When a British passenger aircraft is accidentally shot down over Iran, causing an international crisis, C.J. battles with the First Lady over how much to let Bartlet's MS affect his schedule; Toby and constitutional scholar Lawrence Lessig (Christopher Lloyd) work with Belarusian diplomats on a new constitution.

Dexter refuses Debra's request to kill Hannah. Meanwhile, Isaak escapes his police surveillance and attempts to kill Dexter again, but fails. Astor and Cody come to visit Dexter. Batista buys a restaurant. Feeling he is out of control with trying to avenge Viktor's death, the Koshka Brotherhood puts a hit on Isaak. Also, LaGuerta finds a potential link between Dexter and the Bay Harbor Butcher. Elsewhere, Debra learns that Dexter and Hannah are seeing each other and, in conversation with him, reveals more than she wanted. Isaak reveals to Dexter that the reason why he is trying to kill Dexter for Viktor's murder is that Isaak and Viktor were lovers.

Elections are underway in Kazakhstan, but Russia and China teetering on the brink of an oil war in Central Asia is the least of Bartlet and C.J.'s concerns as they face a nuclear reactor in California on the verge of a meltdown. While agonizing over whether to evacuate nearby citizens and release radioactive steam into the atmosphere, the Santos and Vinick campaigns stare each other down, trying to avoid being the first to turn the crisis into a political issue – all the more complex as, decades ago, Vinick lobbied for the plant's construction, while Santos has spoken about the dangers of nuclear power. When the news comes out, the election becomes, in Josh's words, "too close to call."

Leo tries to convince President Bartlet of the importance of supporting a missile defense plan, while Lord John Marbury is appointed British ambassador to the United States. Toby and Sam clash over a speech the President gives to an environmental group. C.J. tries to talk a comedian out of embarrassing the Bartlet administration.