Abu el Banat
Encyclopedia
"Abu el Banat" is episode 97 of The West Wing
.
gathers for the White House Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. Though Ellie (Nina Siemaszko
) is late as usual due to her medical research work, Zoey
has arrived, as have Elizabeth (Annabeth Gish
) and her husband, Doug Westin, and their son Gus. It's revealed that Liz's daughter, Annie, has been challenging her parents and they left her home from this trip due to her most recent facial piercings. President Bartlet has chosen Gus to flip the switch and light the tree, but when he ignores Elizabeth's advice to spend time rehearsing the simple task with the child, Gus has stage fright
at the last minute and must be replaced in the task by Zoey. Doug has decided to run for US Congress in New Hampshire
without consulting the Democratic National Committee (DNC)
, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
or the county chair. Early attempts by Josh and Leo fail to discourage Doug from running, as they and the President consider him a poor candidate whom they could not support. When Doug angrily lists for Josh the early campaign networking he's done, the President hears about it and realizes that Elizabeth has done a lot of leg work. He confronts her with his conviction that she has more political talent than Doug and should run instead, but she replies that she has decided to put her family above any political aspirations of her own because she believes that her own mother's medical career impaired her parenting.
Christian aid workers are arrested in Sudan
for proselytizing
and the government in Khartoum's actions generate negative press attention in the US. Leo McGarry
first bashes the Sudanese government for falsely harassing Christians, then finds out that two of the twelve missionaries possessed multiple Bibles and religious videos and aimed to convert others. Leo arranges a payoff to local officials to get them safely out of the country.
Meanwhile, the DEA
has suspended the license of a doctor who assisted with the suicide
of a terminally ill patient in Oregon
, a state whose laws permit the practice. The Administration seeks the help of the Attorney General (Dylan Baker
), but he agrees with the DEA. Bartlet notices that Attorney General Fisk is leaking the story to his home state of Mississippi and threatens to fire him. White House Communications Director
Toby Ziegler
raises the question of assisted suicide to the President, pointing out that 1 in 5 of those requesting euthanasia have Multiple Sclerosis
(MS), as does the President. Toby also pushes Will Bailey
, Chief of Staff to the Vice President to get the new Vice President
(VP) Bob Russell
to speak out about assisted suicide, and punishes Will by moving his office out of the West Wing when the VP declines. C.J. Cregg, White House Press Secretary
, has personal end-of-life
concerns regarding her own father whose early-onset Alzheimer's is deteriorating. The President later broaches the issue of his MS and euthanasia with the First Lady
Abbey Bartlet
, and comes down against any medical intervention, saying "No syringe in the nightstand, it'll get ugly and that's that." He then asks the First Lady if she'll be there with him as it happens, alluding to their recent estrangement over his decision to assassinate a foreign leader who was a threat to the United States and the consequences of that decision, most notably their youngest daughter Zoey's abduction in retaliation. There is a pause before Abbey then nods and says, "Yeah." She then kisses his forehead, implying she has forgiven him for Zoey's kidnapping.
The title refers to a visit the President paid to Egypt
with his family, where the tour guide constantly introduced him to everyone they met as "Abu El Banat". When asked, the guide told him it meant "father of daughters". The people to whom he was introduced then paid for the future President's tea out of sympathy for the special difficulties faced by a man raising three girls.
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
.
Plot
The entire First FamilyFirst Family
A First Family is an unofficial title for the family of the head of state or head of government of a country .A First Family usually consists of:*The head of state or head of government*The First Lady or First Gentleman...
gathers for the White House Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. Though Ellie (Nina Siemaszko
Nina Siemaszko
Nina Siemaszko is an American film and television actress.-Biography:Siemaszko was born Antonina Jadwiga Siemaszko in Chicago, Illinois to a Polish American father, a fighter in the Polish Underground who survived the Sachsenhausen concentration camp and an English mother...
) is late as usual due to her medical research work, Zoey
Zoey Bartlet
Zoey Patricia Bartlet is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Moss on the television serial drama The West Wing. Zoey is the youngest of President Josiah Bartlet and Abbey Bartlet's three daughters, and is more prominently featured in the series than either of her sisters.Zoey and...
has arrived, as have Elizabeth (Annabeth Gish
Annabeth Gish
Annabeth Gish is an American actress known for starring roles in Shag, Mystic Pizza and Double Jeopardy. She is best known for her roles as Special Agent Monica Reyes on The X-Files, Elizabeth Bartlet Westin on The West Wing and as Eileen Caffee on the Showtime drama Brotherhood.-Personal...
