Bartlet for America
Encyclopedia
"Bartlet for America" is the 53rd episode of The West Wing
.
on Christmas Eve. As for Leo
, he and his new $650-an-hour lawyer are on Capitol Hill
, where he's about to testify before the House committee probing the MS
matter. Josh and Sam try but fail to find someone to help delay the hearings before Leo is forced to reveal a secret about the final pre-election debate when Jed Bartlet suffered an MS-related attack. A vindictive Republican Congressman is eager to get to this information, but Republican lawyer Clifford Calley
takes a stand and Leo gets a temporary reprieve. An FBI agent is uncomfortable being congratulated by the President when agents break up the fire-bombing group.
for cinematography.
.
In the flashback to a meeting between Leo and then-Governor Bartlet, Bartlet mentions an Illinois Senate seat that will be up for election in two years from the time of the flashback. One of Illinois' real-world Senate seats was indeed up for election in that year (2002).
In a flashback CJ is shown to lack basic basketball skills, yet later in Faith Based Initiative
much of the cause for the rumours about CJ's sexuality stem from the fact that she was the best female basketball player in her county's history.
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
It is December 23, but no one at the White House is feeling much in the Christmas spirit. Indeed, the most pressing holiday matter is a threat to firebomb black churches in TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
on Christmas Eve. As for Leo
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...
, he and his new $650-an-hour lawyer are on Capitol Hill
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, where he's about to testify before the House committee probing the MS
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...
matter. Josh and Sam try but fail to find someone to help delay the hearings before Leo is forced to reveal a secret about the final pre-election debate when Jed Bartlet suffered an MS-related attack. A vindictive Republican Congressman is eager to get to this information, but Republican lawyer Clifford Calley
Clifford Calley
Clifford "Cliff" Calley is a fictional character played by Mark Feuerstein on the television serial drama The West Wing. Appointed Director of Legislative affairs to fill the political planning void after Josh Lyman left the White House to serve as campaign manager for presidential candidate Matt...
takes a stand and Leo gets a temporary reprieve. An FBI agent is uncomfortable being congratulated by the President when agents break up the fire-bombing group.
Awards
The episode won the ASC awardAmerican Society of Cinematographers
The American Society of Cinematographers is an educational, cultural, and professional organization. It is not a labor union, and it is not a guild. Membership is by invitation and is extended only to directors of photography and special effects experts with distinguished credits in the film...
for cinematography.
Trivia
The napkin given to Leo in the final scene of the episode later becomes the focal point of the final scene of the seriesTomorrow (The West Wing)
"Tomorrow" is the 154th episode and the series finale of the American television show The West Wing. It originally aired on May 14, 2006.-Plot:...
.
In the flashback to a meeting between Leo and then-Governor Bartlet, Bartlet mentions an Illinois Senate seat that will be up for election in two years from the time of the flashback. One of Illinois' real-world Senate seats was indeed up for election in that year (2002).
In a flashback CJ is shown to lack basic basketball skills, yet later in Faith Based Initiative
Faith Based Initiative
"Faith Based Initiative" is the 120th episode of The West Wing.-Plot:A Senator attaches a rider to the federal budget bill that would ban gay marriage, almost daring the President to veto it...
much of the cause for the rumours about CJ's sexuality stem from the fact that she was the best female basketball player in her county's history.