The West Wing
S1E9
· The Short List

The Gambit Fails — C.J. Holds the Line

On the Supreme Court steps, Danny attempts a flirtatious conversational gambit to pry a confirmation out of C.J. about Peyton Harrison. C.J. immediately sees the ploy, refuses to violate nominee confidentiality, rebuffs Danny's romantic overtures, and composes herself at the podium. The beat underscores C.J.'s professional discipline under press pressure, preserves the administration's secrecy, and quietly seeds the Danny–C.J. dynamic that will evolve later — a small public moment with private emotional currency.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

C.J. deflects Danny's attempt to confirm Peyton Cabot Harrison III as the Supreme Court nominee, maintaining professional secrecy while navigating his flirtatious questioning.

playful deflection to firm boundary-setting ['Supreme Court stairs']

Danny employs a conversational gambit to trick C.J. into confirming Harrison's nomination, which she immediately recognizes and shuts down.

calculated probing to amused defeat

The exchange culminates with C.J. definitively rejecting Danny's romantic overtures while maintaining professional composure as she exits to the podium.

persistent pursuit to decisive withdrawal

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
C.J. Cregg
primary

Controlled and mildly amused externally; privately vigilant and focused on preserving administration confidentiality and her professional boundary.

C.J. meets Danny's gambit with cool, practiced refusal—refusing to confirm the nominee, rebuffing the date, then physically moving behind the portable podium, gathering papers and reasserting the professional frame for the coming public statement.

Goals in this moment
  • • Protect nominee confidentiality and avoid giving reporters ammunition.
  • • Maintain the White House's disciplined message and her own professional credibility.
  • • Deflect personal entanglement that could compromise her role.
  • • Establish a clear public posture before addressing the press.
Active beliefs
  • • That operational secrecy and message control override casual social exchange.
  • • That mixing personal and professional interactions with reporters is risky.
  • • That her composure and refusal will preserve both the administration's and her own authority.
Character traits
disciplined guarded witty commanding
Follow C.J. Cregg's journey
Danny Concannon
primary

Teasing and mildly hopeful on the surface; opportunistically competitive underneath—seeking a journalistic win while testing personal boundaries.

Danny stands among the press and deliberately deploys charm and misdirection—asking about Harrison and pivoting to flirtation—attempting to convert offhand banter into a confirmation or a date while keeping the tone casual.

Goals in this moment
  • • Elicit a public confirmation about Peyton Harrison from C.J.
  • • Use flirtation as a social lever to lower C.J.'s guard.
  • • Score a quotable moment or scoop for the press.
  • • Gauge C.J.'s personal openness as a journalist's advantage.
Active beliefs
  • • That charm and casual conversation can produce on-the-record slips.
  • • That C.J. is human and therefore can be manipulated with personal approaches.
  • • That proximity and friendly banter are legitimate journalistic tools.
Character traits
playful opportunistic persistent socially agile
Follow Danny Concannon's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
Supreme Court Steps Portable Lectern

The portable Supreme Court steps podium is the physical and symbolic platform of this exchange. C.J. walks behind it at the end of the beat, gathers a stack of papers from its surface, and uses it as a professional shield and staging area to move away from the press after the verbal sparring.

Before: Set at the top of the steps with …
After: C.J. stands briefly behind it holding a bunch …
Before: Set at the top of the steps with a mounted gooseneck microphone and loose papers on the shelf; available as the press's focal point.
After: C.J. stands briefly behind it holding a bunch of papers, having used it to compose herself before walking away; no visible damage or change to the podium.

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 1
Character Continuity medium

"C.J.'s professional deflection of Danny's questions contrasts with their later personal moment, showing the evolution of their relationship."

Goldfish Mix-Up — A Small, Tender Beat
S1E9 · The Short List

Key Dialogue

"DANNY: Is it gonna be Harrison?"
"C.J.: Why, why, oh why do you ask me questions that you absolutely, positively know I'm not gonna answer?"
"C.J.: I can't go out on a date with you, Danny."