Order to Tell C.J. About the Refuel
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Bartlet instructs Larry to inform C.J. about the refueling, shifting focus to managing the press and internal communications.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Frustrated and impatient with operational uncertainty; quietly controlled but visibly concerned about both safety and political consequences.
Standing in the Air Force One hallway, Bartlet fires concise, pointed questions at Weiskopf, presses for specifics about altitude and proximity, and then dispatches Larry to inform C.J., converting technical information into political action.
- • Obtain clear technical answers that affect the safety of the aircraft and passengers.
- • Prevent uncontrolled information leakage by initiating press-management (telling C.J.).
- • Minimize political/diplomatic fallout by controlling the narrative and decisions.
- • Delaying for environmental factors (waiting for moonlight) is politically and operationally unacceptable.
- • He must be both commander-in-chief and crisis manager: technical fixes and communications must be coordinated.
- • Military officers will give him necessary options but he must choose the tradeoffs between safety and exposure.
Controlled and businesslike, mildly apologetic but focused on presenting operational options rather than emotion.
Descends from the cockpit to brief the President succinctly: explains lack of visual confirmation due to no moon, outlines the low flyby and imminent refuel, references the Falcon crew as the first-line inspectors.
- • Convey the technical reality and constraints to the President clearly and quickly.
- • Present the safest practical operational plan available under current conditions.
- • Preserve aircraft and passenger safety while following protocol.
- • Visual confirmation is essential before risking a landing under uncertain gear status.
- • Darkness (absent moon) materially limits safe inspection from the ground, necessitating airborne measures.
- • The chain-of-command must be informed and involved in decisions that carry safety and political risk.
Inferred calm professionalism and readiness; presented as an expert unit prepared to execute precise, risky observation work.
Mentioned by Weiskopf as 'the boys next door,' the Falcon crew is positioned as the immediate operational asset to 'poke around' under Air Force One to try to visually assess the landing gear before riskier maneuvers are attempted.
- • Provide definitive visual confirmation or denial of landing gear status.
- • Avoid the need for a risky low-altitude flyby if possible.
- • Execute inspection procedures to support safe landing decisions.
- • A proximate aerial inspection can yield the necessary information despite darkness.
- • They can perform the necessary maneuver safely if ordered.
- • Operational discretion is necessary to prevent panic or political complications.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The absent moon functions as an environmental 'object' that directly constrains operations—Weiskopf cites its absence as the reason ground-based visual confirmation is impossible, forcing riskier airborne options and shaping the tactical choices discussed.
The Falcon support aircraft is invoked as the operational inspection asset; its crew will fly alongside to peer into the undercarriage and 'poke around' where ground crews cannot see, acting as the immediate technical response to the ambiguous landing-gear indicators.
Air Force One itself is the centerpiece: its landing-gear indicator is ambiguous, forcing operational discussion. The aircraft is slated to execute a low flyby of Andrews Tower for visual inspection and to schedule midair refueling, turning the plane from conveyance into the subject of an urgent engineering and public-relations decision.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Andrews Tower is invoked as the critical ground vantage point for a flyby inspection; the plan is to skim past the tower at low altitude so ground crews can attempt to visualize the gear, making the tower the operational waypoint that transforms a technical problem into a visible, inspectable event.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The U.S. Armed Forces is the overarching organization whose personnel and protocols are executing the response: an Air Force colonel briefs the President, and military assets and procedures (flyby, refuel, support aircraft) are the instruments of action.
The Falcon organization, represented by its crew and support aircraft, provides the tactical capability to perform the underbelly inspection. It is referenced as the first operational recourse to resolve the technical uncertainty without immediate risky maneuvers.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Weiskopf's outlining of next steps and Bartlet's sarcastic response both highlight the operational difficulties and Bartlet's frustration."
"Bartlet's instruction to Larry about informing C.J. of the refueling leads to Will relaying this information to C.J. and the press."
"Weiskopf's outlining of next steps and Bartlet's sarcastic response both highlight the operational difficulties and Bartlet's frustration."
Key Dialogue
"WEISKOPF: We're going to have to fly pretty close."
"WEISKOPF: We're going to have to refuel pretty soon."
"BARTLET: Larry, would you go back and mention that to C.J.?"