Object

Madras Research

Danny Concannon demands answers on the Madras research in the press room, targeting C.J. Cregg for specifics on its clandestine nature, notifications to the President, national security advisers, and Congressional leaders, plus its legal status. C.J. refuses written records, cites an NSC directive, and frames secrecy as essential, turning the inquiry into a standoff over transparency and accountability.

1 appearances

Purpose

Conduct clandestine operations or investigations under national security protocols

Significance

Sparks clash between press demands for disclosure and White House secrecy, highlighting tensions over executive privilege, potential retaliation fears, and the balance of public right-to-know against security needs.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S4E22 · Commencement

Press Room Standoff: Secrecy vs. Accountability

Madras Research is the substantive subject of the interrogation: Danny's questions aim to categorize it as retaliatory or preemptive, to discover who was notified, and to test whether it rests on lawful authority—making it the narrative hinge for secrecy versus accountability.

Before: A classified program/operation known to reporters by rumor and to insiders as 'Madras research'; conceptually secret and politically sensitive.

After: Explicitly placed at the center of public scrutiny by Danny's questions; still officially undisclosed but now the likely focus of further inquiry and potential publication.

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