Liberal third-party candidate Howard Stackhouse (George Coe) is becoming a thorn in Bartlet's side---and Amy Gardner (Mary-Louise Parker) is consulting for him. Elsewhere, the Ritchie camp wants as few debates as possible; Leo meets with the Israeli Foreign Minister (Malachi Throne) about the Shareef matter; a government siege of a house occupied by domestic terrorists is compromised by a sick child in the house; and Josh makes Donna bone up on a self-help guru who has advised Gov. Ritchie.