The West Wing
S1E2
· Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

Pool Banter and a Warning

A casual, humanizing beat — Donna and Josh trade playful gambling banter as they walk the bullpen — that is immediately undercut by West Wing business. C.J. arrives to say Leo will be ready in a half hour, and Josh grills her about a phone call with Hoynes. Her repeated reassurances and Josh’s last, terse demand, “Anyone but Mandy,” convert the moment into a quiet political alarm: this friendly exchange sets character tone, reveals Josh’s priorities and mistrust, and primes the team for an imminent, contentious meeting.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Donna and Josh engage in a playful but tense conversation about a betting pool, showcasing their dynamic and hinting at Josh's characteristic skepticism.

playful to tense

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

6
C.J. Cregg
primary

Calm and controlled outwardly; possibly masking concern as she chooses to be reassuring rather than alarmist to avoid escalating staff anxiety.

C.J. walks up, delivers logistical news about Leo's availability, answers Josh's pointed questions about a call with Hoynes, and repeatedly offers clipped reassurance ('We're fine') while exiting to allow the team to prepare.

Goals in this moment
  • • Convey essential logistical information efficiently
  • • Calm the team and prevent rumor or panic about Hoynes' call
  • • Preserve operational readiness until Leo can brief them
Active beliefs
  • • Orderly, understated communication reduces chaos
  • • The staff should remain focused and wait for Leo's direction
  • • Reassurance is preferable to speculative detail in the bullpen
Character traits
professional reassuring measured economical in speech
Follow C.J. Cregg's journey
Joshua Lyman
primary

Surface playfulness collapsing into focused tension; the banter masks an underlying anxiety about control and optics that surfaces when politics intrudes.

Josh begins in banter mode—joking about betting and evading commitment—then immediately shifts to managerial mode, questioning C.J. about a call with Hoynes, pressing for certainty, and delivering the terse directive 'Anyone but Mandy.'

Goals in this moment
  • • Confirm the status of the forthcoming meeting with Leo
  • • Ensure no one who will worsen optics (i.e., Mandy) is involved
  • • Contain potential political damage by controlling personnel choices
Active beliefs
  • • Personnel choices determine how crises are perceived and handled
  • • Hoynes' involvement could complicate messaging or power dynamics
  • • Mandy represents a wildcard whose presence could escalate media exposure
Character traits
quick-witted protective suspicious command-minded
Follow Joshua Lyman's journey
Donna Moss
primary

Lighthearted and amused at first; mildly reproachful about Josh's cavalier attitude; quietly attentive as professional business intrudes.

Donnatella walks alongside Josh trading playful gambling banter, teasing him about his lack of seriousness and pressing him for picks; her levity is abruptly sidelined by C.J.'s arrival and the ensuing political exchange.

Goals in this moment
  • • Maintain camaraderie and normalcy through light banter
  • • Get Josh to make a tangible commitment to the pool (a small, social win)
  • • Signal everyday continuity to defuse tension when work intrudes
Active beliefs
  • • Small rituals (like the pool) keep the team grounded amid crises
  • • Josh benefits from being roused out of his detachment with teasing
  • • Work interruptions are inevitable and should be absorbed with composure
Character traits
playful teasing practical socially attuned
Follow Donna Moss's journey
John Hoynes

Hoynes is not onstage but is named as the person C.J. spoke with; his offstage phone call functions as a …

Leo Thomas McGarry (Chief of Staff)

Leo is referenced offstage as the person who will be ready in about a half hour and who will call …

Madeline Hampton

Mandy is mentioned by Josh as someone he does not want involved ('Anyone but Mandy'); though absent, she functions as …

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
West Wing Communications Bullpen (White House Communications Office)

Josh's open-plan bullpen is the setting for the transition from private banter to public business: clustered desks and low partitions make the exchange exposed, so a casual joke becomes shared and immediately subject to institutional interruption. The location facilitates quick information relay and rapid role-shifting among staff.

Atmosphere Shifting — initially convivial and informal, quickly tightening into focused, slightly anxious professionalism.
Function Operational staging ground where informal staff interaction and urgent White House logistics collide; a preparatory …
Symbolism Represents the porous boundary between personal camaraderie and institutional duty; the bullpen embodies the administration's …
Access Generally an internal staff area—open to White House staffers and immediate aides, not the public.
Compact, open-plan workspace with clustered desks and low partitions Ambient office noise and visible TV monitors (press/briefing chatter implied) Quick-moving foot traffic as staff depart at C.J.'s cue

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 2
Escalation medium

"Josh's lighthearted watching of C.J.'s briefing escalates to a more serious discussion about the need for strategic action regarding the media fallout, showing the progression from personal reactions to professional concerns."

Containment vs. Exposure: Josh, Sam and C.J. Collide
S1E2 · Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
Escalation medium

"Josh's lighthearted watching of C.J.'s briefing escalates to a more serious discussion about the need for strategic action regarding the media fallout, showing the progression from personal reactions to professional concerns."

Sam's Call-Girl Confession — A Personal Problem Becomes Political Risk
S1E2 · Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

Key Dialogue

"DONNA: You can't win if you don't play. JOSH: I see it different."
"JOSH: Did you talk to Hoynes? C.J.: Yeah. JOSH: And? C.J.: We're fine. JOSH: You're sure? C.J.: Yeah JOSH: C.J.? C.J.: We're fine. JOSH: Okay. C.J.: Leo will call when he's ready."
"JOSH: Anyone but Mandy."