Object

Rain (Communications Office — "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet", S1E19)

Occurs during the episode 'Let Bartlet Be Bartlet' and creates atmospheric tension.

2 appearances

Significance

Serves as an environmental catalyst that forces the logistics of a gaggle inside, heightens agitation among Toby, Sam, and C.J., and provides the physical pretext for C.J.'s throwaway detail about a circulating 'piece of paper.' The precipitation shifts the scene from minor embarrassment to paranoia, accelerating plot movement and foreshadowing an internal leak.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S1E19 · Let Bartlet Be Bartlet

Weather, Worries, and a Wandering Note

A sudden hard rain follows the lightning and becomes the decisive physical constraint that topples Sam's prediction, forces the event indoors, affects crowd movement, and thickens the staff's anxiety about optics and leaks.

Before: Windows show an overcast sky; light drizzle is not yet present and rain has not started.

After: Staccato rainfall lashes the windows and the staff steps into the rain as they depart, confirming the forecast error and making indoor logistics mandatory.

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S1E19 · Let Bartlet Be Bartlet

The Rumor of the Paper

The rain is the tangible consequence of the failed forecast, streaking the windows, rattling fittings, and forcing the staff to abandon an outdoor weather call. It functions as an obstacle to optics and a catalyst for hurried movement and messaging recalibration.

Before: Overcast conditions; dampness not yet present inside the building; staff debating potential precipitation.

After: A steady rain lashes the exterior, wetting coats and confirming the need to move the event indoors; it heightens staff discomfort and urgency.

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