Bartlet's Game Tie

President Bartlet's necktie embodies a staff superstition born from a past mishap where he set fire to a tie and Josh Lyman lent his replacement, turning it into a victory talisman. Charlie corners Donna on Air Force One, clutching a near-replica and pleading to uphold the ritual for luck. Backstage, Abbey snatches scissors and slices the fabric clean off Bartlet's neck to shatter his pre-debate anxiety; Josh yanks off his own tie as substitute while Sam knots it in frantic haste amid countdown warnings. The cut remnant drops away, discarded amid the scramble.

5 appearances

Purpose

Neckwear accessory for formal suits during high-stakes public appearances

Significance

Acts as superstitious talisman linking staff rituals to electoral success; Abbey's severing exposes Bartlet's vulnerability, triggers comic chaos, and forces reliance on personal conviction over luck as the debate begins

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

5 moments

S4E6 · Game On

Quiet Resolve on the Shore

Sam removes and gives his tie to Will in a compact, intimate gesture that converts abstract support into a tactile pledge. The tie operates narratively as a token of solidarity and a small ritual that seals Sam's commitment to Will and the campaign's cause in a moment of uncertainty.

Before: In Sam's possession, worn as a piece of clothing around his neck and serving as ordinary professional attire.

After: In Will's possession (handed from Sam), functioning as a token of solidarity and support.

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S4E6 · Game On

Charlie Fights to Preserve the 'Game Tie'

Charlie holds up a near-replica of President Bartlet's 'game tie'—a physical focal point of the dispute. The tie functions narratively as a talisman, a container of superstition, and the immediate trigger for the argument about luck versus preparation.

Before: Worn by the Deputy Labor Secretary on Air Force One; intact and indistinguishable at a glance from the original 'game tie'.

After: In Charlie's hand in the hallway, publicly displayed as evidence; its ownership and fate remain contested but physically unchanged by the exchange.

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S4E6 · Game On

Scissors, Superstition, and the Two‑Minute Warning

Bartlet's 'lucky' tie is the symbolic fulcrum of the scene: Abbey severs it, triggering embarrassment and a frantic replacement ritual that dramatizes the psychological stakes behind small superstitions.

Before: Worn by Bartlet around his neck, cherished as a good-luck talisman.

After: Cut off and held briefly by Abbey, then discarded as the physical talisman is removed from play.

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S4E6 · Game On

Cutting the Tie — Breaking the Spell

Bartlet's 'lucky' tie functions as the narrative catalyst: Abbey cuts it off to forcibly end the President's reliance on ritual. The removal triggers the frantic attempt to replace the talisman and propels the team into action.

Before: On President Bartlet's neck; treated as a talisman charged with 'juice' and psychological readiness.

After: Severed and discarded; the remnant falls away, and the ritual's physical token no longer exists.

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S4E6 · Game On

Abbey Cuts the Tie — Ritchie Sets the Frame

Bartlet's 'lucky' tie is the symbolic catalyst—worn around his neck, it is suddenly cut, its removal shatters the ritual that had been channeling the President's pre-performance anxiety and forces immediate, tangible action.

Before: Worn by President Bartlet as a beloved, superstitious talisman.

After: Cut off and discarded; its power neutralized by Abbey's action.

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