Hoynes Commands Briefing Room, Blasts Oil Allies, Puzzles Toby
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Toby watches from the back as Vice President Hoynes holds a press conference, puzzling over why the oil industry champion would admonish his former allies.
Steve questions Hoynes about the administration's emission standards causing price spikes, setting up a confrontation on energy policy.
Hoynes defends clean air standards proudly, turning the tables by accusing the industry of price gouging consumers.
Chris presses Hoynes on whether he's accusing the PPA of price gouging, escalating the tension as Hoynes confirms his suspicions.
Hoynes continues hammering the oil industry, mentioning his old friends' profit tactics—his forceful rhetoric reminds Toby of Hoynes' near-presidential potential.
Toby remains suspicious of Hoynes' motives, unable to shake the question of why the Vice President chose to attack his own allies publicly.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Confident bravado veiling calculated political maneuvering
Hoynes dominates the podium at the press conference, confidently defending emissions standards with policy triumphs, then pivots to accuse oil CEOs of gouging, delivering wry concessions about their profit savvy while hammering their excuses, evoking near-presidential command.
- • Defend Bartlet administration's clean air policies against price spike attacks
- • Publicly distance from oil industry allies to burnish independent leadership image
- • Emissions standards deliver tangible public health wins worth marginal costs
- • Oil CEOs exploit crises for excessive profits despite personal ties
Puzzled distrust masking deepening suspicion of hidden motives
Toby stands watchful in the back of the briefing room, silently observing Hoynes' aggressive oil industry takedown with visible puzzlement, his jaw clenched as he grapples with the VP's uncharacteristic volunteerism amid whispers of ambition.
- • Assess Hoynes' true intentions behind the unprompted oil attack
- • Protect Bartlet loyalty by scrutinizing potential VP power plays
- • Hoynes' oil betrayal signals personal ambition over party unity
- • Volunteered aggression like this rarely stems from pure policy zeal
Determined and probing
Steve aggressively questions Hoynes from the press corps, citing Phillip Sluman's FTC testimony to link emissions additives directly to fuel price spikes, thrusting the administration's policy into the spotlight.
- • Elicit administration response on controversial FTC testimony
- • Expose potential policy-cost connections for public scrutiny
- • Emissions mandates bear responsibility for consumer price hikes
- • Officials must address industry testimony head-on
Focused intensity seeking precise accountability
Chris interjects sharply from the press pack, pinning Hoynes on whether his gouging charges target PPA members specifically, forcing clarification on the VP's pointed industry critique.
- • Clarify if Hoynes directly accuses influential PPA oil executives
- • Amplify tensions between VP and his former industry allies
- • Political leaders must own accusations against powerful lobbies
- • Personal ties don't excuse public profit critiques
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Chris directly challenges Hoynes on accusing PPA members of gouging; VP sidesteps with wry nods to their profit mastery and old friendships, spotlighting the group's role as oil elite under fire in the policy crosshairs.
Hoynes staunchly defends the Bartlet Administration's emissions additives policy at the podium, citing asthma reductions and California's cleanest air in decades as victories, framing price spikes as industry exploitation rather than policy failure.
Steve invokes the Federal Trade Commission's hearing where Phillip Sluman testified that Bartlet emissions mandates drive refinery costs and price spikes, positioning FTC as the investigative flashpoint igniting the press confrontation.
Hoynes blasts the oil industry—his longtime allies—as passing marginal additive costs to consumers at 'outrageous' markups, conceding their profit prowess while dismantling their excuses, turning personal ties into public betrayal fodder.
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Key Dialogue
"STEVE: Sir, I'm sure you're aware that Phillip Sluman testified before the FTC that the Bartlet administration's relentless pursuit of stricter emissions standards in the form of additives is why we're seeing price spikes. HOYNES: Yeah. Our relentless pursuit of cleaner air standards has resulted in lower asthma rates and the cleanest air in California in 50 years. It costs marginally more to refine fuel with additives, but the costs are being passed on to consumers at an outrageous price."
"CHRIS: Are you accusing members of the PPA of price gouging? HOYNES: Well, some of these CEOs are old friends of mine. But, uh, I can tell you they do know how to turn a profit."