The West Wing
S2E7
· The Portland Trip

Leo Brushes Off Margaret's Concern, Confides Divorce to Bartlet

Margaret enters Leo's office with a concerned gaze, awkwardly referencing his divorce and alcoholism to express worry, but Leo curtly dismisses her to take Bartlet's call on the tanker crisis. Amid briefing the President on F-18 strikes, Leo snaps at Margaret's lingering look, then vulnerably reveals to Bartlet that his divorce papers arrived, prompting her fear he'll drink. This rare glimpse of Leo's fragility humanizes the stoic Chief of Staff, intertwining personal turmoil with professional high-stakes, deepening character amid escalating chaos.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Leo swiftly dismisses Margaret's prying look about his personal life, returning focus to the crisis at hand.

apprehension to irritation ["Leo's office"]

Leo reveals to Bartlet that Margaret's concern stems from his divorce papers arriving, exposing his personal vulnerability amid the crisis.

irritation to vulnerability ["Leo's office"]

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Margaret Hooper
primary

Deep concern laced with awkward vulnerability and fear for Leo's well-being

Margaret stands by Leo's desk, awkwardly voicing concern about his divorce and alcoholism before announcing the President's call; she lingers with a pitying gaze until whispered away, exiting quickly after his glare and snap.

Goals in this moment
  • • Express personal worry to support Leo emotionally
  • • Relay the urgent presidential call without delay
Active beliefs
  • • Leo's personal struggles heighten his relapse risk amid crisis
  • • Her role includes caring beyond administrative duties
Character traits
loyal empathetic hesitant devoted
Follow Margaret Hooper's journey
Josiah Bartlet
primary

focused and cautionary

calls Leo (VO), questions operational goals for tanker, seeks confirmation on F-18 pilots' actions and risks

Goals in this moment
  • • obtain clear briefing on tanker crisis handling
Character traits
protective resolute self-aware principled
Follow Josiah Bartlet's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

3
Cyprus-Flagged Oil Tanker

The Cyprus-flagged tanker anchors the crisis dialogue as Leo briefs Bartlet on the core operational goal: seize it and escort to Bahrain, underscoring the high-stakes enforcement amid oil sanctions evasion that propels the scene's urgency.

Before: Pinned in Gulf post-pursuit, evading seizure
After: Target confirmed for seizure and Bahrain transit in …
Before: Pinned in Gulf post-pursuit, evading seizure
After: Target confirmed for seizure and Bahrain transit in strategy
Central Command's F-18s

Central Command's F-18s feature centrally in Leo's tactical outline to Bartlet—firing warning shots or targeting the propeller—while the President cautions on risks to the oil-laden tanker, heightening tension over potential catastrophe in the interdiction.

Before: Deployed for low-pass and warning shots post-Seahawk failure
After: Confirmed in refined strike strategy with emphasized precautions
Before: Deployed for low-pass and warning shots post-Seahawk failure
After: Confirmed in refined strike strategy with emphasized precautions
Leo's Divorce Papers

Leo's divorce papers, freshly arrived, catalyze Margaret's hovering concern and her awkward plea; Leo references them directly to Bartlet as the root of her pitying look and fear he'll drink, piercing his stoic veneer to expose personal turmoil amid professional crisis.

Before: Freshly delivered on his desk, unread or freshly …
After: Still present in office, now verbally acknowledged and …
Before: Freshly delivered on his desk, unread or freshly confronted
After: Still present in office, now verbally acknowledged and confided

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Bahrain

Bahrain emerges as the strategic endpoint in Leo's briefing to Bartlet—destination for escorting the seized tanker—evoking defended harbors and customs scrutiny that frame the operation's geopolitical stakes, blending enforcement triumph with transit peril.

Atmosphere Implied tension of geopolitical jaws snapping shut under floodlit scrutiny
Function Strategic destination for sanctions enforcement and vessel transit
Symbolism Represents closure of sanctions evasion through institutional capture
Access Defended harbors secured for U.S. escorted asset
Floodlights over customs labs probing oil Gray escorts slicing swells to deliver prey

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 1
Character Continuity medium

"Josh's clipped urgency about Bartlet's fatigue connects to Leo revealing his personal struggles with divorce papers, showing how personal and professional stresses are intertwined for the staff."

Josh Urgently Probes Bartlet's Fatigue
S2E7 · The Portland Trip

Key Dialogue

"MARGARET: Can I just say that all I meant before was that if I was married and got divorced and my divorce papers came and I was an alcoholic, I would want to be..."
"LEO: [whispering to Margaret] Would you stop looking at me like that?"
"LEO: My divorce papers came today. She thinks I'm going to drink"