Mackenzie decides to change the direction of her administration - from reaction to action - and appoints Rod as Strategic Planning Adviser, much to the disgust of Chief of Staff Jim Gardner. Meanwhile, Vince's drug test reveals that he's HIV positive and Templeton plots to use this to his advantage. Mac is presented with scandalous information about Templeton's past and has to decide how to use the information. Later, Horace almost gets into a fight with Rebecca's boyfriend when he learns about the rumor he's spreading.