Ep 9. Church and State

Our Cartoon President season 1 episode 9, titled "Church and State," follows President Trump as he struggles to decide whether to sign an executive order allowing religious organizations to endorse political candidates. Meanwhile, First Lady Melania Trump seeks the counsel of former First Lady Michelle Obama on how to handle her public image, and the President's staff deal with the fallout of a leaked memo from the Russia investigation.

As the episode opens, President Trump is poring over a stack of papers in the Oval Office, trying to decide whether to sign an executive order that would allow religious organizations to endorse political candidates without risking their tax-exempt status. His advisors are split on the issue, with Chief of Staff John Kelly arguing that it's a violation of the separation of church and state, while Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders argues that it's a crucial step to protecting religious freedom.

Meanwhile, in the East Wing, First Lady Melania Trump is struggling with her own issues. She's been the subject of negative media coverage lately, with rumors swirling about the state of her marriage and her reluctance to take on traditional First Lady duties. Feeling overwhelmed and isolated, she turns to former First Lady Michelle Obama for advice. Michelle, who has been busy promoting her new memoir, "Becoming," agrees to meet with Melania and offers her some words of wisdom about finding her own voice and not letting the media dictate her narrative.

Back in the West Wing, the President's staff are dealing with the fallout of a leaked memo about the ongoing Russia investigation. The memo, which was written by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, reveals that the President committed several instances of obstruction of justice, and his advisors are scrambling to do damage control. However, their efforts are hampered by the President's own tweets, which only serve to draw more attention to the scandal.

As the episode progresses, the President continues to waffle on the issue of the executive order, even after meeting with a group of religious leaders who urge him to sign it. He's torn between his desire to pander to his conservative base and his fear of crossing the line between church and state. However, after a heart-to-heart conversation with Vice President Pence, who assures him that God is on his side, Trump ultimately decides to sign the executive order.

Meanwhile, Melania takes Michelle's advice to heart and decides to take a more active role in her role as First Lady. She begins by launching a new initiative aimed at helping children, and unveils it to the press at a well-received event at a local school. She also appears on a talk show to discuss her new project, and reveals a side of herself that the public hasn't seen before.

As the episode comes to a close, the President's staff continue to struggle with the fallout from the Russia memo. However, Trump seems unconcerned, convinced that he's done nothing wrong. In a final scene, he sits alone in the Oval Office, watching cable news coverage of his own scandals and eating a bucket of fried chicken.

Overall, "Church and State" is a timely and satirical look at the inner workings of the Trump White House, touching on everything from the President's religious pandering to Melania's struggle to find her place in the First Lady role. With its blend of humor and insightful political commentary, it's a must-see episode for fans of political satire and fans of the show alike.