Bartlet Forces Christian Leaders to Denounce the Lambs of God
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
President Bartlet arrives, seizes control of the meeting, and delivers a scathing rebuke to the Christian leaders, exposing their hypocrisy and drawing a moral line.
Bartlet reveals the threat against his granddaughter, demands public denouncement of the Lambs of God, and orders the Christian leaders out of the White House.
The Christian leaders leave the White House, and Bartlet exits to the Oval Office, marking the end of the confrontation.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Caught off-guard, diplomatically strained by ultimatum
Leads confrontation over Josh's gaffe, checks President's health, reins in Mary twice, stands to greet Bartlet, quietly vows to Leo to 'fix this' upon exit.
- • Secure concessions on moral issues
- • Contain delegation's extremism
- • Coalition leverage yields policy wins
- • Public denunciations can be negotiated
Earnest zeal subdued by presidential rebuke
Introduces porn concern, invokes First Commandment, questions Bartlet on free speech pricing, stands silently during expulsion.
- • Elevate Commandments in discourse
- • Link speech to moral safeguards
- • Porn accessibility erodes youth
- • Scripture guides governance
Offended entitlement turning to humiliated defiance
Demands 'what do we get' post-apology, pushes school prayer/porn/condoms, rebuked for antisemitism, defiantly exits claiming to 'find the door'.
- • Extract radio address concessions
- • Punish Josh via dismissal
- • Gaffes demand compensatory policy shifts
- • Cultural decay requires aggressive pushback
Professionally composed amid chaos, relieved by Bartlet's command
Warns Josh pre-meeting, greets warmly, suggests sitting twice, briefed Bartlet on 'hot tempers', tasked with escorting delegation out.
- • De-escalate tempers
- • Contain PR fallout smoothly
- • Controlled process averts scandals
- • Presidential intervention clarifies authority
Awed deference
Several unnamed aides walk in with principals, one hands coffee to Bartlet, cluster silently during showdown.
- • Enable meeting logistics
- • Witness authoritative pivot
- • Hierarchy channels chaos
- • Staff absorbs fallout
Barely contained rage fueled by familial violation, masked momentarily by wry humor
Enters dramatically from doorway with cane and Secret Service, quotes First Commandment authoritatively, reveals granddaughter's threat via Lambs of God doll, demands public denunciation from Caldwell, orders delegation's expulsion with raw profanity, then exits to Oval Office.
- • Force public condemnation of Lambs of God
- • Reassert presidential dominance over moral grandstanding
- • Scriptural accuracy trumps political posturing
- • Personal threats to family demand immediate retaliation
Rising indignation at hypocrisy, personally wounded by veiled bigotry
Greets delegation politely at start, defends policy on condoms, erupts by calling out Mary's 'New York sense of humor' as antisemitic code, corrects Commandments debate, stands stunned during Bartlet's intervention.
- • Expose antisemitic undertones
- • Resist extortionate demands on radio address
- • Science-based policy outweighs moral panic
- • Bigotry disguised as piety must be named
Assured confidence in resolution
Enters quietly with Sam in doorway during Bartlet's anecdote, receives quiet assurance from Caldwell to 'fix this'.
- • Monitor crisis containment
- • Secure delegation's compliance
- • Presidential force resolves impasses
- • Allies deliver on promises
Embarrassed yet supportive, tense amid targeted hostility
Sits quietly post-apology, attempts to negotiate briefly with Mary, tries to defuse Toby's antisemitism outburst, exchanges uncomfortable smile with Bartlet during anecdote.
- • Salve delegation's outrage over gaffe
- • Prevent meeting derailment
- • Apologies can bridge partisan gaps
- • Personal attacks warrant measured response
Stoically alert
Flanks President in doorway entry, maintains protective cordon silently.
- • Secure principal's ingress
- • Enforce perimeter
- • Protection supersedes discourse
- • Presence deters threats
Calmly professional
Delivers coffee to Bartlet on request, thanked politely, fades into background.
- • Fulfill President's immediate need
- • Maintain unobtrusive presence
- • Service stabilizes high-stakes rooms
- • Anticipation prevents disruption
Tense observer
Walks in with staff at start, remains peripheral and silent throughout confrontation.
- • Support Josh's readiness
- • Facilitate smooth entry
- • Preparation averts solo failures
- • Presence bolsters principals
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Raggedy Ann doll with a knife is the violent token Bartlet describes that was sent to his twelve‑year‑old granddaughter by the Lambs of God; it functions as the concrete evidence and emotional pivot that transforms political tit‑for‑tat into a moral outrage demanding denunciation.
Condoms are invoked verbally by Mary Marsh as a bargaining chip ('Condoms in the schools'), transforming a policy detail into a symbolic provocation and illustrating the delegation's demand framing; the packet never appears physically but operates rhetorically to raise the stakes.
Bartlet stands in the doorway with his walking cane, which visually underscores his physical authority and presence; the cane is an extension of his personhood as he interrupts the meeting and asserts moral command.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Mural Room is the cramped, formal reception chamber where the delegation and White House staff are forced into close proximity; its contained acoustics make the exchange feel immediate and ceremonial, amplifying moral posturing until the President's entrance transforms it into a public rebuke.
The Oval Office is invoked as the President slips away into it after the confrontation; its mention bookends the scene and reminds listeners that the moral authority Bartlet wields is seated in that office.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
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Key Dialogue
"TOBY: She meant Jewish."
"PRESIDENT JED BARTLET: I am the Lord your God. Thou shalt worship no other God before me. Boy, those were the days, huh?"
"PRESIDENT JED BARTLET: You'll denounce these people, Al. You'll do it publicly. And until you do, you can all get your fat asses out of my White House."