Curators Fiercely Defend Smithsonian Exhibit Against Toby's Skepticism
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Mary defends the Smithsonian exhibit against accusations of anti-Americanism, asserting its balanced nature.
Evan vehemently contests the anti-American label for the exhibit, expressing disbelief at having to justify it to Toby.
Toby, puzzled by Evan's remark, distances himself from the NEA comparison, asserting the uniqueness of the current situation.
Evan challenges Toby to explain how this situation differs from the NEA, pushing for clarity.
Toby highlights the President's involvement as a distinguishing factor and signals the meeting's conclusion due to pressing matters.
Evan appreciates Toby's time, and Toby reciprocates, proposing a follow-up call later in the day.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
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President Bartlet is invoked by Toby as the catalyst for the meeting—his requested speech at the exhibit justifying White House intervention—elevating stakes without physical presence.
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Frustrated incredulity surging into righteous challenge
Evan Woodkirk interrupts forcefully to broaden the defense, expressing disbelief at debating Toby—a perceived NEA ally—accuses hypocrisy on arts funding, probes for differentiation, then graciously accepts the abrupt close and welcomes follow-up.
- • Vindicate exhibit as non-anti-American and challenge Toby's consistency
- • Secure ongoing engagement to protect curatorial vision
- • Toby's NEA advocacy undermines his exhibit critique
- • Historical exhibits demand unflinching truth over sanitized reverence
Conciliatory poise veiling underlying defensiveness
Mary Kline opens the exchange with a measured, conciliatory defense of the exhibit, softening the assertion that it's not broadly anti-American, then yields to Evan's escalation while remaining present in the room's tense tableau.
- • Downplay perceived anti-American slant to preserve exhibit integrity
- • Maintain constructive dialogue with White House despite pressure
- • Exhibit provides balanced historical context, not bias
- • Curatorial independence withstands political optics
Pragmatic impatience cloaking controlled irritation
Toby Ziegler parries Evan's personal jab with feigned ignorance, firmly distinguishes exhibit review from NEA fights by invoking the President's speech commitment, then decisively ends the meeting citing urgent distractions before proposing a later call.
- • Reframe critique around presidential optics to neutralize hypocrisy charge
- • Extract concessions or intel while deferring full resolution
- • POTUS involvement elevates exhibit to political flashpoint beyond ideology
- • White House priorities supersede prolonged cultural debates
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The White House Conference Room confines the verbal joust between Toby and the curators, its stark formality amplifying the power imbalance as political scrutiny invades cultural turf, building pressure that Toby releases by cutting short amid broader crises.
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Key Dialogue
"EVAN: Hang on, it's not like any of the exhibit is anti-American. I can't believe I have to have this conversation with you of all people."
"EVAN: Aren't you the one always standing by the NEA when..."
"TOBY: I'm not. This is different from the NEA."