Bartlet for America (Restructured)
White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry endures a congressional hearing probing President Bartlet's hidden MS diagnosis, battles to shield his recent alcoholic relapse from exposure by a key witness, and navigates national church arson threats amid personal and political reckonings.
Leo McGarry sits alone at the witness table in a packed congressional hearing room, a ticking clock underscoring the tension as he juggles a national crisis: fresh threats against black churches in Tennessee ignite fears of arson conspiracies. FBI agent Mike Casper briefs him before rushing to aid Josh Lyman on the ground, while Leo steels himself for questions about Bartlet's concealed multiple sclerosis during the campaign. The President calls, barking orders to protect Leo at all costs, even perjury, though Leo quips about insecure lines and global eavesdroppers. Jordan Kendall, his sharp counsel, prods him toward the fray; Leo jests about tomato juice to mask deeper nerves.
Chairman Bruno convenes the House Reform and Government Oversight Committee. Majority Counsel Cliff Calley opens measuredly, tracing Leo's history with Bartlet back 32 years, to that pivotal New Hampshire statehouse meeting four years prior. Flashback: Leo pitches the napkin-scribbled 'Bartlet for America' slogan to a skeptical Governor Jed Bartlet amid bungled tourism pitches and leaf-peeping schemes. Rathburn presses Leo on whether he'd have backed Bartlet's run knowing of the MS; Leo dodges, bantering privately with Jordan about lunch, irking the congressman.
Erickson invokes constitutional succession, probing VP John Hoynes' selection. Leo snaps back fiercely: MS isn't fatal, demanding an apology for stigmatizing families. In the waiting room, Jordan demands full disclosure; Leo confesses his relapse on debate night in St. Louis, drunk before two CEOs and Congressman Darren Gibson, who now threatens to expose him. 'Ain't nothin' but a family thing,' Leo admits, echoing his lineage of alcoholics. Only Josh and Bartlet know; relapse shatters embraces. Jordan agrees to dinner, vowing to steer his answers.
Outside, Cliff clashes with Gibson, decrying bush-league tactics to humiliate Leo over sobriety—the hearings target campaign ethics, not personal demons. Cliff warns he'll resign and sabotage the party if Gibson proceeds. Bruno recesses until January 5th, stunning Leo and Jordan, granting two weeks' reprieve. Cliff's gaze meets Leo's in silent acknowledgment.
Parallel crisis escalates: 34 churches burned over 17 months. Josh pushes Tennessee Governor Edward for National Guard federalization; Bartlet invokes Eisenhower and Kennedy. Agent Casper cracks the case—a 17-year-old dropout nabbed for a brake light, spilling a Molotov plot. Bartlet deploys troops, praising Casper's break.
Flashbacks deepen stakes. Campaign storefront antics—basketball through windows—spur policy speeches, physicals, financial disclosures. Abbey resists the exam, fearing MS revelation; Bartlet insists on transparency before Super Tuesday wipeout. At the DNC, Bartlet offers Hoynes VP slot post-nomination, revealing MS; Hoynes storms out, demanding time. Debate night: Leo succumbs to Johnny Walker Blue with donors, Gibson witnesses his bender as Josh calls—the Governor collapses from MS flare-up, aides summon Abbey amid chaos.
Hearing adjourns without Gibson's bomb. That night, Bartlet waits in Leo's dim office, gifts the framed napkin: origins of their quest. 'Merry Christmas, Leo.' Alone, Leo clutches it, tears breaking his iron facade. Loyalty endures; secrets bind them tighter than scandals.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
The teaser immediately immerses Leo McGarry in high-stakes pressure from multiple fronts. He prepares for a congressional hearing probing President Bartlet's concealed MS diagnosis while simultaneously managing an escalating national crisis: seven new threats against black churches in Tennessee. FBI Agent Mike Casper briefs Leo on the arson threats, then departs to assist Josh Lyman on the ground. President Bartlet calls, ordering Leo to protect him at all costs, even suggesting perjury, a command Leo deflects with a quip about global eavesdroppers. His counsel, Jordan Kendall, urges him toward the hearing, but Leo's casual demeanor, feigning interest in breakfast, masks deeper anxieties. He makes a cryptic remark to Jordan, "It ain't nothing but a family thing," hinting at a personal secret. Leo then takes the oath, setting the stage for the intense scrutiny ahead.
