Hearing Opens: Leo Confirms Pivotal Role in Bartlet's Presidential Run
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Leo McGarry identifies himself and his counsel, Jordan Kendall, setting the formal tone for the hearing.
The Chairman outlines the purpose of the hearing, focusing on President Bartlet's concealed MS diagnosis and the secrecy surrounding it.
Cliff Calley, the Majority Counsel, begins questioning Leo, establishing his role and relationship with President Bartlet.
Cliff confirms Leo's pivotal role in convincing Bartlet to run for President, marking the start of their political journey.
Leo recalls the exact moment he approached Bartlet about running for President, grounding the hearing in a specific historical context.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Alert and poised, ready to intervene if needed
Present as Leo's counsel, she crisply identifies herself to the Chairman after Leo admits they've never met, positioning herself assertively at his side amid the formal proceedings.
- • Formally enter the record as Leo's protector
- • Observe and prepare for defensive maneuvers
- • Leo's candor requires vigilant legal safeguarding
- • Professional detachment ensures effective advocacy
N/A (referenced figure)
Absent but centrally invoked as the scandal's epicenter, with Leo detailing their 32-year acquaintance, deepened friendship over 11 years, and Leo's role in sparking his presidential bid.
- • N/A (not present)
- • N/A (not present)
Composed exterior veiling steely resolve and underlying vulnerability to exposure
Seated at the witness table under oath, Leo calmly states his full name, notes unfamiliarity with counsel, and responds precisely to questions about his titles, longstanding friendship with Bartlet spanning 32 years, and his pivotal role in approaching Bartlet for the presidency four years ago.
- • Establish baseline credentials without revealing vulnerabilities
- • Protect Bartlet by controlling the narrative of their history
- • Loyalty to Bartlet supersedes personal risk
- • Truth can be parceled strategically without full disclosure
N/A (referenced figure)
Briefly referenced by Leo as the White House figure knowing Bartlet longest, underscoring the intimate circle shielding his condition.
- • N/A (not present)
- • N/A (not present)
Professionally detached with focused intensity
As Majority Counsel, Cliff introduces himself politely, then launches methodical interrogation, confirming Leo's titles, tenure with Bartlet, and his initiation of the presidential run at the Statehouse, methodically building the foundation for deeper probes.
- • Establish Leo's centrality to Bartlet's orbit
- • Tease historical flashpoint to heighten scrutiny
- • Historical ties reveal motive for concealment
- • Systematic questioning uncovers ethical lapses
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The House Hearing Room hosts the opening formalities of the inquiry, with Leo at the witness stand under glaring scrutiny, Chairman presiding, and counsel arrayed—its formal gravity amplifying the ritualistic tension as questions pierce the veil of loyalty and secrecy.
Referenced precisely by Leo as the site four years prior where he first urged Bartlet toward the presidency, invoked to anchor the inquiry in historical origins, teasing potential flashbacks and underscoring enduring loyalties now under fire.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The House Government Reform and Oversight Committee convenes the hearing, with Chairman framing its mission to expose MS concealment tactics during Bartlet's campaign, dictating procedures for questioning and embodying oversight pressure on executive secrets.
Bartlet for America emerges in Leo's testimony as his prior role as General Chairman, linking him inextricably to the campaign where secrets allegedly festered, heightening inquiry into how health issues evaded detection amid organizational fervor.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
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Key Dialogue
"Chairman: "Mr. McGarry, the Committee thanks you for your appearance today. Why are we here? What are we after? Many, if not most of us, were surprised by the President's announcement that he's been diagnosed with relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis for seven years and never mentioned it while asking us to vote for him for President...""
"Cliff: "Mr. McGarry, it was you who first approached Jed Bartlet about running for President, is that right?" Leo: "Yes.""
"Cliff: "Where and when did that happen?" Leo: "Four years ago, last month, at the statehouse in Concord.""