The West Wing
S2E3
· The Midterms

Leo's Urgent Interruption and Cryptic Pigskin Warning

Leo abruptly interrupts Charlie and Zoey's tender moment on the White House portico, urgently seeking President Bartlet, whom he suspects performed at the talk radio reception. He clarifies a need to discuss 'a dead pig's skin,' leaving with puzzled glances from the young couple. Amid post-assassination trauma, Leo's playful yet pointed reminder of Secret Service protection underscores lingering personal dangers, injecting cryptic menace and shifting the intimate scene to broader White House intrigue, complicating staff calculations.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

Leo interrupts with a search for the President, injecting urgency and shifting focus.

intimate to urgent

Leo expresses concern for Charlie's safety, revealing underlying tension about security.

urgent to protective

Leo's cryptic remark about 'a dead pig's skin' leaves Charlie and Zoey confused, ending the scene on a note of mystery.

protective to confusion

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

5
Charlie Young
Presidential Personal Aide
 primary

Affectionate playfulness yielding to taken-aback confusion under duty's pull

Charlie playfully approaches Zoey, reassures her amid sympathy talk, affirms voting plans, fields Leo's President query and protection reminder with pager promise and mild pushback, exchanges confused glance with Zoey as Leo exits.

Goals in this moment
  • • Deepen intimate connection with Zoey before voting outing
  • • Reassure Leo of availability and compliance with security protocols
Active beliefs
  • • Personal tragedies demand stoic forward momentum like voting
  • • Leo's protection insistence stems from genuine post-shooting concern
Character traits
playful dutiful resilient slightly defensive
Follow Charlie Young's journey
Eleanor Bartlet
primary

Sympathetic warmth blending into affectionate vulnerability then bemused surprise

Zoey sits engrossed in her book, smiles at Charlie's flirtation, rises for a kiss, voices deep empathy for his layered losses tying to recent violence, offers to join his vote, warmly greets interrupting Leo, and shares puzzled look with Charlie post-departure.

Goals in this moment
  • • Console Charlie over personal and shared traumas
  • • Solidify bond by accompanying him on the outing
Active beliefs
  • • Charlie's youth amplifies the unfairness of his accumulated griefs
  • • Intimacy offers resilience against White House perils
Character traits
empathetic affectionate poised perplexed
Follow Eleanor Bartlet's journey
Leo Thomas McGarry (Chief of Staff)
White House Chief of Staff
 primary

Urgent focus laced with playful sarcasm masking post-trauma vigilance

Leo strides onto the portico, casually greets the couple, urgently queries Charlie on President Bartlet's whereabouts suspecting musical antics at the reception, reacts to their outing plans by mandating extra Secret Service with a humorous misdirection on protection, drops cryptic 'dead pig's skin' clue, and departs briskly.

Goals in this moment
  • • Locate President Bartlet immediately for critical discussion
  • • Ensure Charlie's safety amid assassination aftermath by enforcing protection
Active beliefs
  • • President likely performed at the Talk Radio reception
  • • Junior staff like Charlie remain at heightened risk requiring Secret Service
Character traits
authoritative protective wryly humorous decisive
Follow Leo Thomas …'s journey
Zoey Patricia Bartlet (First Daughter, youngest daughter)
First Daughter
 primary

sympathetic and affectionate

sitting in a chair on the balcony reading a book, smiles and kisses Charlie, expresses sympathy for his personal tragedies, offers to accompany him out

Goals in this moment
  • • comfort Charlie amid his trauma
  • • spend intimate time with Charlie by going out together
Character traits
cherished attentive protective impulsive affectionate playful/teasing maternal communicative resolute witty maturing resilient vulnerable graduating
Follow Zoey Patricia …'s journey
Josiah Edward 'Jed' Bartlet (President of the United States)
President of the United States
 primary

being urgently sought by Leo, suspected of performing 'a couple of numbers' at the Talk Radio reception

Character traits
politically pragmatic jocular policy‑driven paternal commands institutional authority relational — centers staff and family centralizing (commands staff attention and schedules) centralized authority figure strategically vital intelligent politically consequential (actions and associations create immediate risk) protocol-driven calculating principled in public rhetoric vulnerable emotionally forceful institutionally minded performative control of public optics candid principled politically vulnerable (per party strategists and press) strategic witty/jocular under pressure vulnerable-to-proxy-actions collegial poised decisive principled but electorally mindful resolute constitutional protective (paternal focus on family safety) deliberative ruthless burdened decisive when confronted with moral stakes authoritative/managerial paternal/protective regionally grounded politically strategic supportive traditional weary/resolute authoritative public-facing decisive in crisis loyal blunt protective politically consequential measured committed politically shrewd risk‑aware consequential self-aware witty institutional (symbolic center of staff effort) ceremonial
Follow Josiah Edward …'s journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
Zoey's Book

Zoey's book serves as an initial anchor for her solitary reflection on the portico, clutched as Charlie approaches playfully; she sets it aside to embrace the moment and conversation, its abandonment underscoring the pivot from private reverie to interrupted romance amid Leo's intrusion, symbolizing fragile personal escapes in crisis.

Before: Held and read by Zoey while seated on …
After: Set aside on or near the chair, forgotten …
Before: Held and read by Zoey while seated on balcony chair
After: Set aside on or near the chair, forgotten amid the exchange

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Talk Radio Reception

The Talk Radio Reception is invoked by Leo as the suspected site of President Bartlet's impromptu musical performance, injecting levity-tinged urgency into the portico interruption; it pulls the intimate scene into broader midterm campaign whirl, highlighting Bartlet's charismatic diversions amid staff's frantic control efforts.

Atmosphere Evoked as a lively, crowd-pleasing venue echoing with cheers and policy croons
Function Referenced locus of President's whereabouts catalyzing Leo's search
Symbolism Embodies Bartlet's impulsive humanity clashing with duty's grind
Crowd cheers for 'a couple of numbers' Post-reception pursuit under portico night

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

1
U.S. Secret Service

Leo mandates extra Secret Service protection for Charlie's outing, framing it with humorous clarification against misread innuendo; this post-assassination protocol underscores the organization's expanded vigilance over vulnerable staff, weaving personal safety into the White House's midterm machinations and trauma's long shadow.

Representation Via Leo's authoritative directive invoking institutional safeguards
Power Dynamics Exercising protective authority over individual staff amid executive mandate
Impact Reinforces White House as fortified bubble where personal lives bend to security imperatives
Extend security perimeter to personal aides like Charlie Mitigate ongoing threats from assassination-style attacks Protocol enforcement through Chief of Staff orders Resource allocation of agents for off-site protection

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Key Dialogue

"LEO: Charlie, you're taking extra protection, right?"
"CHARLIE: Hey, Leo...."
"LEO: Secret Service protection, Charlie. But thanks for loading me up with that image."
"LEO: Okay. Something about a dead pig's skin. I need to find him."