Bartlet Devises 'Shibboleth' Test to Probe Refugee Faith
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Josh and Sam deliver China's diplomatic pushback: refugees violate immigration laws, their faith claims possibly coached.
Bartlet introduces the biblical 'shibboleth' test—a linguistic trap to expose fraudulent refugees through doctrinal interrogation.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Hurried exasperation amid multitasking frenzy
C.J. rushes breathlessly into the Oval amid high-stakes briefing, interrupting with urgent reminder of the turkey pardon timeline, her hurried plea injecting comedic domestic pressure into the refugee crisis deliberation before exiting abruptly.
- • Ensure turkey pardon proceeds on schedule
- • Remind President of conflicting ceremonial duties
- • Presidential schedule must balance crises with traditions
- • Time constraints demand immediate attention to rituals
Earnest concern laced with pragmatic resolve
Sam enters alongside Josh into the Oval Office, contributing key briefing details on Chinese embassy arguments about illegal exits disqualifying refugees, standing attentively as Bartlet unveils the shibboleth solution, his earnest input underscoring the coached faith dilemma.
- • Inform President accurately on diplomatic and INS positions
- • Seek clarity on distinguishing genuine refugees from coached impostors
- • Illegal exits provide valid legal grounds for repatriation
- • Coached faith claims undermine asylum credibility
Pleased satisfaction from successful gift delivery
Charlie, having just presented the heirloom knife, lingers briefly in the Oval's charged atmosphere before turning to leave as Josh and Sam enter for briefing, his pleased demeanor from the gift exchange providing a warm prelude to the intensifying policy debate.
- • Deliver Paul Revere knife as thoughtful gesture
- • Exit gracefully to allow senior briefing privacy
- • Personal touches strengthen presidential bonds
- • Duty requires yielding space to urgent matters
decisive
stands over desk reviewing and writing on papers, receives and admires carving knife gift from Charlie, receives briefing from Josh and Sam on Chinese diplomatic pushback and INS warnings, explains biblical 'shibboleth' concept, orders one Chinese refugee flown to Oval Office for pronunciation test
- • devise and implement 'shibboleth' pronunciation test to distinguish true Christian refugees from coached impostors
- • respond to INS warnings and diplomatic pressure by personally verifying refugee faith
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Bartlet's Chinese Refugee Crisis Papers anchor the Oval desk as the President stands over them, reviewing and annotating amid interruptions from knife gift and briefings; they symbolize the administrative weight of asylum data, Beijing barbs, and INS flags, grounding intellectual crisis in tangible bureaucracy before shibboleth pivot elevates to personal test.
Charlie's open Paul Revere Heirloom Knife Box, revealing the gleaming carving knife, draws Bartlet's admiration in warm banter just prior to briefing entry; it humanizes the Oval frenzy, contrasting holiday domesticity with refugee gravity, its presentation yielding to geopolitical urgency as Charlie departs.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
INS warnings of feigned faith and coached evangelical claims among refugees are relayed by Josh in briefing, fueling Bartlet's shibboleth response; their procedural skepticism challenges White House mercy, framing repatriation as pragmatic bulwark against asylum abuse.
U.N. refugee conditions are invoked alongside U.S. law by Josh during briefing, reinforcing Chinese embassy stance that non-oppressed Christians fail international standards; Bartlet navigates this multilateral framework en route to unilateral shibboleth innovation.
Chinese Embassy's arguments—no persecution for Christians, illegal exits voiding refugee status—are voiced through Josh's briefing, provoking Bartlet's acknowledgment as 'fair point' before counter with shibboleth; they embody Beijing's repatriation pressure, antagonizing U.S. compassion.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The INS agents' revelation about coached religious persecution claims leads to Bartlet's consideration of the shibboleth test."
"Sam's 'Pilgrim Detectives' concept humorously contrasts with Bartlet's serious biblical interrogation, both exploring themes of faith and authenticity."
"Sam's 'Pilgrim Detectives' concept humorously contrasts with Bartlet's serious biblical interrogation, both exploring themes of faith and authenticity."
"C.J.'s involvement in the turkey pardon ceremony continues through her efforts to secure a second pardon for Troy."
"C.J.'s involvement in the turkey pardon ceremony continues through her efforts to secure a second pardon for Troy."
"C.J.'s involvement in the turkey pardon ceremony continues through her efforts to secure a second pardon for Troy."
Key Dialogue
"Josh: "So how do you tell the difference between...?""
"Bartlet: "Do you guys know what a \"shibboleth\" is?""
"Bartlet: "I'm having one of the Chinese refugees flown here. I'll meet with him tonight.""
"Josh: "Excuse me, Mr. President, what are you going to ask the Chinese refugee?""
"Bartlet: "I'm going to ask him to say \"Shibboleth.\"""