Narrative Web
S3E20
· We Killed Yamamoto

Charlie Lands the X-Factor Secretary Candidate

As Josh hurries toward the Oval Office amid mounting crises, Charlie intercepts him with infectious enthusiasm, outlining the perfect successor to Mrs. Landingham: blistering typing speed, ironclad discretion, total devotion, and the elusive X-factor intangible. Charlie triumphantly declares he's found 'the lady,' delivering a brief, hopeful respite that humanizes the staff's personal stakes and contrasts the administration's chaos, priming a future payoff in continuity.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Charlie reveals he's found the ideal candidate for a pivotal White House position, hinting at unspoken qualities that mirror Mrs. Landingham's legacy.

professional to intrigued ['Outer Oval Office']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

5
Charlie Young
Presidential Personal Aide
 primary

Infectious enthusiasm laced with proud accomplishment

Energetically intercepts hurrying Josh in the Outer Oval Office, enthusiastically listing essential secretary qualities—typing speed, discretion, devotion, X-factor—before repeatedly and triumphantly declaring 'I've got the lady,' injecting levity and hope into the moment.

Goals in this moment
  • • Share excitement over finding ideal secretary candidate
  • • Bolster Josh's morale with recruitment success
Active beliefs
  • • Perfect aide requires indefinable X-factor beyond skills
  • • His discovery fills critical gap post-Landingham
Character traits
enthusiastic devoted playful resourceful
Follow Charlie Young's journey
Joshua Lyman
Deputy Chief of Staff
 primary

Stressed urgency tempered by amused camaraderie

Striding urgently toward Oval Office, pauses to engage in quick-witted banter with Charlie, affirming X-factor's mystery as 'unknown intangible' before absorbing the candidate reveal with a intrigued 'Hmm?' and proceeding inside.

Goals in this moment
  • • Reach Oval Office promptly for crisis response
  • • Acknowledge Charlie's effort amid personal pressures
Active beliefs
  • • X-factor defines irreplaceable aide quality
  • • Staff replacements vital for operational continuity
Character traits
witty pragmatic stressed yet receptive loyal
Follow Joshua Lyman's journey
Josiah Edward 'Jed' Bartlet (President of the United States)
President of the United States
 primary

angry

confronts Josh angrily in the Oval Office about the welfare vote scheduling, Catholic Charities event conflict, and past mistakes

Goals in this moment
  • • reprimand Josh for scheduling errors
  • • secure 218 votes for the welfare bill
Character traits
politically pragmatic jocular policy‑driven paternal commands institutional authority relational — centers staff and family centralizing (commands staff attention and schedules) centralized authority figure strategically vital intelligent politically consequential (actions and associations create immediate risk) protocol-driven calculating principled in public rhetoric vulnerable emotionally forceful institutionally minded performative control of public optics candid principled politically vulnerable (per party strategists and press) strategic witty/jocular under pressure vulnerable-to-proxy-actions collegial poised decisive principled but electorally mindful resolute constitutional protective (paternal focus on family safety) deliberative ruthless burdened decisive when confronted with moral stakes authoritative/managerial paternal/protective regionally grounded politically strategic supportive traditional weary/resolute authoritative public-facing decisive in crisis loyal blunt protective politically consequential measured committed politically shrewd risk‑aware consequential self-aware witty institutional (symbolic center of staff effort) ceremonial
Follow Josiah Edward …'s journey
Supporting 1
Larry Posner (filmmaker & political donor)
Filmmaker and Political Donor
 secondary

cautious

interjects during Bartlet's confrontation to note that no one thought the Catholic Charities event was a good idea

Goals in this moment
  • • support the staff's decision on avoiding the Catholic Charities event
Character traits
tactful loyal cautious methodical diplomatic optics‑minded influential pragmatic
Follow Larry Posner …'s journey

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 2
Escalation medium

"Toby's early strategic discussion about avoiding shared events with Ritchie escalates to Bartlet's explosive anger over Josh's poor scheduling of the welfare vote against Ritchie's fundraiser."

Senior Staff Bails on Ritchie's Optics Trap
S3E20 · We Killed Yamamoto
Escalation medium

"Toby's early strategic discussion about avoiding shared events with Ritchie escalates to Bartlet's explosive anger over Josh's poor scheduling of the welfare vote against Ritchie's fundraiser."

Toby Presses Sam on Everglades Initiative
S3E20 · We Killed Yamamoto

Key Dialogue

"CHARLIE: "Well, she needs good skills. 110 ten words a minute. And discretion, obviously. A willingness to put this first no matter what. But there's an X-factor, right?""
"JOSH: "An intangible...""
"CHARLIE: "I've got the lady. I know who's the lady going to be. I've got the lady.""