Josh Enlists Reluctant C.J. for Sykes Damage Control
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Josh interrupts the briefing to pull C.J. aside, signaling a shift from public relations to private strategy.
C.J. and Josh discuss the controversial appointment of Lord John Marbury as British Ambassador, revealing C.J.'s personal affection for him.
Josh reveals plans for Cornelius Sykes to host the Will Rogers dinner, sparking concern about revived controversy over past NYPD jokes.
Josh tasks C.J. with discreetly persuading Sykes to decline the hosting role, leveraging their acquaintance to prevent political fallout.
Donna cheekily asks Josh to introduce her to eligible royals through Marbury, showcasing her playful ambition.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Eager attentiveness turning to mild impatience
Huddled behind C.J. with notes during briefing climax, collectively shout 'A cash incentive!' in response to Sam's policy hook, sigh at footnote plea, form attentive audience as session wraps abruptly.
- • Extract soundbites on emissions incentives
- • Challenge administration on Clean Air details
- • Market incentives drive policy sell
- • Press amplifies fiscal angles virally
Playfully nostalgic shifting to exasperated reluctance under duty's weight
Sitting in the front row during briefing wrap, pulled into hallway by Josh, banters playfully about Marbury's eccentricities and nicknames, protests friendship with Sykes while recalling scandal details, reluctantly agrees to meet him in New York, yells sarcastic thanks from Press Room door.
- • Deflect Josh's assignment by minimizing Sykes ties
- • Maintain team harmony by ultimately agreeing to task
- • Sykes scandal was overblown since victim didn't laugh
- • Personal rapport with Marbury is genuine, not superficial
Shocked exasperation masking policy focus
Perched on windowsill, shocked by C.J.'s irrelevant Cameroon trivia tangent, declares briefing over with resignation, munches baby carrot, allows C.J. to exit without protest, yielding podium control.
- • Conclude briefing efficiently despite disruptions
- • Prioritize environmental messaging over interruptions
- • Clean Air details must be precisely communicated
- • Team priorities supersede briefing perfection
Coy playfulness veiling underlying whimsy
Catches up to Josh in hallway offscreen, proposes cheeky request for Marbury to arrange royal introductions, pouts playfully when rebuffed, underscores levity as they part ways.
- • Lighten tense crisis moment with humor
- • Secure Josh's task for C.J.-Sykes meeting
- • Diplomatic eccentrics like Marbury offer fun opportunities
- • Banter strengthens team resilience
significantly discussed in banter between C.J. and Josh regarding his eccentric appointment as British Ambassador
referred to by C.J. as same person as Cornelius Sykes, denying close friendship
mentioned by Josh as source saying they will ask Sykes to host dinner
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Reporter 1st gnaws defiantly on thick sandwich during Sam's emissions Q&A and C.J.'s tangent, crumbs scattering over notes; embodies press room nonchalance contrasting policy precision, grounding briefing's chaotic wrap in visceral casualness.
Sam crunches baby carrot amid CO2 cap explanations and reporters' incentive response, juices flecking lips as C.J. interrupts; injects absentminded casualness into high-stakes briefing, punctuating shock at session's abrupt end.
Dog-eared pads clutched by reporters behind C.J., pages crinkling under Sam's stats barrage and collective 'cash incentive' chant; symbolize press corps' relentless documentation amid banter derailment, left as briefing fractures.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Hallway outside Press Room door becomes impromptu strategy huddle for C.J.-Josh Marbury-Sykes talk, Donna surges in for royal quip; linoleum echoes footsteps as crisis banter propels toward New York confrontation, fracturing briefing momentum.
Hosts Sam's Clean Air briefing climax with reporters' chants and C.J.'s trivia detour, door peeks and exit mark pivot to hallway crisis; charged front lines where policy spin yields to urgent pull-out, amplifying White House media frenzy.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Josh's concern about Cornelius Sykes hosting the Will Rogers dinner due to past controversies is later addressed when Sykes defends his joke and reveals Bartlet's reaction."
Key Dialogue
"JOSH: "Janice Barry is saying they're going to ask Cornelius Sykes to host the Will Rogers dinner." / C.J.: "They're going to stir this up again." / JOSH: "Yeah.""
"C.J.: "He didn't laugh at the joke! How many more ways are there for me to say that? He didn't laugh at the joke!""
"JOSH: "You know him!" / C.J.: "[beat] Where is he?" / JOSH: "He's in New York, doing standup. I thought since you were going to be there, you..." / C.J.: "I'll see him tomorrow night.""
"DONNA: "You can encourage him to introduce me to any royal and single men he might know." / JOSH: "No.""