Keith

precise accommodating polite responsive nostalgic ideologically principled reliable persuadable matter-of-fact swing-vote critical

Keith anchors National Missile Defense test debriefs, channeling raw telemetry into urgent phone dispatches for Chief of Staff Leo McGarry. His assessments slice through failure's sting—a 137-mile miss eclipsing nine successful criteria—equipping Leo to navigate presidential frustration and Toby's strategic pivots. This technical linchpin fortifies White House defenses against political fallout, his precision a steady pulse amid interceptor ambitions that teeter on razor-thin margins of success and geopolitical brinkmanship.

4 appearances

National Missile Defense Programs

Also known as: Mr. Keith

Keith's Journey

A timeline through the narrative

4 moments

S2E12 · The Drop-In

Toby Secures Leo's Tacit Approval for Secret GDC Rebuke

Professionally detached amid reporting failure's gravity.

Delivers urgent NMD test debrief to Leo over phone, detailing nine successes overshadowed by 137-mile miss, prompting Leo's frustrated hang-up and segue into Toby's pitch amid shared crisis tension.

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S3E21 · Posse Comitatus

Josh and Amy's Breakfast Clash: Pragmatism vs. Principle on Welfare Reform

Implied sway toward opposition

Keith named by Amy as part of the trio Josh will lose, amplifying her prediction of welfare vote collapse and injecting urgency into Josh's reconciliation plea.

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S4E2 · 20 Hours in America Part II

Market Plunge and the Canceled Photo‑Op

Bemused and slightly hurt—proud to share history but puzzled when told the visit will be postponed.

Mr. Keith, the elderly guest, recounts shaking Hoover's hand on October 23, 1929; he answers Bartlet's questions politely and is confused/disappointed when Charlie apologetically explains the rescheduling.

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S4E2 · 20 Hours in America Part II

Hoover Handshake Unnerves Bartlet — Photo‑Op Postponed

Benign and conversational — unaware his detail will carry symbolic weight and unsettle the President.

Mr. Muriel Keith, the elderly guest, answers Bartlet's question about Hoover, gives the October 23, 1929 date matter‑of‑factly and prefers Truman when asked — his anecdote unintentionally triggers Bartlet's unease.

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