) and her husband, Doug Westin, and their son Gus. It's revealed that Liz's daughter, Annie, has been challenging her parents and they left her home from this trip due to her most recent facial piercings. President Bartlet has chosen Gus to flip the switch and light the tree, but when he ignores Elizabeth's advice to spend time rehearsing the simple task with the child, Gus has stage fright
Stage fright
Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, whether actually or potentially . In the context of public speaking, this fear is termed glossophobia, one of the most common...
at the last minute and must be replaced in the task by Zoey. Doug has decided to run for US Congress in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
without consulting the Democratic National Committee (DNC)
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
or the county chair. Early attempts by Josh and Leo fail to discourage Doug from running, as they and the President consider him a poor candidate whom they could not support. When Doug angrily lists for Josh the early campaign networking he's done, the President hears about it and realizes that Elizabeth has done a lot of leg work. He confronts her with his conviction that she has more political talent than Doug and should run instead, but she replies that she has decided to put her family above any political aspirations of her own because she believes that her own mother's medical career impaired her parenting.
Christian aid workers are arrested in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
for proselytizing
Proselytism
Proselytizing is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, particularly, another religion. The word proselytize is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix προσ- and the verb ἔρχομαι in the form of προσήλυτος...
and the government in Khartoum's actions generate negative press attention in the US. Leo McGarry
Leo McGarry
Leo Thomas McGarry is a fictional character played by John Spencer on the television serial drama The West Wing. The role earned Spencer the 2002 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. McGarry's character, the former United States Secretary of Labor, begins the series as the White...
first bashes the Sudanese government for falsely harassing Christians, then finds out that two of the twelve missionaries possessed multiple Bibles and religious videos and aimed to convert others. Leo arranges a payoff to local officials to get them safely out of the country.
Meanwhile, the DEA
DEA
DEA is the commonly used acronym for the Drug Enforcement Administration, a United States law enforcement agency.DEA or Dea may also refer to:- Organizations :* DEA , UK development education charity...
has suspended the license of a doctor who assisted with the suicide
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
of a terminally ill patient in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, a state whose laws permit the practice. The Administration seeks the help of the Attorney General (Dylan Baker
Dylan Baker
Dylan Baker is an American actor, known for playing supporting roles in both major studio and independent films.-Early life:...
), but he agrees with the DEA. Bartlet notices that Attorney General Fisk is leaking the story to his home state of Mississippi and threatens to fire him. White House Communications Director
White House Communications Director
The White House Director of Communications, also known as Assistant to the President for Communications, is part of the senior staff of the President of the United States, and is responsible for developing and promoting the agenda of the President and leading its media campaign...
Toby Ziegler
Toby Ziegler
Tobias Zachary 'Toby' Ziegler is played by Richard Schiff on the television serial drama The West Wing. For most of the series' duration he is White House Communications Director.-Creation and development:...
raises the question of assisted suicide to the President, pointing out that 1 in 5 of those requesting euthanasia have Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
(MS), as does the President. Toby also pushes Will Bailey
Will Bailey
William "Will" Bailey, is a fictional character played by Joshua Malina on the television serial drama The West Wing, holding various posts in the White House Office of Communications, Office of the Vice President and a backbencher Congressman .-Character biography:Will grew up in Belgium, as his...
, Chief of Staff to the Vice President to get the new Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
(VP) Bob Russell
Bob Russell (The West Wing)
Robert 'Bingo Bob' Russell is a fictional character played by Gary Cole on the television serial drama The West Wing.After the resignation of Vice President John Hoynes due to a sex scandal in May 2003, the Bartlet Administration was forced to replace him with another Democrat...
to speak out about assisted suicide, and punishes Will by moving his office out of the West Wing when the VP declines. C.J. Cregg, White House Press Secretary
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
, has personal end-of-life
End-of-life
End-of-life is a term used with respect to a product supplied to customers, indicating that the product is in the end of its useful lifetime and a vendor will no longer be marketing, selling, or sustaining a particular product and may also be limiting or ending support for the product...
concerns regarding her own father whose early-onset Alzheimer's is deteriorating. The President later broaches the issue of his MS and euthanasia with the First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Abbey Bartlet
Abbey Bartlet
Dr. Abigail Anne "Abbey" Barrington Bartlet, MD, is a fictional character played by Stockard Channing on the television serial drama, The West Wing. In the show, she is the First Lady of the United States, the wife of President Josiah Bartlet.-Overview:...
, and comes down against any medical intervention, saying "No syringe in the nightstand, it'll get ugly and that's that." He then asks the First Lady if she'll be there with him as it happens, alluding to their recent estrangement over his decision to assassinate a foreign leader who was a threat to the United States and the consequences of that decision, most notably their youngest daughter Zoey's abduction in retaliation. There is a pause before Abbey then nods and says, "Yeah." She then kisses his forehead, implying she has forgiven him for Zoey's kidnapping.
The title refers to a visit the President paid to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
with his family, where the tour guide constantly introduced him to everyone they met as "Abu El Banat". When asked, the guide told him it meant "father of daughters". The people to whom he was introduced then paid for the future President's tea out of sympathy for the special difficulties faced by a man raising three girls.