Josh Confirms Covert Poll; Leo Reveals It to Reluctant Bartlet

Josh briefs Leo that pollster Joey Lucas has agreed to a blind poll framing Bartlet's MS as a Michigan governor's undisclosed illness, securing Leo's cautious approval. Josh raises the Justice bill, citing AAG Connelly's fraud charge against Big Tobacco—a loaded parallel to their cover-up that Leo dismisses. Leo then faces Bartlet's ire for preempting his Abbey disclosure, reveals the poll despite Bartlet's fear it undermines his voluntary confession, and summons Sam, operationalizing crisis strategy while exposing deepening fractures.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

Josh informs Leo that Joey Lucas has agreed to conduct the poll, framing the question around a Michigan governor with a degenerative illness.

anticipation to concern ["Leo's office"]

Josh shifts the conversation to the Justice appropriation, revealing Martin Connelly's passionate stance against Big Tobacco.

businesslike to intense ["Leo's office"]

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

No character participations recorded

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 2

Causal

"Abbey's confrontation with Bartlet leads her to face White House Counsel, which in turn leads Bartlet to discuss the poll's optics with Leo, showing the domino effect of the MS revelation."

Abbey's Brisk Return and Fiery MS Reckoning

S2E20 · The Fall's Gonna Kill You

Causal

"Abbey's confrontation with Bartlet leads her to face White House Counsel, which in turn leads Bartlet to discuss the poll's optics with Leo, showing the domino effect of the MS revelation."

Abbey's Furious Confrontation Over MS Betrayal

S2E20 · The Fall's Gonna Kill You

Key Dialogue

"JOSH: "She's in." LEO: "What's she going to do?" JOSH: "If the Governor of a major industrial state had a degenerative illness which he hadn't disclosed during the election but which has yet to impair his job performance, would you still support him?" LEO: "Which one?" JOSH: "Michigan.""

"JOSH: "...this Assistant A.G., Martin Connelly... said, 'They perpetrated a fraud against the public.'" LEO: "We're not big tobacco.""

"BARTLET: "Leo, how could you tell Abbey about the health form before I did?" [...] LEO: "We're putting a poll in the field." BARTLET: "I'm coming clean, I'm doing it voluntarily. Anyone finds out, it's going to look like I did it because a poll told me to." LEO: "Then it'd be a good idea if nobody found out.""