf pollster from California who is upset about the White House’s level of involvement and support fro her candidate, Bill O’Dwyer.

Music
When Toby is discussing capital punishment with his Rabbi, there is a singer practicing while they speak. The song is called “Hashkiveinu” (arranged by Max Helfman) published by Transcontinental Music Publications, ASCAP. This song is really a Jewish prayer that is usually sung.

Errors
After Father Cavanaugh tells his joke/gives his advice, he tells President Bartlet that God sent him “a priest, a rabbi, and a Quaker.” But he was only in the episode at the very end of the episode, for one scene with no breaks to show any conversation other than the one witnessed by the audience, and in this conversation the President does not mention Toby’s Rabbi (Glassman) or the Quaker, the newly introduced deaf California pollster, Joey Lucas.

When Toby is having the capital punishment discussion with his Rabbi, his (the Rabbi’s) arm repeatedly changes position between shots.

Issues
I really don’t know what to feel about capital punishment. I don’t think I’m informed enough to make a decent decision. I know my own nature, I know that when pushed I can be a real vindictive and spiteful bastard. I can take pleasure in meticulously planned and perfectly carried out piece pf revenge. But this is exactly why I think I should be removed from the equation. Charlie says he would want to kill the man who shot and murdered his mother. I don’t think I would feel any different in that situation *knock wood*. But this is a liberal show, I have to take several clotting medications because of my own bleeding heart and yet I don’t have any major quandaries about the death penalty. Why is this?

Trivia
Karl Malden plays President Bartlet’s childhood priest, Father Thomas Cavanaugh, uses a pocket bible to take the President’s Confession. This bible was the same one Malden used when he played Father Barry in On the Waterfront

Sam states that the United States of America is one of the only 5 countries that executes people younger than 18, the others are Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran. How proud I am to be an American right now and have my country in this list.

Quiz Question Answer:
The answer is: Jet Airliner by Steve Miller Band