Donna Vetting Ivan—A Photo Creates a Political Liability
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Donna meets with Ivan Perez to vet him for Josh, discussing labor issues and the value of farm work.
A photographer interrupts Donna and Ivan's conversation, taking a photo of them together.
Donna tests Ivan's political stance by asking his opinion on Richard Sutter, confirming his opposition.
Donna concludes the meeting positively, promising to arrange a meeting with Josh.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Protective and authoritative — balancing concern about the campaign risk with the need to defend a trusted ally and control staff behavior.
Sam enters, warmly greets Donna, hears about her five-minute meeting with Ivan, assesses the situation, solicits recognition of Ivan from staff, and immediately disciplines an aide who insults Donna by firing him to assert control and defend his friend.
- • Defend Donna's reputation and authority in front of staff.
- • Maintain campaign discipline and prevent internal panic from escalating.
- • Personal loyalty and staff discipline are essential to campaign cohesion.
- • Public optics matter but should not excuse disrespectful or undisciplined staff behavior.
Neutral and businesslike — focused on capturing an image rather than engaging with subjects.
The photographer approaches the table, ignores small talk, snaps a single photograph of Donna and Ivan, and quickly walks away — creating tangible evidence that turns a private vetting into a potential public story.
- • Capture a newsworthy photograph of recognizable political figures together.
- • Move on quickly to avoid attention or confrontation and deliver the image to interested outlets.
- • Photographs of political meetings have value and can drive stories.
- • Quick, unobtrusive action is the best way to secure images without losing the moment.
Mildly embarrassed by the unexpected photo but outwardly composed and focused on assessing Ivan's usefulness and protecting campaign optics.
Donna conducts an on-the-record vetting: asks direct questions about Richard Sutter, listens to Ivan's labor argument, offers to try to get him in to see Josh, acknowledges the photographer, then reports the meeting to Sam and staff.
- • Determine whether Ivan Perez is a legitimate, usable labor contact for Josh/Sam.
- • Contain any potential optics problems by managing access and messaging (offer to get Perez to Josh).
- • That Josh needs vetted, credible local contacts and that she is trusted to do that vetting.
- • That a single photograph can create political liability, so discretion and quick reporting matter.
Derisive and panicked — focused on the perceived immediate threat to the campaign and expressing it crudely.
The campaign aide identifies Izzy Perez, disparages Donna for meeting him, and loudly warns that the campaign will be harmed — behavior that prompts Sam to fire him immediately.
- • Prevent a political mistake by calling out what he sees as a dangerous exposure.
- • Signal urgency to leadership that damage control is necessary.
- • Donna's meeting was careless and will result in the campaign being 'creamed'.
- • Loudly calling out mistakes will force corrective action from higher-ups.
Earnest and self-assured — focused on making his case and securing access rather than worrying about optics.
Ivan articulates a populist labor philosophy, dismisses Assemblyman Richard Sutter as 'the enemy,' accepts Donna's offer to try to see Josh, and appears unfazed by the photographer's intrusion.
- • Secure access to White House staff (Josh) to advance farm labor concerns.
- • Establish legitimacy and be taken seriously as a labor leader representing agricultural workers.
- • That farm labor produces social value deserving of equal share in profits.
- • That opponents like Richard Sutter are actively hostile to farm labor interests.
Concerned and urgent — immediately thinking through the political fallout and damage control.
Scott identifies Ivan's political history to the group (notes he ran for governor on the Communist ticket), reacts with alarm at the photograph, and argues practical campaign concern and staffing needs.
- • Minimize the campaign's exposure to a scandal tied to a Communist-affiliated contact.
- • Retain trusted staff while also addressing the new liability.
- • Communist affiliation is politically poisonous in this district and must be contained.
- • The campaign must act quickly to control optics and staffing to avoid electoral damage.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The photographer's camera is the active instrument that transforms a private cafe vetting into a public risk. The snap produces a visual record of Donna and Ivan together that immediately changes internal calculations about liability and staff discipline.
The hotel cafe table functions as the physical locus of the vetting; Donna and Ivan sit across from each other, conducting their exchange. Its ordinary presence frames the meeting as casual and vulnerable to being photographed.
The photograph—created in a single instant by the camera—serves as the narrative catalyst: although it is only mentioned implicitly (snap and walk away), its existence immediately converts private vetting into a public relations problem and a campaign liability.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Sam McGarry's campaign is the immediate institutional actor forced into reaction: staffers, managers, and aides respond to the photograph and Ivan's history, prioritizing damage control, discipline, and messaging to protect the candidate.
The California Agricultural Laborers Association is present through its leader Ivan Perez, who speaks for farm labor concerns; the org's representation provides the reason for the vetting and is the source of both potential political support and liability.
The Communist Party figures indirectly as a reputational force when Scott notes Ivan ran on that ticket; the label instantly redefines the meeting as politically toxic within the campaign context.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Donna's meeting with Ivan Perez, revealed to have Communist ties, leads to C.J. addressing the controversy in a press briefing."
"Donna's meeting with Ivan Perez, revealed to have Communist ties, leads to C.J. addressing the controversy in a press briefing."
"Donna's meeting with Ivan Perez, revealed to have Communist ties, leads to C.J. addressing the controversy in a press briefing."
Key Dialogue
"DONNA: What do you think of Richard Sutter?"
"IVAN PEREZ: Well, he's the enemy, is what he is. I mean simply put, he is the enemy."
"SAM: Hey! Out of here. You're fired."