As the fifth season opens, it is seven hours after Zoey Bartlet's kidnapping and the President has temporarily relinquished his office to Republican House Speaker Glenallen Walken (John Goodman), who reviews military options upon receiving a ransom note demanding the release of Pakistani terrorists and a pullout of U.S. troops from Saudi Arabia and Qumar. Meanwhile, Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) tells C.J. he's going to post his story on the Shareef assassination.