C.J.'s Sarcastic Veto Announcement Ignites Press Frenzy
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
C.J. delivers a sharp, sarcastic press briefing announcing the President's veto of HR10, the Death Tax Elimination Act, while mocking Republican rhetoric.
Press corps bombards C.J. with urgent questions about the potential override vote, revealing Republican leadership's emergency meeting as tensions spike.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Intensely suspicious and pressing
Calls out forcefully after C.J. deflects Katie, demanding insight into Republican leadership's emergency session purpose amid veto fallout.
- • Uncover GOP strategy
- • Force admissions on coordination
- • Emergency session signals override push
- • White House opacity hides weakness
Calculated urgency challenging deflections
Interjects post-C.J.'s 'nope' deflection, highlighting Republicans holding members back as override confidence indicator, amplifying partisan tension.
- • Link GOP actions to vote viability
- • Provoke revealing response
- • Member hold-back proves override intent
- • C.J.'s denials are evasive
Eagerly trivial amid gravity
Shouts interruption amid policy barrage to persistently ask C.J. what she's wearing, twice pressing after curt 'dress' dismissal, injecting frivolity.
- • Secure outfit detail for story
- • Gain podium attention
- • Fashion query fits her beat
- • C.J. will engage routinely
Urgently probing for scoops
Rises amid clamor to urgently question C.J. on potential override vote tonight, sharpening focus on legislative brinkmanship.
- • Extract override timeline
- • Gauge White House confidence
- • Vote is imminent given timing
- • C.J. knows more than admits
Resolute in policy stand (inferred)
Absent but invoked through C.J.'s announcement of his veto action on HR10, his first in 33 months, framing the core political maneuver sparking the press chaos.
- • Uphold estate tax for revenue
- • Project strength via timely veto
- • Estate tax protects education and health funding
- • GOP labeling is fearmongering
Calm and reassuring amid C.J.'s frustration
Flanks C.J. at podium through frenzy, then walks with her into hallway providing calm explanation of Sherri Wexler's presence for Nobel coverage, absorbing C.J.'s venting on her irrelevance.
- • Inform C.J. on reporter context
- • Steady C.J. post-briefing
- • Sherri's presence is benign credentialed access
- • C.J. needs factual grounding
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
HR10 is centrally invoked by C.J. in her opening sarcasm as the freshly presented estate tax repeal bill—derided as 'Death Tax'—now vetoed by the President, fueling the entire press exchange on overrides and GOP reactions, symbolizing partisan legislative warfare.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Serves as the high-pressure arena where C.J. dominates the podium amid laughter, clamor, and shouted questions, transforming policy announcement into combative spectacle that contrasts gravity with Sherri's absurdity, heightening stakes before hallway pivot.
C.J. and Carol transition here post-briefing for private venting on Sherri Wexler, providing brief respite to decompress and contextualize the intrusion, bridging podium intensity to ongoing crises.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
U.S. House catalyzes the event as origin of HR10 presentation by its clerk and site of looming override vote frenzy, with Katie's question underscoring its brinkmanship role in GOP trap against Bartlet.
Republicans loom as antagonists via Phil and Mike's probes into their emergency leadership session and member hold-backs, positioning them as override architects that C.J. deflects, amplifying threat to Bartlet's veto on Erev Yom Kippur eve.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Leo's confirmation of the Republicans' meeting leads to C.J.'s press briefing announcing the President's veto."
"C.J.'s confrontation with Carol about Sherri's credentials leads to Sam urgently informing Toby about the scheduled House vote."
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"C.J.: The clerk of the House presented the executive clerk with HR10, a bill repealing the estate tax, which our opponents sometimes call the Death Tax, or the We're Coming to Get Your Children tax."
"KATIE: Will there be a vote to override tonight? C.J.: We don't know."
"SHERRI WEXLER: Can you tell us what you're wearing? C.J.: It's a dress."