Stewardship and Sacrifice
Power here is less glamorous than burdensome: senior staff absorb risk, accept blame, and position themselves as institutional guarantors. Leo’s willingness to 'go down alone,' the rapid naming of a designated survivor, and rehearsed apologies reveal a culture in which personal sacrifice and stewardship of the Presidency are treated as moral obligations that preserve the office even at great personal cost.
Events Exemplifying This Theme
An urgent invitation to the State of the Union propels Josh into a cold, practical calculus: someone in the presidential line must be kept away. Margaret's doorstep reminder — 'pick …
Leo rehearses a contrite public statement while staff probe the practical fallout of his past alcoholism. He refuses to reveal where or how often he attends A.A., bluntly tells Sam …
In a brisk hallway exchange Josh and Donna cold‑assign Roger Tribby — the obscure Secretary of Agriculture — as the 'designated survivor,' a wry, chilling ritual that underlines the very …