Lawrence Lessig is a real-life constitutional scholar who was involved in drafting an early version of the Georgian constitution. Episode writer Josh Singer took Lessig's Constitutional Law course at Harvard, and remembered an anecdote told during class. Lessig approved the script, which he felt captured 90% of what was important about "constitutionalism": building a society that respects the rule of law.
When Korean Air flight 007 was mistakenly shot down in 1983 by the Soviet Union, aides of elderly President Reagan chose to not wake him up.
The poem Lord John Marbury recites to Kate Harper in CJ's office is "A Birthday," by Christina Georgina Rossetti.
In this series Miss World is Lyonpo Palden Wangchuk of Bhutan, outside of the West Wing The House of Wangchuk is the royal family of Bhutan.
The tune Annabeth is humming for Valentine's Day while handing out chocolates is "My Funny Valentine," one of the most beloved songs on Kristin Chenoweth's first solo CD, Let Yourself Go.