Bartlet's Confession and Reluctant Democratic Concession
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Bartlet declares his disinterest in winning back the House, exposing his moral preoccupation over Roush's lead in the polls.
Bartlet reflects on Roush's character and polls, revealing personal stakes, while C.J. reinforces democratic principles, leading to Bartlet's reluctant concession.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Composed insistence veiling strategic concern for institutional stability
Enters the bedroom after knock, closes door, sits across from Bartlet, firmly articulates ethical and political risks of intervening in local race, invokes democratic principles to reframe his outrage, secures his agreement, then departs gracefully.
- • Prevent presidential endorsement in local election to avoid backlash
- • Redirect Bartlet's focus from personal fixation to midterm House strategy
- • Presidential neutrality in local races preserves fairness and democracy
- • Partisan unity demands prioritizing national over personal battles
Steadfast loyalty in routine service
Referenced briefly by C.J. as the aide who summoned her at Bartlet's request, underscoring his role in facilitating this critical late-night private counsel amid post-assassination staff dynamics.
- • Relay presidential summons efficiently
- • Maintain seamless staff communication
- • Personal aide's duty binds inner circle operations
- • Prompt relay prevents operational delays
Object of Bartlet's seething moral outrage and disdain
Invoked repeatedly as Bartlet's fixation—the New Hampshire school board frontrunner polling at 53%, contrasted against ideals of faith and wisdom—driving the confrontation over national coverage and intervention.
- • Secure school board seat victory
- • Leverage frontrunner momentum
- • Local races reward aggressive polling leads
- • Past rivalries fuel personal campaigns
fixated and outraged, then resigned
sits reading papers, questions C.J. on lack of national press coverage for Elliot Roush's school board race, declares disinterest in winning back the House, yields after pause
- • escalate confrontation over Roush coverage to declaration of disinterest in House (escalation)
- • maintain obsession with Roush school board race (continuity)
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
New Hampshire crystallizes as the emotional epicenter, site of Elliot Roush's school board race where his 53% lead ignites Bartlet's principled fury, elevating a local contest into a test of presidential restraint and democratic ethos during national midterm frenzy.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Bartlet explicitly declares disinterest in 'winning back the House,' clashing with staff strategy; C.J. reframes it as core democratic priority, highlighting the chamber as midterm battleground where distraction risks stasis despite post-assassination surge.
C.J. invokes Democrats' fears of abandonment if Bartlet fixates on local race, underscoring party reliance on White House solidarity for midterm gains, where perceived disinterest erodes fragile alliances in razor-edge races.
C.J. warns that presidential intervention will galvanize Republicans, supercharging their midterm opposition and risking House control, framing them as opportunistic foes ready to exploit ethical lapses amid post-assassination momentum.
The New Hampshire School Board race anchors Bartlet's outrage, with Roush's candidacy as seat's frontrunner prompting demands for national spotlight, clashing against norms of non-interference in this hyper-local governance body.
Congress emerges as collateral in C.J.'s warning—Republicans galvanized, Democrats alienated—positioning it as arena where local meddling fractures midterm discipline, testing White House influence over legislative power dynamics.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Bartlet's obsession with the Elliot Roush school board race is consistent throughout, culminating in his discussion with C.J. about it."
"Bartlet's obsession with the Elliot Roush school board race is consistent throughout, culminating in his discussion with C.J. about it."
"Bartlet's initial confrontation with C.J. about Roush escalates to his declaration of disinterest in winning back the House, showing his deepening moral preoccupation."
"Bartlet's initial confrontation with C.J. about Roush escalates to his declaration of disinterest in winning back the House, showing his deepening moral preoccupation."
Key Dialogue
"BARTLET: "I don't care about winning back the House!""
"BARTLET: "Elliot Roush... is polling at 53%. He's polling at 53%. He's the front runner.""
"C.J.: "Then that's the way it is. In a democracy, oftentimes, the other people win.""