The West Wing
S1E1
· Pilot

Leo Isolates Caldwell and Puts Josh’s Job on the Line

Leo meets with Reverend Al Caldwell on Pennsylvania Avenue and performs damage control with surgical politeness: he flatters the President’s faith to create rapport, distances Caldwell from the more incendiary Mary Marsh and John Van Dyke, and reframes the dispute as both moral and political. Leo then raises the stakes — revealing that Bartlet has already ordered Josh fired and is returning any minute — converting a media spat into an immediate personnel crisis and isolating Caldwell from his allies. This exchange is a turning point that makes the conflict personal, forces choices about loyalty versus optics, and sets up the President’s imminent re-appearance.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

Leo emphasizes President Bartlet's religious credentials to Al Caldwell, establishing common ground while subtly questioning the Christian Right's unity.

diplomatic to confrontational

Leo maneuvers to isolate Caldwell from his allies Mary Marsh and John Van Dyke, hinting at ideological fractures within the Christian Right.

strategic to probing

Caldwell demands seriousness about Josh Lyman's blasphemous remark, forcing Leo to reveal the President's threatened termination—raising the personal stakes dramatically.

frustration to heightened tension

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Reverend Al Caldwell (Christian delegation representative)
primary

Civil frustration edged with insistence on respect

Caldwell walks animatedly with Leo, acknowledging Bartlet's church visit and activism but defending his coalition's need for radicals, snorting at generalizations, halting to demand seriousness on the TV incident, and expressing regret over Josh's peril while affirming the afternoon meeting.

Goals in this moment
  • • Secure White House validation of their grievances
  • • Preserve coalition muscle without full rupture
  • • Avoid escalation into 'holy war'
Active beliefs
  • • Every group harbors flaws, demanding nuance
  • • Radicals provide essential political leverage
  • • TV incident merits gravity, not dismissal
Character traits
measured pragmatic defensive conciliatory
Follow Reverend Al …'s journey
Leo Thomas McGarry (Chief of Staff)
primary

Controlled urgency beneath polished civility

Leo strides purposefully with Caldwell along Pennsylvania Avenue, deploying flattery about Bartlet's faith and activism, distancing the reverend from radicals with pointed wit, downplaying the TV clash, and escalating by revealing the President's firing order for Josh, blending charm with stark urgency to reframe the crisis.

Goals in this moment
  • • De-escalate by isolating Caldwell from hardliners
  • • Prove White House seriousness to avert broader conflict
  • • Buy time before Bartlet's return
Active beliefs
  • • Bartlet's faith credentials build common ground
  • • Radicals like Marsh and Van Dyke poison moderate alliances
  • • Personal stakes like Josh's job underscore commitment
Character traits
diplomatic strategic blunt loyal
Follow Leo Thomas …'s journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Northwest Lobby (Main Reception Chamber, West Wing)

Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House functions as the public, transitional space where Leo intercepts Caldwell — a neutral-seeming yet politically charged liminal zone that lets private damage control unfold in semi-public sight.

Atmosphere Tense but outwardly civil; the sidewalk's politeness masks urgent political calculation; walking pace creates conversational …
Function Meeting point for a high-stakes, semi-private political exchange and a threshold between street-level constituencies and …
Symbolism Embodies the intersection of faith politics and institutional authority — a place where public pressure …
Access Publicly accessible street in front of the West Wing but functionally limited to senior staff …
Open, public sidewalk directly facing the White House façade Walking conversation rather than closed-door meeting increases performative restraint Ambient street noises and political theater implied but not described explicitly

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

"LEO: President's a deeply religious man, Reverend. I don't need to tell you that."
"LEO: Forgive me, Al. But when you stand that close to Mary Marsh and John Van Dyke, it's sometimes hard not to paint you all with the same brush."
"LEO: 24 hours ago, the President ordered me to fire Josh Lyman. I've been trying to talk him down from it ever since. He's getting off the plane in ten minutes. It's 6 to 5 at pickin' whether Josh still has a job."