A Proportional Response
President Jed Bartlet seeks a credible, measured military retaliation for the downing of an American airliner, wrestling with military counsel, political optics, staff tension, and a brewing personal scandal that could undercut national resolve.
A jet carrying American citizens is shot down, and the White House ignites. Power snaps through the West Wing as President Jed Bartlet demands a response that will be both effective and morally defensible. The episode thrusts the administration into a brutal calculus: what counts as a proportionate military action, and what will actually deter further attacks?
The staff spins into motion. Admiral Percy Fitzwallace and the Joint Chiefs present three retaliatory options—most notably Pericles One, a limited strike on military targets intended to cripple air defenses and intelligence capabilities. Leo and Fitzwallace warn of larger plans that would devastate civilian infrastructure and excite global condemnation; Fitzwallace argues that a proportional response "is all there is," while Bartlet rages against a ritualized, anesthetized retaliation. Bartlet pounds the table and demands a plan that doesn’t read like mere bookkeeping: he orders his team to draft a response that will not look like "docking somebody's damn allowance."
Meanwhile the communications team scrambles to control narrative and timing. C.J. Cregg fights to shield the President and the administration's moral authority while juggling the personal lives of her staff. She confronts Sam Seaborn about his repeated contact with a woman later identified as a call girl, insisting that Sam make her his first phone call when he’s "into something" so she can protect both him and the President. Sam fiercely defends his conduct—"I care what it is!"—and insists his relationship is personal, not political. Danny Concannon, the press, and Toby pressure the White House from different angles: Toby wants legal action after Congressman Bertram Coles publicly threatens the President, while Danny tells C.J. he knows of Sam's involvement and will ask around. C.J. refuses to bury Sam for optics alone and pledges to stand by him until the President decides otherwise, capturing the episode’s recurring conflict between appearance and integrity.
Internal politics crackle in quick, razor-edged exchanges—Josh and C.J. trade barbed humor; Leo anchors the staff with blunt practicality; Toby oscillates between legal zeal and procedural restraint. The President’s impatience becomes personal: he keeps saying "him" when referring to the victim and insists the nation’s response must reflect that pain. He demands options that feel decisive, even as his advisers warn of the consequences of escalation. Admiral Fitzwallace presses for achievable military objectives; Bartlet briefly muses about a disproportional response before accepting Pericles One, instructing Fitzwallace to "start the clock" on the operation.
Chaos and tenderness collide in quieter corners. Josh interviews Charlie Young, a nervous applicant who came looking for a messenger job but is suddenly vetted for the President’s personal aide. The interview reveals Charlie’s backstory—his mother, a uniformed police officer, was shot and killed five months earlier—and Charlie’s fierce responsibility toward his sister. Charlie’s small, concrete action—locating the President’s missing glasses and telling Bartlet he read the phoenix report—brings him into the Oval Office during the crisis. Bartlet quickly moves to hire him, calling Tom Connolly to pull rapid checks and announcing plans to tackle the very type of street violence that killed Charlie’s mother. That personal arc threads human hands through the machinery of state: grief becomes entry into service, and a new aide arrives precisely when the presidency needs steadiness.
As the military action unfolds, communication strategy becomes paramount. Sam, Toby, and C.J. race to craft a presidential address that frames the strikes as "unwarranted, unprovoked and cold-blooded." The staff confronts tactical surprises—initial bombardment damages the very Syrian intelligence infrastructure they had hoped would supply battle damage assessments (BDA)—and the President struggles with the physical and emotional weight of speaking to a nation. Leo and Fitzwallace counsel him; Sam and Toby shape language. When Bartlet finally steps before the cameras, he reads the administration’s chosen moral terms and announces the strikes, grounding a global act of war in an explicit moral denunciation.
The episode weaves two central dilemmas into one tense, coherent arc: the ethics of force and the politics of perception. Bartlet’s insistence on a response that matters collides with the military's risk-averse proportionality and the staff’s acute fear of scandal. Sam’s private life threatens to become public leverage; C.J. defends individual dignity against the media’s hunger for spectacle. Charlie’s emergence as the President’s aide refracts the larger theme—personal losses and loyalties anchor public decisions.