In a tense hearing break, FBI Agent Mike Casper briefs Leo on seven new arson threats against black churches in Tennessee, with 25 agents and ATF en route; Leo assigns …
As the hearing looms, Jordan presses Leo to enter the room, but he stalls with a casual breakfast suggestion and a barrage of crises—seven new church arson threats, the Tennessee …
Congressman Rathburn relentlessly questions Leo McGarry under the glare of the congressional hearing, pressing whether President Bartlet mentioned his health at all, specifically during their first office meeting or second …
Under Rathburn's probing, Leo evasively responds 'I don't know' to whether he'd have backed Bartlet's run knowing of the MS diagnosis. Covering his mic, he gripes to Jordan about Rathburn's …
Congressman Erickson feigns bipartisanship by complimenting Chairman Bruno, then smugly quizzes Leo on constitutional succession protocols amid Bartlet's MS crisis. Leo whispers aside with Jordan, mocking Erickson's snotty tone while …
Amid Congressman Erickson's smug interrogation on constitutional succession, Leo and Jordan share a hushed, conspiratorial whisper mocking his 'snotty' demeanor, revealing their informal alliance and providing levity in the high-stakes …
Leo McGarry arrives at a congressional hearing room, steeling himself for testimony regarding President Bartlet's undisclosed multiple sclerosis. Simultaneously, he manages a national crisis involving seven black churches under threat in Tennessee, dispatching FBI agent Mike Casper to assist Josh Lyman and monitor the situation. President Bartlet calls, instructing Leo to protect himself at all costs, while Leo's counsel, Jordan Kendall, urges him to begin the proceedings amidst a throng of reporters. The hearing commences with Chairman Bruno probing how Bartlet's condition remained secret. Majority Counsel Cliff Calley establishes Leo's long-standing relationship with Bartlet, leading to a flashback where Leo first pitches Bartlet for President in the New Hampshire statehouse, symbolically placing a 'Bartlet for America' napkin on a posterboard. Back in the present, Leo denies Bartlet mentioned MS in early discussions and deflects hypothetical questions about his decision to support Bartlet's candidacy if he had known. Josh attempts to intervene and disrupt the hearing to protect Leo, but Leo, driven by a sense of guilt and responsibility, refuses his help. In the Oval Office, Bartlet confronts the Tennessee Governor about federalizing the National Guard to address the escalating church crisis. Later, during Leo's testimony, Congresswoman Dearborn invokes Edith Wilson, drawing a parallel to Abbey Bartlet's silence regarding her husband's condition. This prompts a flashback to the early campaign days, where Toby, C.J., and Sam strategize about Bartlet's public image and a physical exam. Abbey expresses profound hesitation about the physical, knowing Bartlet's remission hides his symptoms, but Bartlet insists on transparency before the Super Tuesday defeat. This act establishes the dual pressures on Leo: the public scrutiny of the hearing and the urgent national crisis, while also revealing the deep-seated history and personal sacrifices behind Bartlet's campaign.
