Object
President Bartlet's Wake‑Up Coffee Cup
A palm‑sized, single‑serving cup—likely ceramic—emanates faint steam and a thin bitter aroma. Warm to the touch and modestly weighted, the cup arrives carried by a steward at Charlie's instruction; fingers curl briefly around the rim as it is offered to President Bartlet. The vessel occupies the intimate threshold between sleep and command: it steadies a groggy President, transfers from steward to bedside table or into staff hands, and then slips from private comfort into the practical business of the day.
2 appearances
Purpose
To provide a hot beverage intended to revive and refresh the President during wake‑up and to function as a tactile hospitality item handed to him by staff.
Significance
Serves as a practical anchor that propels Bartlet from private disorientation into active presidential duty; functions narratively as Charlie’s logistical and emotional lifeline, converting domestic care into immediate readiness for state business.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used