Deborah O'Leary was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Jed Bartlet. She calls Congressman Jack Wooden and all Republicans racist during a television interview. While the President is more concerned with her using the "if the shoe fits" cliche, due to an error at a press conference she is forced to apologize. This in turn creates more drama for the Communications staff as Roberto Mendoza releases a statement says it was wrong to make her apologize. She is replaced before Bartlet's second term by Bill Fisher.