Toby Alerts CJ to Veterans' Boycott Threat
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Toby informs C.J. about a veterans' group potentially boycotting the Pearl Harbor anniversary, adding another layer of crisis.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
perplexed
conducting press briefing, reacting perplexed to lawsuit question from Katie, questioning Carol about lawsuit, demanding specifics from Toby on veterans' group boycott threat
- • obtain details on President's lawsuit
- • get specifics on veterans' group and boycott reason
Urgently pragmatic, feigning casual indifference to mask crisis overload
Barrels into the hallway to intercept CJ post-briefing, drops urgent but detail-starved alert on veterans' boycott threat, parries her frustrated questions with evasive repetitions of 'I don't know,' then pivots seamlessly to Ginger for meeting setup as he strides toward communications.
- • Brief CJ on boycott to prime her PR defenses
- • Secure Ginger's commitment to veterans' meeting
- • Vague alerts suffice for initial handoff; details follow action
- • Crisis momentum trumps full disclosure in transit
Calmly professional amid rising tension
Walks briskly out of the briefing room with CJ into the hallway, fielding her urgent questions on the lawsuit by pinpointing the Rocky Mountain News as source before discreetly exiting as Toby intercepts, maintaining seamless support flow.
- • Clarify lawsuit intel for CJ immediately
- • Facilitate smooth transition to next crisis handler
- • Accurate sourcing prevents briefing mishaps
- • Deputy's role is rapid, unflappable intel relay
Crestfallen guilt laced with renewed determination
Meets Toby at communications office threshold post-CJ exchange, fields his probing questions on veterans' meeting with initial affirmatives that crumble into crestfallen admission of inaction, pledges swift follow-through under his directive.
- • Acknowledge delay honestly to Toby
- • Commit to immediate meeting arrangement
- • Transparency rebuilds trust after slip-ups
- • Toby's priorities demand instant correction
guilty but laughing a little
calling Toby into Oval Office, discussing seatbelt lawsuit, Smithsonian exhibit issue, authorizing Qumar arms deal announcement
- • finalize Qumar arms deal announcement
- • check status on Smithsonian veterans' issue
questioning C.J. about President being sued, referencing Rocky Mountain Herald item
- • probe C.J. for comment on lawsuit story
explaining lawsuit details from DoJ to Toby, advocating preemptive action
- • inform Toby on lawsuit background
- • push for preemptive response to lawsuit
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Buzzing artery outside the briefing room where CJ processes lawsuit shock with Carol's intel before Toby's intercept spirals into evasive boycott volley; rapid-fire exchanges amid doubling-back strides underscore West Wing's non-stop crisis relay, amplifying emotional toll of layered scandals.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Regional paper's lawsuit item lingers as backdrop to hallway frenzy, clarified by Carol amid Toby's intercept; its headline propels CJ's pre-boycott disorientation, exemplifying how minor outlets ignite major executive headaches.
Thrust into spotlight via Toby's vague hallway alert as the shadowy force threatening Pearl Harbor anniversary boycott, igniting CJ's PR fury without named grievances or scale; embodies veteran activism's leverage to fracture White House optics amid stacked crises.
Implicit flashpoint behind veterans' boycott as referenced in Toby's intercept—their Pearl Harbor exhibit sparks the dispute fueling the threat; surfaces White House entanglement in cultural wars, layering intellectual controversy onto CJ's PR inferno.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Bartlet's discomfort with the Qumar arms deal foreshadows CJ's explosive reaction when she learns the details from Toby."
"Bartlet's discomfort with the Qumar arms deal foreshadows CJ's explosive reaction when she learns the details from Toby."
"Bartlet's discomfort with the Qumar arms deal foreshadows CJ's explosive reaction when she learns the details from Toby."
"Sam's revelation about the seatbelt lawsuit leads directly to Bartlet confronting him about discussing it publicly."
Themes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"C.J.: Toby-"
"TOBY: There's a group, a veterans' group that's talking about not showing up for the anniversary."
"C.J.: Which group? / TOBY: I don't know. / C.J.: Why aren't they going to show up? / TOBY: They're talking about not showing up. / C.J.: Why? / TOBY: I don't know."