Alone in the congressional hearing room on Christmas Eve, Leo summons FBI agent Mike Casper to brief him on escalating threats—seven more black churches targeted in Tennessee—dispatching Mike to support …
Post-Josh call, Jordan urges Leo into the hearing, but he stalls by suggesting breakfast, citing urgent church threats and National Guard needs to justify delay, insisting he's not nervous. Press …
Alone briefly in the Capitol Hill waiting room, Leo murmurs nostalgically to himself about his profound love for whiskey's sensory rituals—the heft of a thick glass, the clink of ice …
In the tense Capitol Hill waiting room, Jordan confronts Leo's nostalgic reverie about alcohol's sensory allure, forcing a raw admission of his relapse with two CEOs and Congressman Gibson as …
In a flashback to the early New Hampshire campaign, Allen and Alan timidly unveil their tourism slogan 'New Hampshire. It's what's new,' stumbling through half-baked justifications tying it to foliage …
After dismissing Allen and Alan's inept tourism pitch, Mrs. Landingham alerts Governor Bartlet to Leo McGarry's unannounced arrival. Leo trades cryptic banter about leaves and his daughters, evading direct answers …
Following a break in the hearing, Josh Lyman, still determined to protect Leo, attempts to recruit Sam Seaborn to find a steel lobbyist who could pull Congressman Gibson away from the hearing, thereby disrupting his line of questioning. Sam struggles to find a suitable contact, indicating the difficulty of Josh's impromptu plan. Meanwhile, Leo engages in lighthearted banter and flirts with Jordan Kendall during their lunch break, a brief respite from the intense pressure. Upon returning to the hearing, Congressman Erickson questions Leo about Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the U.S. Constitution, attempting to imply a greater possibility of presidential death due to MS. Leo sharply corrects Erickson, emphasizing that MS is not fatal and condemning the congressman for exploiting the disease for political gain, demanding an apology for families affected by MS. He staunchly defends the selection of John Hoynes as Vice President, asserting Hoynes's ability to assume the presidency. This defense segues into a pivotal flashback to the presidential convention suite. Bartlet, having secured the nomination, offers the Vice President slot to John Hoynes. After the staff clears the room, Bartlet reveals his diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS to a stunned Hoynes. Hoynes, visibly shocked and feeling betrayed, questions Bartlet's decision to conceal the condition throughout the campaign. Despite Bartlet's attempt to frame the disclosure as a sign of trust, Hoynes leaves the suite without accepting the offer, his ambition clashing with the immense risk. Abbey Bartlet, present during this tense exchange, watches her husband leave with a mixture of concern and disbelief, underscoring the profound personal and political ramifications of their secret.
In a pivotal morale-boosting interlude during the hearing break, President Bartlet calls Leo, fiercely urging him to let Josh shield him—even via perjury if needed—while Leo deftly deflects for security. …
Fresh from Bartlet's bolstering phone call, which Jordan overheard, she anxiously probes Leo about 'what's going on.' As Chairman Bruno calls him to swear in, her unease prompts another urgent …
In a snowy late-night walk outside campaign headquarters, Abbey fondly notes she'll miss the young staff like Josh and Sam, subtly foreshadowing the campaign's brevity. Bartlet reveals demands for financial …
As Bartlet watches Abbey's car depart into the snowy night, Congressman Dearborn's somber voiceover pierces the quiet, revealing that despite the campaign's forward momentum toward South Carolina and South Dakota, …
In a brief moment of levity under crisis, FBI Agent Mike Casper flirts with Donna Moss, acknowledging burning churches delay his advances. Josh Lyman brusquely confronts Mike on the FBI's …
Josh, Mike, and Charlie enter the Oval Office mid-argument as President Bartlet pressures Governor Edward to federalize the National Guard against church arsons, invoking historical precedents amid escalating racial tensions. …
In the Oval Office, Bartlet watches the hearing on TV with pained regret over the scrutiny on his wife, muttering about the injustices done to women like his scientist wife …
In the Outer Oval Office, President Bartlet watches the congressional hearing on TV, murmuring softly with profound regret, 'The things we do to women,' likely alluding to the brutal scrutiny …
As President Bartlet watches the congressional hearing on television in the Outer Oval Office, Chairman Bruno recognizes Congressman Buchanan from Virginia. Buchanan decisively requests permission to forgo his opening statement …
Josh Lyman receives crucial news from Mike Casper: the FBI has apprehended Gilbert Murdock, a 17-year-old high school dropout, for a brake light violation that inadvertently led to the discovery of his involvement in the church burning conspiracy. This breakthrough allows the FBI to declare the threats credible, enabling President Bartlet to decisively greenlight the federalization of the National Guard in Tennessee, effectively resolving the immediate crisis. Josh informs Bartlet that his plan to remove Congressman Gibson from the hearing has failed, acknowledging that Leo will have to endure the full brunt of the testimony. Back at the hearing, Congressman Gibson begins his line of questioning, focusing on President Bartlet's past collapses, specifically mentioning an incident in Rosslyn and another on October 30th in St. Louis, the eve of the third presidential debate. Sensing an imminent and damaging revelation, Jordan Kendall requests a short recess. During this impromptu break, Cliff Calley confronts Gibson and Chairman Bruno, expressing his dismay. Cliff reveals that Gibson intends to expose Leo's past alcoholic relapse, an event Gibson himself witnessed. Cliff, clearly disturbed by the unethical nature of this political attack, argues that Leo's sobriety is not relevant to the committee's mandate and that such a tactic is 'bush league,' threatening to resign if Gibson proceeds. This act culminates in the resolution of the external crisis while intensifying the personal and political stakes of the hearing, setting the stage for Leo's most vulnerable revelations.
