Books, Christmas and an Exit Strategy
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Bartlet discovers a rare first edition of 'The Fables of Phaedrus,' showcasing his intellectual curiosity and love for literature, while Leo mockingly dismisses it as unsuitable for Christmas.
Bartlet presses Leo to join him for Christmas, but Leo refuses, hinting at his isolation and the weight of his upcoming 'situation,' which Bartlet dismisses optimistically.
Leo privately warns Bartlet about the need for an 'exit strategy' regarding his situation, but Bartlet stubbornly refuses to engage, showing his loyalty and denial.
Charlie deadpans about Bartlet's book choice for his daughter, lightening the mood before Bartlet exits, leaving Leo to subtly check in with Josh about their earlier conversation.
Bartlet returns with two more books for Leo, symbolizing their bond, before the scene fades out, leaving lingering tension about Leo's future.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Calm, lightly amused, performing the role of stabilizer—he intentionally redirects the moment toward domestic normalcy.
Charlie enters the aisle at the peak of tension and offers a laconic, domestic-minded quip that reframes the books as a holiday gift, diffusing the immediate sting of Leo's demand with quiet deadpan levity.
- • Diffuse tension and restore the holiday mood
- • Provide practical assistance (payment for the books) to close the social scene
- • Small, humane gestures can interrupt escalating stress
- • Normal routines (gifts, jokes) can counterbalance political strain
Surface calm and playful, masking a refusal to accept imminent political complication; comfortingly confident rather than anxious.
President Bartlet browses and purchases books while deflecting Leo's entreaties; he uses humor and confident reassurance to downplay political danger and avoid strategizing in the moment.
- • Preserve the holiday mood and avoid immediate crisis talk
- • Reassure Leo and signal that he (Bartlet) has the situation handled
- • Political problems often dissipate without drastic intervention
- • Maintaining morale and normalcy is itself a form of leadership
Anxious and sober beneath professional control—fearful of embarrassment and institutional damage, yet resolute in seeking a practical solution.
Leo approaches Bartlet privately, lowers his voice, and insists on starting serious discussions about his vulnerable position; he presses for concrete planning and an 'exit strategy' to minimize fallout.
- • Force a planning conversation about his political vulnerability
- • Secure a strategy that minimizes embarrassment and preserves institutional stability during the Mendoza confirmation
- • Political crises rarely resolve themselves without active, strategic intervention
- • Unmanaged personal issues can cascade into institutional harm if not addressed proactively
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Bartlet seizes and examines 'The Fables of Phaedrus' (1886 first edition), using the book as a tactile entry to holiday banter and intellectual play; it punctuates the scene’s domestic tone and becomes the conversational catalyst for light humor that contrasts Leo’s serious aside.
Josh plucks 'The Adventures of James Capen Adams' to make a comic point about unreadable holiday gifts; the book functions as a prop for levity and to mark Josh’s dismissive tone while other, more serious conversations unfold nearby.
The bookshelves physically frame the narrow aisle, channeling Bartlet and Leo into intimate proximity. They serve as environment more than prop — characters brush spines, step between shelves, and the shelving creates the private, hushed corridor that allows Leo to lower his voice and make his plea.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The rare‑books shop aisle functions as an intimate, semi‑public pocket where private staff business collides with domestic ritual. Its close shelves and hushed atmosphere allow a low‑voiced, consequential conversation to take place away from West Wing eyes, converting a seemingly benign holiday errand into a stage for political anxiety.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Bartlet's casual invitation for Josh to join him shopping leads to the revelation of Leo's need for an exit strategy, showing how personal moments can quickly turn to serious political discourse."
"Bartlet's casual invitation for Josh to join him shopping leads to the revelation of Leo's need for an exit strategy, showing how personal moments can quickly turn to serious political discourse."
Key Dialogue
"LEO: When you get back from the holiday I'm afraid we'll have to start talking seriously about my situation."
"BARTLET: I'm not worried about it Leo."
"LEO: I'm gonna need an exit strategy that'll cause the least embarrassment and turmoil during the Mendoza confirmation."