By episode’s end, the administration acts: Pericles One launches, the President addresses the country with a crisp moral indictment, and a new young aide takes his place in the West Wing’s swarm. The West Wing pulses with the costs of leadership—moral conviction, political calculation, and the small humane gestures that keep a nation’s power tethered to its conscience.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
The West Wing pulses with the immediate aftermath of an international crisis, its usually precise gears grinding under the weight of mounting pressure. Josh Lyman, deputy chief of staff, finds himself ensnared in the opening volley of C.J. Cregg's formidable wrath. Donna, Josh's sharp-witted assistant, offers tantalizing, cryptic hints about C.J.'s fury: something involving Sam Seaborn, a mysterious woman, and C.J.'s exclusion from crucial information. Josh, ever the strategist, attempts to devise an escape, a "professional" maneuver to avoid the inevitable confrontation. Yet, C.J.'s presence, already entrenched in his office, renders his efforts futile. Her single, scathing accusation—"Wow, are you stupid!"—shatters any illusion of control, immediately plunging the audience into the fast-paced, high-stakes environment where personal indiscretions threaten to collide with national security. This opening thrusts the audience directly into the heart of the White House, establishing the sharp wit and rapid-fire dialogue that defines the show, while raising immediate stakes for key characters. The teaser ignites the central conflict of public perception versus private integrity, a theme that will resonate throughout the episode, setting a tone of urgency and simmering tension that promises a dramatic unraveling.
In the White House lobby Donna intentionally upends her subordinate relationship with Josh by using an unfolding crisis as leverage. Repeating the warning that "C.J.'s looking for you," she forces …
Donna corner-plays Josh in the lobby, using gossip and a demand for a raise to destabilize him and drop the explosive hint: 'Sam, a woman, and C.J. being denied information.' …
C.J. ambushes Josh in his office and bluntly names the scandal—Sam’s involvement with a call girl—turning a private personnel dispute into an immediate political liability. Their argument shifts from barbed, …
As Josh and C.J. argue about Sam's indiscretion, Toby arrives with a far graver report: the President spent the previous night erupting at advisers, frightening military counsel and even snapping …
President Bartlet erupts outside the Oval, accusing military advisors Cashman and Berryhill of stonewalling after the downing of an American airliner and demanding a response be drafted and executed the …
In the Oval Office after a tense walk from the portico, a grieving, furious President Bartlet alternates between ordering an immediate military response and abruptly searching for his missing glasses. …
Leo returns from the Oval to a room keyed up about the President's temperament. Josh's blunt "How's his mood?" fixes the anxious tone; Sam produces a radio transcript naming Congressman …
Sam produces a radio transcript in Leo's office revealing Congressman Coles — speaking with military officers — threatening the President's safety. Toby erupts, demanding the Justice Department haul Coles in …
Leo convenes senior staff after the President's fury, and Sam produces a damning transcript of Congressman Coles threatening the President alongside military officers. Toby erupts, demanding legal and even treason …
The West Wing ignites with the twin fires of national crisis and personal scandal. C.J. unleashes her full fury on Josh, dissecting Sam's entanglement with a call girl, emphasizing the brutal calculus of public perception over private conduct. Josh attempts to downplay the severity, but C.J.'s sharp retort—"none of that matters on Hard Copy!"—cuts through his rationalizations, exposing the vulnerability of their positions. Simultaneously, President Bartlet's simmering rage over the downed airliner boils over, his impatience with "candy ass" military responses palpable. He personalizes the attack, demanding immediate, decisive action, clashing with Leo's pragmatic counsel. Toby Ziegler, fueled by righteous indignation, pushes for legal action against a Congressman who publicly threatens the President, only to be reined in by Leo's strategic focus on the impending military strike. The communications team scrambles to prepare a presidential address, grappling with the unknown parameters of the retaliation, as Toby deftly deflects press inquiries, maintaining a fragile veil of secrecy. This act propels both narrative threads forward, establishing the immense pressure on the administration to act decisively on the global stage while simultaneously battling internal and external threats to its integrity.
