The West Wing
S2E3
· The Midterms

C.J.'s Unvoiced Aftermath Worry Interrupted by Urgent Beeper

Outside the President's bedroom, C.J. assures Leo the fundraising calls are progressing well, then tentatively raises her unease about media requests for 'aftermath stories' on the assassination attempt's psychological toll—a rare glimpse into her suppressed emotional strain amid relentless duty. Leo misreads it as a participation query and shuts it down. As C.J. presses to clarify her deeper worry, her beeper buzzes with an urgent alert, forcing her to abandon the personal beat for operational crisis, underscoring the White House's unyielding pace and diverting from Bartlet's fixation to broader midterm urgencies.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

C.J. and Leo discuss aftermath stories while outside, with C.J. hinting at unspoken concerns before being interrupted by a beep, implying looming trouble.

concern to foreboding ["Outside the President's bedroom"]

C.J. abandons her conversation with Leo to address whatever alert just came through, heightening the suspense about the nature of the incoming issue.

reluctance to urgency ["Outside the President's bedroom"]

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

6
Zoey Patricia Bartlet (First Daughter, youngest daughter)
primary

hesitant

Enters bedroom with Leo, attempts to talk to father about Charlie but deterred by his mood.

Goals in this moment
  • • Discuss Charlie with her father
Character traits
affectionate protective playful/teasing impulsive
Follow Zoey Patricia …'s journey
C.J. Cregg
primary

Tentatively exposed unease swiftly masked by professional resolve

C.J. stands with Leo in the corridor, confidently affirming fundraising success, then vulnerably probes media 'aftermath stories' concern before beeper interrupts, prompting her to check it, dismiss the issue, and urgently dial a phone—shifting seamlessly from personal disclosure to crisis response.

Goals in this moment
  • • Reassure Leo on fundraising momentum to maintain operational alignment
  • • Gauge Leo's stance on handling media's psychological trauma exploitation
Active beliefs
  • • Personal emotional toll must yield to White House duties
  • • Media requests for 'aftermath' risk unethical sensationalism of tragedy
Character traits
resilient vulnerable dutiful
Follow C.J. Cregg's journey
Josiah Bartlet
primary

obsessed

Sitting on bed with phone to ear discussing Elliot Roush's polling obsessively, interacts with Leo and Zoey, eats breakfast at settee, dismisses C.J. and Leo.

Goals in this moment
  • • Advocate for taking the local school board race seriously
  • • Check on fundraising calls indirectly
Character traits
protective resolute self-aware principled
Follow Josiah Bartlet's journey
Charlie Young
primary

Mentioned by Zoey as the topic she wants to discuss with her father.

Character traits
playful dutiful composed empathetic
Follow Charlie Young's journey
Elliot Roush
primary

Significantly mentioned as opponent polling at 46% in local Board of Education race, subject of Bartlet's obsession.

Character traits
tenacious polarizing ambitious
Follow Elliot Roush's journey
Bill Trotter
primary

Brings breakfast for Bartlet.

Character traits
deferential composed reliable technical non-confrontational
Follow Bill Trotter's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Hallway Outside the President's Bedroom

This liminal corridor outside the President's bedroom serves as a pressured interstitial space where C.J. and Leo conduct a fleeting, interrupted exchange—bridging Bartlet's private obsession with midterm urgencies, its proximity amplifying the tension between personal vulnerability and institutional demands in post-assassination recovery.

Atmosphere Hushed and tense, charged with unspoken scars and abrupt operational pull
Function Transitional conduit for senior staff sidebar amid presidential seclusion
Symbolism Threshold embodying the collision of intimate recovery and relentless public duty
Access Restricted to inner-circle staff, proximate to guarded presidential quarters
Polished thresholds shadowed by daybreak light Echoes of bedroom conversation fading into corridor urgency

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 4
Callback

"Bartlet's personal history with Roush is recalled when he reveals the tactic he used to defeat Roush years earlier during the Jenna Jacobs confrontation."

C.J.'s 'Gary with a G' Detour
S2E3 · The Midterms
Callback

"Bartlet's personal history with Roush is recalled when he reveals the tactic he used to defeat Roush years earlier during the Jenna Jacobs confrontation."

Bartlet's Scriptural Smackdown of Jenna Jacobs
S2E3 · The Midterms
Character Continuity medium

"Bartlet's obsession with the Elliot Roush school board race is consistent throughout, culminating in his discussion with C.J. about it."

Bartlet Demands Roush Coverage, Dismisses House Strategy
S2E3 · The Midterms
Character Continuity medium

"Bartlet's obsession with the Elliot Roush school board race is consistent throughout, culminating in his discussion with C.J. about it."

Bartlet's Confession and Reluctant Democratic Concession
S2E3 · The Midterms

Key Dialogue

"C.J.: "Listen, Leo, we're still asked to participate in aftermath stories.""
"LEO: "Psychological effects?" C.J.: "Yeah and I was wondering...." LEO: "Don't do it.""
"C.J.: "This isn't going to be good." LEO: "You were wondering what?" C.J.: "Don't worry about it.""