S2E13

Margaret Abruptly Summons Leo to the Situation Room

In the bustling post-State of the Union reception hall, amid applause and lighthearted banter, Margaret interrupts Leo's tense conversation with Sam about containing the police officer's scandal. She urgently calls 'Leo' and declares they need him in the Situation Room, walking away with him. This pivotal pull-away beat yanks Leo from domestic political triage into an unforeseen international crisis, shattering the evening's fragile triumph and escalating narrative tension toward the Colombian hostage emergency.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

Margaret interrupts to summon Leo to the Situation Room, signaling an urgent matter.

routine to urgency

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

Josephine Joey Lucas

Pollster

primary

Reliable data anchor

Referenced by Leo as polling partner with Josh, promising early numbers amid scandal talk.

Goals in this moment

• Deliver timely polling insights

Active beliefs

• Numbers guide political adjustments

Character traits

sarcastic incisive candid blunt precise analytical skeptical cynical pragmatic resolute composed discreet authoritative data-driven irreverent

Follow Josephine Joey …'s journey

Leo Thomas McGarry (Chief of Staff)

White House Chief of Staff

primary

Tense vigilance sharpening to alert resolve

Stands centrally engaged in scandal triage with Sam—querying officer's presence and issuing no-photo orders—before yielding to Margaret's interruption, following her out toward the Situation Room without hesitation.

Goals in this moment

• Lock down police officer scandal exposure
• Respond immediately to emerging crisis call

Active beliefs

• Proactive containment averts political damage
• Situation Room demands override all else

Character traits

authoritative pragmatic responsive

Follow Leo Thomas …'s journey

Margaret Hooper

Personal Secretary to the White House Chief of Staff

primary

Urgent professionalism veiling crisis gravity

Walks up purposefully to interrupt Leo and Sam's huddle, calls 'Leo' sharply, then declares 'They need you in the Situation Room' before walking away with him, bridging revelry to emergency.

Goals in this moment

• Extract Leo from reception for Sit Room crisis
• Maintain operational discretion amid festivities

Active beliefs

• Chief of Staff's presence critical to crisis response
• Interruption must be swift to preserve post-SOTU momentum

Character traits

decisive discreet loyal

Follow Margaret Hooper's journey

Party Guest

primary

excited

announces and cheers for Sam Seaborn upon his entrance

Goals in this moment

• welcome and celebrate Sam at the reception

Character traits

festive loyalist adoring convivial vocally supportive exuberant jubilant

Follow Party Guest's journey

Sam Seaborn

Deputy Communications Director

primary

Competent and briefed

Referenced by Leo as having spoken to C.J. about scandal handling; Sam affirms her involvement just before Margaret's summons.

Goals in this moment

• Coordinate press strategy on scandal

Active beliefs

• Effective at deflection and control

Character traits

wry principled resourceful partisan confident resolute amid grief collegial sly affable adaptable improvisational decisive authenticity-seeking pragmatic resilient emotionally perceptive fiercely loyal politically attuned

Follow Sam Seaborn's journey

C.J. Cregg

White House Press Secretary

primary

referenced by Sam as having been talked to and suggested to handle the police officer

Goals in this moment

• talk to the police officer (inferred)

Character traits

insightful assertive playful terse strategic poised decisive pragmatic dutiful quick-thinking tenacious authoritative wry measured protective charismatic committed resilient witty

Follow C.J. Cregg's journey

Joshua Lyman

Deputy Chief of Staff

primary

referenced by Leo as source of early polling numbers with Joey

Goals in this moment

• provide early polling numbers

Character traits

proactive insightful combative frustrated strategic pragmatic resolute urgent decisive under pressure supportive authoritative concerned loyal empathetic protective politically calculating intense insistent anxious witty high‑strung / harried

Follow Joshua Lyman's journey

Josiah Edward 'Jed' Bartlet (President of the United States)

President of the United States

primary

referenced as having pointed to and asked the police officer to stand during speech

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

Unnamed Congressman (recurring — The West Wing S01E12 & S01E17)

U.S. Representative

primary

discussed as the individual lauded by President who was pointed to and asked to stand, checked if present, flagged for no photos near President due to scandal risk

Character traits

combative partisan concise disciplined Prudent protectionist (labor/industry‑focused) celebrated conciliatory collegial pragmatic/direct responsive pragmatic dutiful dutifully present precise politically cautious professional Evidence-driven wry Judicious insistent skeptical scandal-shadowed hesitant

Follow Unnamed Congressman …'s journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

White House Situation Room

Invoked as urgent destination by Margaret's summons, the Situation Room pulls Leo from reception frivolity, signaling the hostage crisis' escalation and narrative shift to high-stakes geopolitics, its mere mention injecting dread into the festive air.

Atmosphere Implied fluorescent intensity and crisis hum

Function Crisis command nexus demanding immediate attendance

Symbolism Portal from politics to peril

Access Top security clearance, senior staff only

Off-screen but evoked as secure warren Site of classified intel and decisions

East Room (State Floor — Ceremonial Reception Hall)

Bustling post-SOTU reception hall hosts the interruption, its bright lights, music, circulating waiters, and guest chatter providing euphoric backdrop that amplifies the summons' jarring pivot from triumph to peril, underscoring White House's fragile high amid coiling crises.

Atmosphere Jubilant yet brittle, laced with underlying tension

Function Social gauntlet turned crisis extraction point

Symbolism Ephemeral victory space fracturing under duty's weight

Access White House elite and invitees only

Bright lighting and swelling music Waiters with drinks and noshes amid applause echoes

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Themes This Exemplifies

Thematic resonance and meaning

Duty's Command Over Chaos

In the assassination's immediate aftermath, hierarchical imperatives drive fractured responses into operational continuity—Leo storms trauma rooms for intel and assumes Situation Room command to downplay …

Key Dialogue

"MARGARET: Leo."

"MARGARET: They need you in the Situation Room."