In the hallway, C.J., Josh, Sam and Toby move from crisis triage to operational triage: C.J. lists the agencies that must be summoned while Josh presses for specific personnel and …
In the compressed urgency of the West Wing hallway—staff moving between crisis appointments—C.J. halts the operational tally with a quiet, pointed request: she asks Sam to come to her office …
Sam quietly asks Toby whether C.J. already knows about his entanglement — a request for discretion that exposes the vulnerability at the heart of the staff crisis. Toby confirms and …
Sam tries to grab a private moment with Toby about a delicate personnel matter, but Toby is pulled into the lobby by reporters pressing about Congressman Coles' threatening radio remarks. …
A breezy, collegial Situation Room moment—Admiral Fitzwallace jokes about the coffee—collapses the instant President Bartlet and Leo enter. Fitzwallace presents three measured, proportional retaliation plans; Bartlet, grieving and furious over …
In the Situation Room Admiral Fitzwallace calmly presents three calibrated, low-risk retaliatory scenarios built around the doctrine of proportional response. Bartlet, consumed by rage and grief over the downed airliner, …
The tension coils tighter as C.J. confronts Sam, words becoming weapons in a clash between integrity and optics. Sam fiercely defends his relationship with the call girl, arguing for "being good" over "looking good," challenging C.J.'s pragmatic, protective instincts. C.J. demands his absolute trust, insisting she must be his first call to shield both him and the President from scandal. Their exchange, sharp and emotionally charged, exposes the deep fault lines between personal conviction and political necessity. Simultaneously, President Bartlet convenes the National Security team, his impatience a live wire in the Situation Room. Admiral Fitzwallace presents "Pericles One," a proportional military response, but Bartlet dismisses it as mere "bookkeeping." He pounds the table, demanding a "disproportional response," a "total disaster" for any who harm an American, refusing to accept a ritualized retaliation. His raw grief and fury drive him to demand overwhelming force, shocking his military advisors. In a quieter corner, Josh interviews Charlie Young, a nervous applicant for a messenger job, whose unexpected vetting for the President's personal aide reveals a poignant backstory: his mother, a uniformed police officer, killed on duty five months prior, leaving him responsible for his younger sister. This act escalates both the personal and national crises, revealing the emotional core driving Bartlet's demands and introducing a character whose personal tragedy resonates deeply with the episode's themes of loss and responsibility.
Light, familiar banter between Josh and Donna initially frames the scene as ordinary workplace noise, then Josh procedurally begins to 'vet' Charlie—laying out the brutal hours, discretion, and proximity to …
A routine, slightly bantering vetting session abruptly becomes intimate when Charlie, the nervous applicant, reveals that his mother — a police officer — was shot and killed five months earlier. …
What begins as a routine security vetting turns into a pressure cooker: Josh's blunt questionnaire exposes Charlie's humble misunderstanding — he came for a messenger job, not to be the …
Sam bursts into the Roosevelt Room during Josh's overly invasive vetting of Charlie and publicly interrupts, defending both Charlie's dignity and the limits of what political vetting should demand. The …
A petty but telling showdown over vetting and principle between Josh and Sam—centered on Charlie Young's awkward interview—abruptly collapses when Toby strides through and drops a single line: "It's happening." …
While Leo confirms the retaliatory strike (Pericles One) and imposes a media lockdown, Josh pulls Leo aside to press for hiring a talented young applicant as the President's personal aide. …
President Bartlet's retaliatory strike, code-named Pericles One, has been launched and Leo immediately imposes a strict operational lockdown: no calls, no press, and a tightly controlled presidential address at night. …
The administration reaches its agonizing moment of decision, as the weight of global consequences presses down on President Bartlet. He returns to the Situation Room, where Admiral Fitzwallace presents a brutal, disproportional option: striking Hassan airport, risking thousands of civilian casualties. Bartlet, despite his earlier rage, recoils from such devastation, recognizing the catastrophic political and moral cost. With a heavy sigh, he accepts "Pericles One," the proportional strike he initially scorned, giving the "go order" with a palpable sense of resignation, questioning the very purpose of their actions. Meanwhile, the personal scandal intensifies. Josh continues to vet Charlie, but Sam intervenes, fiercely defending Charlie's privacy against intrusive questions, arguing for "principle" over the relentless scrutiny of public life. This clash underscores the pervasive tension between personal freedom and the demands of high office. As the military action unfolds, Leo informs the staff of the strike, setting Toby, Sam, and C.J. in motion to craft the President's address. The press, sensing the impending action, circles like sharks. Danny Concannon confronts C.J., revealing his knowledge of Sam's involvement with the call girl, threatening to break the story. C.J., in a powerful display of loyalty and conviction, defends Sam, vowing to stand by him, drawing a clear line against the "character cops" and the media's insatiable hunger for scandal. This act marks the critical turning point, where the President makes his difficult choice, and the Sam scandal explodes into the public sphere, forcing C.J. to take a definitive stand.
