Air Force Officer's Situation Room Phone

Air Force Officer cradles the receiver moments after urgent static delivers the C-141's approach to Colombian airspace, fingers releasing the cool plastic with deliberate thud onto its base amid Situation Room shadows. Bartlet locks eyes across the table, raid plans crystallizing as officers tense—Delta airborne, hostages facing Villa Cerreno torture—the hung-up line's echo fueling Leo's fire and Mickey's desperate dissent before the President's iron 'Go' shatters debate.

3 appearances

Purpose

Receiving real-time updates on military transport aircraft positions during hostage rescue operation briefings

Significance

Triggers precise timing for Bartlet's override of negotiation pleas, slamming dissent aside to launch Operation Cassiopeia into irreversible peril as C-141 crosses threshold, torture intel sealing hostage fates in war-on-drugs inferno.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S2E14 · The War At Home

Bartlet Overrides Dissent and Greenlights Cassiopeia

Air Force Officer's Situation Room phone serves as vital comms lifeline, hung up with resonant thud to signal C-141's airspace approach, punctuating debate and forcing Bartlet's decisive 'Go'—narrative fulcrum shifting from deliberation to irreversible action.

Before: In use, receiver cradled during incoming raid update

After: Hung up on base, silent amid command's pivot

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S2E14 · The War At Home

Mickey's Dissent Ignites Raid Delay Debate

The phone serves as conduit for real-time operational intel; Air Force Officer cradles then releases receiver with thud post-update, immediately reporting C-141 status—narratively thrusting the room from fractious debate into irrevocable decision threshold, embodying war's ticking precision.

Before: In active use, receiver lifted for incoming call

After: Hung up on base, silent amid post-report tension

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S2E14 · The War At Home

Bartlet Issues the 'Go' Order Amid Dissent

Air Force Officer's Situation Room phone serves as vital comms lifeline, hung up with resonant thud after delivering C-141 update, its echo heightening tension and prompting Bartlet's eyes-locked 'Go', symbolizing the razor-edge pivot from debate to action.

Before: Active on urgent call tracking C-141 approach

After: Hung up on base, silent amid raid launch

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