The West Wing
S3E17
· Stirred

Grant's Flawed Legacy Pitches Leo as VP Replacement

In the Roosevelt Room, Ed and C.J. invoke Ulysses S. Grant's triumphs despite personal flaws like drunkenness and poor voting record, paralleling the debate over flawed leaders amid the VP crisis. Toby chimes in on the Civil War win. Josh boldly proposes Leo as Bartlet’s running mate; Leo curtly rejects it as absurd amid banter about parking spots. C.J. retells Lincoln defending Grant by sending whiskey to all generals. Larry envisions a campaign ad. Leo challenges their hypocrisy on alcoholics in the West Wing, exits firmly, leaving Josh pensive. This turning point underscores loyalty to imperfect allies while highlighting Leo's principled stand against exploiting his sobriety.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Ed and C.J. reference Grant's political legacy, highlighting his historical significance despite his flaws.

historical reflection to contemporary relevance

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

6
Josh Lyman
primary

Optimistic persistence shifting to pensive doubt

Josh ignites the proposal by suggesting 'Bartlet-McGarry' as running mate, persists against Leo's rejections with 'It's not absurd' and parking joke admission, ends pensive after Leo's exit, gaze reflecting stalled ambition.

Goals in this moment
  • • Secure Leo as viable running mate to salvage electoral map
  • • Leverage historical analogies to normalize flawed leadership picks
Active beliefs
  • • Desperate times justify unconventional tickets like Bartlet-McGarry
  • • Personal flaws like addiction don't disqualify proven leaders
Character traits
bold persistent impulsive reflective
Follow Josh Lyman's journey
Toby Ziegler
primary

Sardonic amusement amid underlying strategic frustration

Toby reinforces Grant debate with 'Plus he won the Civil War,' then injects sarcasm via 'He wants your parking space' jab at Josh's motive, nodding along to heighten ironic tension.

Goals in this moment
  • • Bolster historical precedent for flawed VPs with Civil War win
  • • Deflect tension through humor on parking space rivalry
Active beliefs
  • • Victory trumps personal vices, as with Grant
  • • Interpersonal jabs like parking reveal true motivations
Character traits
sarcastic cynical witty supportive
Follow Toby Ziegler's journey
Leo McGarry
primary

Resolute indignation masking vulnerability over sobriety

Leo enters abruptly, curtly shuts down Josh's repeated Bartlet-McGarry running mate pitch with firm 'Done' and 'Yes, it is,' banters briefly on parking, then stands to deliver hypocrisy challenge on alcoholics before exiting decisively.

Goals in this moment
  • • Reject exploitation of personal sobriety for political gain
  • • Expose staff hypocrisy on judging alcoholics in leadership
Active beliefs
  • • Flawed individuals like alcoholics can excel in high office
  • • Loyalty demands respecting personal boundaries over electoral math
Character traits
resolute principled sardonic unyielding
Follow Leo McGarry's journey
C.J. Cregg
primary

invokes Grant as an example in any situation and his legacy, supports idea of Leo as running mate not being absurd, retells Lincoln sending whiskey to generals to defend Grant

Goals in this moment
  • • use Grant and Lincoln anecdotes to parallel debate on flawed leaders for VP role
Character traits
resilient strategic poised terse dutiful
Follow C.J. Cregg's journey
Supporting 1
Unnamed State Department Official
secondary

comments that Grant only voted once in his life, and it was for the other guys

Goals in this moment
  • • contribute to debate on flawed leaders like Grant
Follow Unnamed State …'s journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Roosevelt Room (Mural Room — West Wing meeting room)

The Roosevelt Room hosts this midnight senior staff brainstorm on VP replacement, packed with historical invocations and bold pitches; its presidential namesake amplifies irony as flawed past leaders mirror current dilemmas, fueling tense loyalty debates amid electoral peril.

Atmosphere Late-night intensity laced with sarcasm, historical fervor, and abrupt resolve
Function debate venue for high-stakes running mate strategy
Symbolism Embodies presidential legacy, paralleling Grant/Lincoln analogies to modern power struggles
Access Restricted to senior White House staff
Nighttime setting Implied polished conference table Doorway for Leo's entrance/exit

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 1
Thematic Parallel

"Leo's dismissal of his Vice-Presidential candidacy due to his past addiction and Hoynes' sobriety revelation both explore the theme of personal vulnerability in the face of political scrutiny."

C.J.'s Stunned Confirmation of Hoynes' 22-Year Sobriety
S3E17 · Stirred

Themes This Exemplifies

Thematic resonance and meaning

Sanctity of Sobriety
4
In the smoke-hazed AA circle scarred by confessions, Hoynes strides late to fiercely protect Leo's fellowship spot, sharing first to foster trust, while Leo later …

Key Dialogue

"ED: "Grant only voted once in his life, and it was for the other guys.""
"C.J.: "You know, if it weren't for the drinking and the valium... And yet Grant...""
"LEO: "You guys don't think an alcoholic can be Vice-President? You really think the 20th century didn't see an alcoholic in the West Wing? I'll be around.""