The West Wing
S2E22
· Two Cathedrals

C.J. Drills Distracted Bartlet on Altman Protocol

In Leo's office amid raging thunder, C.J. urgently preps a grieving, scoffing President Bartlet for his high-stakes press conference, insisting he call first on Lawrence Altman—front row, first seat on his right—to pivot from reelection chaos to manageable medical questions on his MS. Bartlet quips wryly about the freak storm before reluctantly repeating the directive under C.J.'s relentless prodding, exposing his fractured focus post-Landingham's death and the team's frantic bid to steady him for public scrutiny. This tense rehearsal heightens anticipation for the political gauntlet ahead.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

C.J. drills Bartlet on important details for the press conference, particularly ensuring he will call on Lawrence Altman first to manage the questioning.

focus to urgency

Bartlet reluctantly confirms Altman's position—first seat on his right—as C.J. insists, reinforcing the stakes and pressure of the upcoming moment.

urgency to resignation

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

5
Margaret Hooper
primary

Calmly dutiful amid underlying tension

Enters Leo's office promptly upon President's cue, stands professionally before him to confirm request for Donna Moss, facilitates her entry, then exits discreetly to enable private briefing without lingering.

Goals in this moment
  • • Summon and deliver Donna as requested
  • • Uphold seamless office protocol
Active beliefs
  • • Prompt response maintains operational rhythm
  • • Discretion preserves high-level privacy
Character traits
efficient professional unflappable
Follow Margaret Hooper's journey
C.J. Cregg
primary

Urgently resolute, exhaustion flickering beneath command

Knocks and enters purposefully after Donna's briefing, requests review of press protocol, strategically explains Altman-first tactic to buffer reelection questions with MS follow-ups, persists in prodding President to verbally repeat seating details twice for retention, exits satisfied amid thunder.

Goals in this moment
  • • Imprint critical press conference protocol
  • • Channel questioning to controlled medical ground
Active beliefs
  • • Precise sequencing averts political ambush
  • • Repetition counters presidential distraction
Character traits
strategic persistent urgent
Follow C.J. Cregg's journey
Lawrence Altman
primary

Professionally poised for inquiry

Explicitly positioned by C.J. in briefing as front-row, first-seat-on-right target for President's opening call, invoked as safe medical entry point to preempt reelection chaos in press gauntlet.

Goals in this moment
  • • Pursue factual MS coverage
  • • Lead questioning per protocol
Active beliefs
  • • Medical expertise guides health disclosures
  • • Front-row access yields first insights
Character traits
precise vigilant
Follow Lawrence Altman's journey
Josiah Bartlet
primary

distracted

looking out at the rain, quizzing Donna on tropical storm facts, reluctantly repeating C.J.'s instructions on calling Lawrence Altman first at the press conference

Goals in this moment
  • • memorize and confirm protocol to call on Lawrence Altman first to manage press conference questions
Character traits
protective resolute self-aware principled
Follow Josiah Bartlet's journey
Donna Moss
primary

Composed professionalism veiling apprehension

Enters after Margaret, exchanges pleasantries, sits to deliver precise NOAA data on tropical storm rarity in May per President's probing, rises apprehensively at C.J.'s knock, exits graciously upon dismissal.

Goals in this moment
  • • Provide accurate meteorological intelligence
  • • Support President's inquiry without overstepping
Active beliefs
  • • Official data like NOAA's trumps speculation
  • • Loyal service endures through grief
Character traits
precise dutiful apprehensive
Follow Donna Moss's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Atlantic Seaboard

Source of the freak tropical storm invoked in dialogue and visibly manifesting as pounding rain outside windows and roaring thunder enveloping Leo's office, amplifying grief-stricken chaos; Donna cites NOAA data confirming its century-defying assault on Washington, fueling Bartlet's sardonic quip and mirroring uncontrollable personal/political sieges.

Atmosphere Tumultuous and foreboding, with relentless thunder and rain evoking divine wrath
Function External catalyst heightening internal tension
Symbolism Embodiment of unprecedented turmoil paralleling Bartlet's MS revelation and Landingham loss
Rain hammering windows Thunder roaring post-C.J. exit

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

2
Bartlet Administration (Executive Office of the President)

Envelops the event in Leo's office as command nexus for urgent prep, where C.J. deploys communication strategy amid asbestos-plagued infrastructure echoes; staff chain enforces secrecy protocols, threading grief into duty as President steels for MS disclosure gauntlet.

Representation Through Chief of Staff's office and press secretary
Power Dynamics Hierarchical control over disclosure narrative
Impact Tests resilience of operational rhythm under grief and decay
Internal Dynamics Exclusion of junior staff from core secrets
Rehearse controlled health revelation Shield reelection amid scrutiny Staff coordination and protocol Internal summons and briefings
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Authoritatively referenced by Donna delivering its century-long records—no Atlantic tropical storms hitting DC in May—prompting Bartlet's wry quip on its 'non-recurring' mystery; anchors meteorological debate, providing empirical contrast to storm's chaos and underscoring freak weather's narrative weight amid crisis prep.

Representation Via Donna's direct citation of historical data
Power Dynamics Scientific authority informing executive comprehension
Impact Bolsters White House crisis response with factual grounding
Verify unprecedented weather events Supply reliable data to policymakers Historical meteorological records Official precedent verification

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Key Dialogue

"C.J.: You'll want to take the first question from Lawrence Altman, the Times Chief Medical Correspondent."
"BARTLET: Why?"
"C.J.: Because if you call on anyone else, the first question will be about reelection. Call on Altman, it will be a medical question, it'll have two or three follow-ups. It'll allow you to feel comfortable a little before you start with the political mess."
"C.J.: Mr. President, I'm going there right now. This is the last time I'm going to see you before you step up... please, where's Altman going to be?"
"BARTLET: First seat on the right."