The communications bullpen is a pressure cooker — phones ringing, staff scrambling — as Cathy frantically triages incoming calls while Toby and Sam furiously redline the President's address. C.J. bursts …
In a frantic communications bullpen Toby and Sam frantically sculpt the President's language — insisting the downing be framed as morally indicting with a third adjective (the repeated, grinding rehearsal …
Josh drifts through his bullpen asking after Charlie and exposing a brittle impatience at being reduced to spectator while the White House scrambles. Donna tries to steady him with small, …
In the bullpen at night, Josh paces through bored, agitated energy—sidelined from the day's high-stakes decisions—while Donna tries to steady him with small tasks. Mandy walks out of Josh's office …
Josh rebukes Mandy's upbeat curiosity about the President's impending military order, forcing a private reminder that some details must stay sealed. Mandy skates from speculation to softness—producing a vandalized photo …
In the middle of a febrile West Wing morning, Mandy turns a workday into a private, bittersweet moment: she produces a vandalized photograph of her and Josh from the night …
The West Wing pulses with the immediate aftermath of the strike and the preparations for the President's address. Josh, sidelined and restless, finds a moment of unexpected connection with Mandy, who offers a poignant reminder of the human cost of leadership. Their exchange, laced with past animosity and present understanding, highlights the emotional toll of their work. C.J., facing down Danny Concannon, strategically manages the Sam scandal, securing a temporary truce while warning of future "character cops." Her decision to give Danny a tip about the strike underscores her commitment to both protecting her staff and managing the narrative. In the Oval Office, chaos reigns as Bartlet struggles to prepare for his address, his frustration over missing glasses and the lack of battle damage assessments palpable. Charlie Young, in a moment of quiet brilliance, helps Bartlet locate his glasses, subtly demonstrating his keen observation and value. Leo, stepping into the breach, delivers a powerful, unvarnished counsel to Bartlet, reminding him of the measured responsibility of a superpower and the "merciful" nature of their chosen response, ultimately guiding the President towards acceptance. Bartlet, moved by Charlie's story, swiftly hires him, connecting the young man's personal tragedy to the administration's broader mission against street violence. As the nation watches, Bartlet delivers his address, grounding the global act of war in a clear moral denunciation, announcing the "unwarranted, unprovoked, and cold-blooded" strikes. The episode concludes with the successful launch of Pericles One, the President's resolute address, and Charlie's quiet integration into the heart of the West Wing, symbolizing the enduring human element amidst the machinery of state.
As the Oval descends into frantic pre-broadcast chaos — missing glasses, a shredded speech draft, and the revelation that "we just blew up the Syrian Intelligence" — Charlie quietly forces …
Amid chaotic pre-broadcast preparations—missing paragraphs, a ruined Syrian intelligence source, and the President’s missing glasses—Charlie attempts to supply crucial context but is cut off by Bartlet’s grief and impatience. Leo …
Leo shuts the office doors to force a private confrontation where grief, rage and statecraft collide. Bartlet vents a classical, almost biblical demand for overwhelming retribution after the airliner is …
In Leo's office Bartlet erupts, demanding unmistakeable retribution for the downed airliner — invoking Roman citizenship as a moral precedent and insisting overwhelming force will deter further attacks. Leo closes …
In Leo's office, Bartlet's grief-tinged fury about the downed airliner erupts into a moral argument about retribution versus responsible power. Leo grounds him with pragmatic restraint, trading hard-edged historical and …
Outside the Oval, Josh intercepts a shaken Charlie and offers a private, grounding perspective: the President's brusque behavior is an exception born of grief. Bartlet appears, draws Charlie into the …
In a quiet hallway-to-Oval sequence, President Bartlet meets Charlie Young, acknowledges the young man's recent, violent loss and converts that private grief into a public mission. Bartlet quietly shares the …
Backstage in the Oval the mood is raw: Charlie stands awkwardly between private grief and a dizzying offer of work; Bartlet gently recruits him, turning personal loss into purpose. Leo …