Object
Abbey's Stethoscope
A compact clinical stethoscope with a metal dual-headed chestpiece and flexible tubing that Abbey places against the President's bare chest and back. She settles the earpieces, leans in, and lets breath and heartbeat speak—the device becomes an intimate probe of physical truth as Bartlet's strength falters and his command slips from his hands to hers.
1 appearances
Purpose
A medical diagnostic instrument used to listen to heart and lung sounds (auscultation) to assess the President's physical condition.
Significance
The stethoscope anchors a power reversal: it converts Abbey's medical authority into immediate political control by making Bartlet's vulnerability audible. Its use forbids him from leaving for the office, triggering the administration's cascading crisis management and underscoring the overlap of intimate care and statecraft.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used