C.J.'s Urgent Memo on Ritchie's Debate Skills

C.J. pitches this urgent memo in the President's bedroom as Bartlet revises Sam's Red Mass draft. She envisions sharp pages assessing Ritchie's weak debate skills, ready for leak to lower expectations and pressure his camp on format. Sam and Toby weigh the tactic while Charlie listens; the team eyes it as their last bargaining chip amid late-night strategy.

3 appearances

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S4E4 · The Red Mass

Redefining the Debate: Trading Quantity for Substance

C.J. proposes an 'urgent memo' assessing Ritchie's debate skill as a deliberate tactical instrument; the memo functions narratively as the practical lever to shape expectations and as a plausible leak to pressure opponents on format.

Before: Conceptual — discussed as a possible urgent memo to be written; not yet drafted or distributed.

After: Remains a proposed tactical tool; intention to write or leak is stated but no physical dissemination occurs within the scene.

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S4E4 · The Red Mass

Rewriting the Red Mass / Debate Format Trade

C.J.'s proposed 'urgent memo' exists as a tactical instrument in the conversation: she voices exact copy she would send to frame Ritchie's debating ability and explicitly proposes leaking it to shape expectations and media narrative.

Before: Not physically created — only proposed verbally as a tactical idea.

After: Planned/tentatively approved as an option; no physical memo is produced within this scene.

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S4E4 · The Red Mass

Closing the Study: Bartlet Readies to Re-enter the World

C.J.'s 'urgent memo' exists as a proposed tactical artifact in the conversation—a suggested instrument to lower expectations about Bartlet's debate performance and to pressure Ritchie's camp. It functions narratively as a symbol of media-savvy maneuvering even if not physically produced in the scene.

Before: Conceptual: proposed by C.J. but not yet written or leaked.

After: Remains an unexecuted idea at the moment of departure, a tactical thread left to be pursued later.

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