The West Wing
S2E19
· Bad Moon Rising

Leo Interrupts Interrogation, Presses Babish for Verdict

As Oliver Babish presses President Bartlet on potential perjury in health disclosures, Leo McGarry knocks and interrupts, urging Bartlet to take an urgent call amid mounting crises. Bartlet quietly exits, leaving Leo to urgently demand Babish's preliminary assessment of Bartlet's criminal liability for concealing his MS. Babish, ever meticulous, refuses to speculate, admitting he's 'nowhere close' to conclusions—amplifying the investigation's peril and Leo's anxiety as the administration teeters on legal abyss.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

Leo interrupts, signaling the urgency of another matter, and Bartlet exits the room.

stalemate to urgency

Leo and Oliver are left alone, with Leo pressing Oliver for his assessment of the situation.

urgency to uncertainty

Oliver admits he's far from reaching any conclusions, leaving the investigation's outcome uncertain.

uncertainty to unresolved tension

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3
Josiah Bartlet
primary

calm

Answering Oliver's questions about insurance and denying signing any perjurious documents regarding his health; quietly exits after Leo's interruption.

Goals in this moment
  • • Respond accurately to legal interrogation while managing external crises
Character traits
protective resolute self-aware principled
Follow Josiah Bartlet's journey
Abigail Bartlet
primary

Composed precision masking the gravity of unfolding peril

Oliver Babish incisively interrogates President Bartlet on potential perjury in health and life insurance documents regarding MS disclosure, acknowledges Leo's interruption, and firmly tells Leo he's nowhere close to a conclusion, maintaining control amid rising pressure.

Goals in this moment
  • • Extract truthful admissions on perjury risks
  • • Resist premature judgments to protect investigative integrity
Active beliefs
  • • Thorough evidence-gathering trumps speculation
  • • Rushing conclusions endangers the presidency's defense
Character traits
meticulous cautious composed methodical
Follow Abigail Bartlet's journey
Oliver Babish
primary

composed

Interrogating President Bartlet about life insurance, health insurance, and potential perjury in health disclosures; responds to Leo that he is nowhere close to a conclusion.

Goals in this moment
  • • Assess President Bartlet's potential criminal liability for MS concealment through targeted questioning
Character traits
methodical relentless incisive professional unflappable
Follow Oliver Babish's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
White House Counsel's Office

The Office of the White House Counsel functions as a stark interrogation bunker where Babish privately dissects Bartlet's potential perjury, pierced by Leo's knock symbolizing external crises breaching legal containment; it amplifies isolation and inevitability of exposure in the MS conspiracy probe.

Atmosphere Taut with interrogative pressure and abrupt interruption, echoing knocks underscoring relentless external demands
Function interrogation room for high-stakes legal questioning
Symbolism Embodies the encroaching legal maelstrom threatening executive sanctuary
Access Highly restricted to inner-circle principals like President, Chief of Staff, and Counsel
Door knocks reverberate as harbingers of intrusion Daylit interior fosters clinical clarity for verbal sparring

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 1
Causal

"Oliver's interrogation about Bartlet's health documents leads directly to Bartlet's confession about Abbey's perjury on Zoey's form, escalating the legal jeopardy."

Bartlet's Defiant 'Bring It On' Meets Oliver's Unyielding Ultimatum
S2E19 · Bad Moon Rising

Key Dialogue

"LEO: You should probably make the call."
"LEO: What do you think?"
"OLIVER: I am nowhere close to being able to answer that question."