Carol Drops Bombshell: Ellie Publicly Defends Surgeon General
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Carol interrupts to inform C.J. of a call from Danny Concannon, revealing that Eleanor Bartlet has made a public comment about the Surgeon General situation, escalating the crisis.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Satisfied reassurance transitioning to oblivious exit
Sam thanks C.J. for agreeing to stonewall the press on the movie flap and exits her office threshold just as Carol interrupts, his departure punctuating the shift from movie skirmish to Griffith-family crisis.
- • Secure C.J.'s compliance on press strategy
- • Pivot to handle Morgan Ross directly
- • De-escalation preserves administration unity
- • Targeted diplomacy outperforms vengeful outbursts
Aggressively probing with professional hunger
Danny Concannon waits on the phone line, prompting Carol's relay as he presses for President Bartlet's reaction to Eleanor Bartlet's public defense of Millicent Griffith, his inquiry fueling the interruption.
- • Elicit official White House response to Ellie's statement
- • Exploit the family rift for story momentum
- • Presidential family comments demand accountability
- • Silence signals weakness in controversy
Frustrated determination shattering into stunned disbelief
C.J. concludes her exchange with Sam at her office door, impatiently gestures for Carol to spill details on Danny's call, freezes in stunned stare upon learning Eleanor Bartlet made the defiant comment, then snatches the phone to engage directly, her body language shifting from enforcer resolve to crisis paralysis.
- • Extract full details of the incoming press threat
- • Initiate immediate response to contain the revelation
- • Family scandals amplify political vulnerabilities exponentially
- • Swift, direct confrontation neutralizes media incursions
Tense urgency laced with apprehension over the bombshell
Carol urgently interrupts C.J. and departing Sam outside the office, relays Danny Concannon's call about a comment on Millicent Griffith, hesitates dramatically before revealing Eleanor Bartlet as the source, her delivery building tension through evasion then blunt disclosure.
- • Prompt C.J. to take the critical call without delay
- • Convey the shocking identity accurately to spur action
- • Timely relay prevents escalation of White House crises
- • C.J. must lead frontline damage control for family-policy collisions
Conviction-driven audacity (inferred from action)
Eleanor Bartlet is revealed off-screen as the source of the public comment defending Millicent Griffith, her unnamed action detonating via Carol's disclosure and thrusting familial rebellion into the fray.
- • Publicly shield Surgeon General from firing
- • Challenge father's political compromise
- • Marijuana policy merits bold defense over politics
- • Personal integrity trumps family loyalty in crises
referenced repeatedly as the producer of 'Prince of New York' who appeared on Imus by phone and called President Bartlet cowardly for denying a screening
- • generate free media publicity by criticizing the President
mentioned as the recipient of phone banks from the studio requesting a 'Prince of New York' screening, which he passed on
referenced in the context of the ongoing controversy to which Eleanor Bartlet publicly commented
referenced as the target of Morgan Ross's 'cowardly' criticism on Imus and as the subject whose reaction Danny Concannon seeks regarding Eleanor Bartlet's comment
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The West Wing hallway serves as the charged threshold to C.J.'s office where Sam departs, Carol interrupts mid-stride, and the Ellie revelation lands like a gut punch—its linoleum expanse channeling walk-and-talk velocity into intimate crisis detonation, amplifying vulnerability amid perpetual motion.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
No narrative connections mapped yet
This event is currently isolated in the narrative graph
Key Dialogue
"CAROL: "Danny Concannon's on the phone, and I think you should take it.""
"C.J.: "Who made the comment?" CAROL: "That's the thing." C.J.: "[makes a 'hurry up' motion with her hands] Carol." CAROL: "It was Eleanor.""
"C.J.: "Eleanor who?" CAROL: "It was Eleanor Bartlet.""