Rehearsing the Oath
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Bartlet prepares for the inauguration, focusing on the ceremonial detail of placing his hand on the Bible, highlighting the tension between formalities and the weight of the office.
C.J. clarifies the inauguration steps to Bartlet, emphasizing the ritualistic nature of the event amid the surrounding chaos.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Calm and focused; outwardly collected with an undercurrent of protective urgency to insure ceremonial precision and public optics.
C.J. stands off to the side of the podium, speaking in a measured, instructive tone; she outlines the Chief Justice's prompt and physically rehearses the hand placement instructions with the President, calmly containing the moment.
- • Ensure the President knows and performs the oath ceremony flawlessly.
- • Reassure and steady the President so he appears confident before the public and press.
- • Control the small procedural details so larger policy matters remain the focal point.
- • Ceremonial correctness is essential to institutional dignity and media framing.
- • As Press Secretary, she must manage both facts and appearances to minimize distraction.
- • Small mistakes invite outsized scrutiny that could undermine larger policy messages.
Neutral and institutional (inferred); embodies procedural steadiness rather than personal drama.
The Chief Justice is invoked as the official who will administer the oath; he is not present in the room but his procedural role structures the rehearsal and anchors the ritual's authority.
- • Administer the oath precisely to preserve constitutional continuity (inferred).
- • Maintain the judiciary's role as the neutral ceremonial overseer of executive transitions (inferred).
- • Ritual and wording of the oath must be followed to the letter (inferred).
- • The office of the Chief Justice represents institutional continuity above individual actors (inferred).
Slightly nervous and seeking reassurance; surface calm undercut by private distraction and the burden of heavier responsibilities.
President Josiah Bartlet stands at the briefing-room podium, deferring to C.J.'s instructions and asking aloud what follows in the oath—a small, exposed moment of uncertainty from the nation's leader.
- • Execute the ceremonial oath correctly to avoid public embarrassment.
- • Receive clear, step-by-step assurance from staff to steady himself before the inauguration.
- • Maintain outward composure despite internal preoccupation with weightier policy crises.
- • Ritual precision matters for legitimacy and public confidence.
- • He can, and should, rely on trusted staff to handle procedural details so he can focus on substance.
- • Admitting a small procedural uncertainty is preferable to fumbling in public.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The press-room podium functions as the physical locus of rehearsal: Bartlet stands behind it as C.J. rehearses the oath's physical moves and verbal cues. It frames the president's posture and public-facing presence, making the private rehearsal feel staged and public at once.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Press Briefing Room serves as the rehearsal stage for the inauguration oath: a public-facing, official space where procedural correctness is practiced in view (or within earshot) of press routines. The room's institutional trappings make a private, human moment feel deliberately exposed and measured.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Bartlet's focus on the ceremonial detail of placing his hand on the Bible parallels his later humorous dismissal of the impractical oversized Bible."
Key Dialogue
"C.J.: "That's when the Chief Justice will ask you to raise your right hand and place your left hand on the Bible.""
"BARTLET: "What do I do then?""
"C.J.: "You raise your right hand and put your left hand on the Bible.""