"PS: This is something that gnaws at my subconscious... In one of the very 1st episodes wasn't the gender of Santiago given as female by an ISN reporter speaking about the coming election? There are so few flubs in the story arc that I almost feel sure it is my immagination BUT it gnaws..."
It's your imagination; that was the candidate running against Santiago, not the guy himself. I know because we used Doug's picture for Santiago, and a picture of our wardrobe designer for the opposition.