In the Democratic National Convention suite (flashback), amid TV cheers and milling aides, President Bartlet conducts a swift roll call of his senior staff—Toby, Josh, Sam, C.J., and Leo—drawing brief …
In the DNC suite flashback, after rallying staff and clearing the room, Leo ushers in Senator Hoynes. Bartlet discloses his concealed relapsing-remitting MS diagnosis as a trust gesture to secure …
Josh Lyman calls Leo to confirm his plan to remove Gibson failed, but Leo, having anticipated this, remains stoic. Jordan Kendall confronts Leo, demanding to know what Gibson holds over him, threatening to walk out if he doesn't disclose the truth. Leo, compelled, recounts a flashback to the St. Louis debate eve: he was in his hotel suite, drinking Johnny Walker Blue with two CEOs and Gibson, struggling with his alcoholism. He describes his fascination with the ritual of drinking, explaining the profound difference between casual drinking and an alcoholic's compulsion. During this time, Josh calls, informing Leo that Bartlet has collapsed at the debate site and urging him to come. However, Leo, already intoxicated and then interrupted by Gibson returning for a forgotten briefcase, is unable to respond effectively or conceal his state. Back in the present, Leo explains to Jordan that alcoholism is a disease, not a moral failing, rooted in his family history. He reveals that only Josh and Bartlet know about his relapse, underscoring the isolation and shame associated with it. Jordan, showing empathy, asks Leo to dinner. Simultaneously, in a separate room, Cliff Calley passionately confronts Gibson and Chairman Bruno, condemning Gibson's plan to expose Leo's relapse as 'killing the party' and threatening his resignation. Bruno, swayed by Cliff's moral stand, declares a recess until January 5th, effectively sparing Leo from the public humiliation. Leo and Cliff share a brief, knowing glance of mutual respect. Leo accepts Jordan's invitation for Christmas Eve dinner. Later, Leo returns to his dark White House office, where President Bartlet is waiting. Bartlet presents Leo with a framed 'Bartlet for America' napkin, a powerful symbol of their enduring bond and shared history. Overwhelmed by the day's events and Bartlet's gesture, Leo breaks down, weeping alone in his office, his secrets exposed but his most vital relationships reaffirmed.
In the flashback to the St. Louis debate site, Josh and Sam huddle tensely by one podium, locked in urgent, whispered strategy talks that betray the pressure of the moment. …
In the chaotic pre-debate bustle of the St. Louis theater, Bartlet stands poised by the moderators' table with a female staffer, embodying presidential precision amid campaign frenzy. When she probes …
In a tense flashback to his St. Louis hotel suite, a deeply intoxicated Leo McGarry pours another scotch amid empty bottles, ignoring the ringing phone. Josh's urgent call shatters the …
Interrupted mid-relapse by Josh's urgent call about the Governor's collapse, a disheveled Leo opens his door to Congressman Gibson, who retrieves his briefcase and spots the damning array of empty …