President Bartlet's Wake‑Up Coffee Cup

A palm‑sized, single‑serving cup—likely ceramic—emanates faint steam and a thin bitter aroma. Warm to the touch and modestly weighted, the cup arrives carried by a steward at Charlie's instruction; fingers curl briefly around the rim as it is offered to President Bartlet. The vessel occupies the intimate threshold between sleep and command: it steadies a groggy President, transfers from steward to bedside table or into staff hands, and then slips from private comfort into the practical business of the day.

2 appearances

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S1E15 · Celestial Navigation

Sam Tears Apart the 'Intoxication' Narrative

A warm single-serving cup of coffee functions as Sam's tactile anchor and tonal instrument: he sips it to steady himself, uses the casual gesture to punctuate his clinical rebuttal, and delivers the final line about the coffee to humanize the moment and undercut the officers' officiousness.

Before: Freshly purchased from a vending machine; warm, clutched in Sam's hand as he enters the interview/holding area.

After: Partially consumed in Sam's hand; remains a small, ordinary object that softens his delivery while marking the end of his spoken intervention.

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S1E15 · Celestial Navigation

Wake-Up to Duty

The wake-up cup of coffee is invoked as an offered comfort and pragmatic stimulant—Charlie promises stewards will bring it to the room, signaling both care and a procedural step to physically ready the President for the day.

Before: Not present in the room; merely a planned, potential arrival to aid wakefulness.

After: Ordered to be brought by stewards to the President's room; on its way as a practical aid to restore alertness.

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