Elizabeth says the Vice President is playing Lacey to her Cagney. Incidentally enough, Tyne Daly who played Detective Mary Beth Lacey in Cagney & Lacey (1981), is the sister of Tim Daly who plays Elizabeth's husband.
Jayne Atkinson, who plays Vice President Hurst, has also played Secretary of State (currently played by Tea Leoni) in House of Cards under President Frank Underwood.
When Bess finds out Stevie had previously met Alexander she's surprised. However, in episode 2 of this season Stevie tells Henry, with Bess right there, that she ran into his student Alexander at the store.