It's Caitlyn and Theodore's anniversary and Margaret is insistent that Sophie not join the family for dinner. Meanwhile, the campaigning Senator is in need of some publicity, but he didn't expect it to come from Theodore's botched suicide attempt -- which results in Bill being shot in a very undignified location.

The Senator and his aides have no choice but to offer Joe Bowman a public apology -- in spite of his paralysis secretly being a sham. Meanwhile, Bowman sets his sights on seducing Caitlyn to have someone inside the Senator's camp. Caitlyn finds herself simultanously charmed and repulsed by Mr. Bowman and contemplates having an affair. Meanwhile, Bill and Margaret share a spontanous night of passion.

Just as Sophie asks Margaret for some tips on fitting into the Washington scene, the boyfriend who always kept her down shows up to take her back to New Jersey. Meanwhile, Margaret is desperate to get a Supreme Court Justice to show up at her party, and Bradley and Jordan try to show each other up by getting the most influential guests at the event.