Object

Bartlet's Folder of Papers for Signing

Bartlet hunches over the Oval Office desk, pen slashing signatures across documents crammed into this battered folder—pages fan slightly under his grip as turkey brine obsessions clash with Nancy's interruption and Toby's sly policy intrusion. Charlie hovers, eyes darting between presidential quirks and the sheaf demanding ink, tension spiking as holiday frivolity wars with administrative grind.

2 appearances

Purpose

Holds documents awaiting presidential signature amid Oval Office distractions

Significance

Anchors Bartlet's divided focus, bridging eccentric turkey rituals and Toby's poverty bombshell pitch to expose leadership's fragile balance between personal whims and national crises

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S3E7 · The Indians in the Lobby

Bartlet’s Turkey Obsession Meets Toby’s Sly Policy Pitch

Charlie receives Bartlet's signed paper and inserts it into this battered folder of documents awaiting ink; it grounds the scene in bureaucratic grind, tension rising as interruptions pull focus from administrative tedium to crisis pitches.

Before: On desk or nearby, partially filled with unsigned papers

After: Contains one additional signed paper, held by Charlie briefly before filing

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S3E7 · The Indians in the Lobby

Toby's Turkey Ploy: Pitching Cell Phones and Poverty Reckoning

Bartlet's folder of papers receives the freshly signed document from Charlie amid the interruption, embodying the administrative backlog interrupted by Toby's entry; it fades into background as turkey banter and policy pivots dominate, highlighting holiday distractions over paperwork.

Before: Open on desk or in Charlie's possession awaiting signatures

After: Closed with added signed paper, carried out by Charlie

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