NYC Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty (Michael J. Fox) is the ultimate spin-doctor as he covers for the many mistakes of the handsome and bumbling Mayor, Randall Winston (Barry Bostwick). Helping Mike are dim-witted press secretary Paul Lassiter (Richard Kind), sexist assistant deputy mayor Stuart Bondek (Alan Ruck), gay head of minority affairs Carter Heywood (Michael Boatman), naive speech writer James Hobert (Alexander Chaplin), the Mayor’s secretary Janelle Cooper (Victoria Dillard), Mike’s assistant Nikki Faber (Connie Britton), and his secretary Stacy Paterno (Jennifer Esposito). Later characters include Deputy Mayor Charlie Crawford (Charlie Sheen), campaign manager Caitlin Moore (Heather Locklear), and assistant Angie Ordonez (Lana Parrilla). Though they’re successful at their jobs and improving the Mayor’s image, their personal lives don’t fare as well.