Class Dismissed — Bartlet's Rousing Close
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
President Bartlet delivers a rousing conclusion to his speech, invoking the Declaration of Independence and the ideals of American democracy, ending with a patriotic sign-off.
The audience erupts in applause, demonstrating their approval and admiration for Bartlet’s speech.
Josh acknowledges Bartlet’s successful speech with a quick, affirming remark.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Relieved and quietly buoyant, masking ongoing anxiety about other crises while acknowledging a public success.
Josh is present backstage (or nearby) and responds immediately after the applause with a quiet, two‑word congratulation 'Way to go,' signaling relief and recognition of a political win while still absorbing the larger day's pressures.
- • To register and consolidate a small morale victory for the team.
- • To quickly translate the rhetorical win into tactical advantage or at least preserve momentum.
- • Public appearances can provide tangible political breathing room for the administration.
- • Small backstage signals of approval matter for staff cohesion and morale.
Measured and rhetorically confident; projecting moral certainty while containing the private strain of ongoing crises.
President Bartlet stands before the assembled audience and delivers the closing lines, quoting the Declaration, issuing the maxim 'Decisions are made by those who show up,' and offering a benediction that converts policy rhetoric into civic exhortation.
- • To leave the audience energized and invested in civic participation.
- • To frame the administration as morally and politically legitimate in public view.
- • Public legitimacy is sustained by civic participation and persuasive rhetorical leadership.
- • A compact, patriotic moral claim can blunt partisan skepticism and unify listeners.
Moved and approving; the crowd experiences communal uplift and momentary unity.
The assembled Newseum audience responds with enthusiastic, sustained applause to Bartlet's closing, converting his rhetorical claim into social validation and publicly manifesting agreement with the call to civic participation.
- • To show approval and reinforce the speaker's authority through applause.
- • To participate in a civic ritual that affirms collective identity.
- • Public gatherings are appropriate places to affirm national values.
- • Visible approval (applause) contributes to political legitimacy and social coherence.
King George III is invoked rhetorically by Bartlet as a historical foil; he is not present but functions as the …
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Newseum provides the staged public forum for Bartlet's address: a formal, media‑savvy auditorium where civic rhetoric is amplified. Its architecture and press infrastructure transform a speech into a broadcasted political ritual, making applause both immediate and performative.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
No narrative connections mapped yet
This event is currently isolated in the narrative graph
Key Dialogue
"BARTLET: ...and announced to the world that we were no longer subjects of King George III, but rather a self-governing people. We hold these truths to be self-evident, they said, that all men are created equal. Strange as it may seem, that was the first time in history that anyone had bothered to write that down. Decisions are made by those who show up. Class dismissed. Thank you, everyone. God bless you. And God bless America."
"JOSH: Way to go."