Bartlet tries to bring Palestine and Israel to the negotiation table for peace talks. Bartlet also seeks the terrorist responsible for the attack on his people. Donna, a victim of the attack, continues to fight for her life as she is rushed to surgery.
Bartlet hopes to negotiate peace between representatives from Israel and Palestine at Camp David. Leo works on going ahead with an attack against a terrorist training camp.
Bartlet sends his team out to get the support of the UN and Congress for his peace accord, but Congressmen start making demands. Leo goes through emergency bypass surgery even as Josh and Toby vie for Leo's position. The only hurdle that stands between Charlie and his graduation is a swimming exam and the fact that he promised the President that when he graduated he would move on from his White House job.
A delegate from Georgia offers the White House plutonium they have from when Russia still controlled the area. In an effort to get support for a tax cut, Josh runs across a memorable Democrat Texas congressman who wants out. CJ hits the ground running, but her job appears more difficult when Toby takes over as interim Press Secretary.
Josh crashes an SUV into a hybrid car while out on a test drive which is looked upon as a statement by the administration in light of a conservation loss in the Congress. Annabeth coaches Toby on how to handle the press. CJ learns from Leo why playing chess with the President is so important. Charlie tries to recruit the staff to ignore his resume in order to stay on with the President, but eventually receives an offer from CJ.
The staff is pressed to cover the deaths of American soldiers. Santos makes waves when he attaches his Patients Bill of Rights to a Republican bill.
China takes Bartlet's acceptance of an independent Taiwanese flag as the potential for hostility and prepares its military. Hoynes returns to the public eye with an autobiography and asks Josh to run his campaign. Bartlet confesses to his wife that he didn't actually see the flag and that his condition is worsening.
The press has a field day when Penn and Teller burn a flag while performing in the White House. Bartlet battles off his increasingly difficult MS and finds himself paralyzed while en route to China for negotiations. Vice President Russell asks Josh to run his Presidential campaign.
Bartlet fights off MS-induced paralysis at the China summit. Josh and Leo head an effort to deal with the upcoming impact of a asteroid.
A story appears on the internet regarding CJ's sexuality. Bartlet's battle against MS continues to take its toll. Santos agrees to run for President if Josh will be his campaign manager.
Josh and Santos realize their differences when they start a campaign headquarters in New Hampshire as Santos starts pushing for education reform.
Leo comes back to work in a new position as Bartlet looks on to his final year as President. The staff is spread across numerous issues both domestic and global.
A glimpse of the very similar days of Russell, Santos and Vinick as they look for votes at the Iowa Corn Grower's Expo. While the other candidates pander to the farmers with talk of ethanol, Vinick stays true to his beliefs. Vinick and Santos share a late night meal.
Bartlet and staff deal with the repercussions after Iranian fighter pilot shoots down a British civilian airplane. Toby and a constitutional authority try to craft a constitution for Belarus.
Josh tries to secure Santos a place in the debate between Russell and Hoynes even as Santos hires on Amy Gardner, further ruffling Josh's feathers. Santos fights for a seven-way debate between all the candidates and after a live, to the point television ad, he gets his wish.
A newcomer to the Democratic side of the Presidential race shakes things up after a speech on health-care. Josh looks for the person inside the White House who may have leaked her information from Bartlet and when he finds out that it's Toby, the two come to blows. CJ works over congress to get momentum behind a water bill and Leo suggests that she hire Cliff Calley.
Cliff tries to gather Democrats behind a stem cell research bill vote that the Speaker of the House wants to sneak in while Democratic Presidential candidates are out of Washington campaigning.
The California part of the campaign finds Santos pressured to take sides on legislation involving illegal immigrants even after Hoynes and Russell find ways around the hot bed issue. Santos learns that his campaign is bankrupt and needs to come in at least second place in the California primary. Donna becomes the face of the Russell campaign. Hoynes' campaign crumbles after a new sexual misconduct allegation surfaces.
Bartlet is challenged by both sides of the aisle when he sends Leo in and then considers opening up negotiations with Castro and lifting Cuban embargos. Charlie fields exterminators after it's believed that the White House could have an infestation. CJ runs into roadblocks when trying to find out more about Kate.
Vinick is assaulted with religious questions, mostly about his church attendance, after defeating Reverend Butler for the nomination. Bruno comes to Vinick seeking to bend his ear and shape his candidacy. Bartlet tries to unite the Democratic Party as Vinick already has his candidacy locked up. Bartlet tacks a minimum wage increase on a bill to raise the national debt ceiling and Vinick comes directly to him to negotiate.
Bartlet seeks Leo's help in organizing the Democratic Convention. Russell offers Santos the Vice Presidency. Bartlet catches Charlie leaving his daughter's bedroom in the middle of the night. Three astronauts aboard the International Space Station face death when a leak develops, costing them precious oxygen.
The Democratic National Convention decides who will run for President and the vote is split among Russell, Hoynes and Santos. It gets even more complicated when Baker enters the race from the floor on the second ballot.