Danny Concannon
Encyclopedia
Daniel "Danny" Concannon is a fictional White House
correspondent for the Washington Post played by Timothy Busfield
on the television
serial
drama
The West Wing
. Danny first appeared in the third episode of Season 1, "A Proportional Response
," where he mentioned that he had been a White House reporter for the past seven years. He has reported from the White House for the Washington Post, New York Times, Time Magazine and the Dallas Morning News. He is said to have been in step with the Bartlet campaign during the 1998 election. He, like President Bartlet is an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame.
In addition to having a long-standing on-again/off-again romance with White House Press Secretary
turned Chief of Staff
C.J. Cregg, Danny appears to be the correspondent who is the most steadfastly supportive of the Bartlet administration, and he appears to have a good friendship with President Josiah Bartlet
, Leo McGarry
, Charlie Young
and, in particular, Josh Lyman
. In the ninth episode, "The Short List
," Danny offers Josh advice on determining the motivation behind a congressman's call for investigation of drug use by White House staff, and Josh shows his gratitude by sharing that C.J. loves "goldfish." Eager for a way to win her heart, Danny presents C.J. with a fish
named Gail, only to discover that the goldfish C.J. likes are goldfish crackers. C.J. is still pleased by the gift and the fish is mentioned by name in several episodes across the run of the series.
Despite his friendship toward the staff, Danny is the first to break a few of the more controversial stories that arose in the Bartlet White House, and he shows a willingness to criticize the Administration if he feels it is appropriate. In his first appearance, he tells C.J. that he knows that Sam Seaborn
has a friend who is a call girl
, but he decides to drop the story at C.J.'s urging although he warns her "not everybody is a good guy [like me]" (indeed, a tabloid newspaper publishes the story later that year); C.J. thanks him by letting him be the first to know of a story that breaks while he is there in her office, "for being a good guy." Near the end of season one, Danny also recovers a memo written for a campaign by Mandy Hampton
before she came to work in the White House. The memo listed Mandy's perception of the weaknesses and shortcomings of the Bartlet administration. Even though C.J. asked him not to run with this story either, this time Danny felt it was newsworthy and decided to file it, straining their relationship briefly (as seen in "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet
").
Near the beginning of season 2, Danny was offered a job as an editor at The Washington Post. C.J. was hoping that he would take it, believing that they could never have a real relationship while he was a reporter, but Danny turned the job down. Sometime after this he apparently became a foreign correspondent as he was not seen for all of season three and the first part of season four. He made his return in the episode "Holy Night" of the fourth season, surprising C.J. by dressing up as Santa Claus, but things became very serious when Danny confessed to her he had evidence to suggest the U.S. was behind the death of Abdul Shareef. Danny was investigating the story for most of the fourth season, finally getting enough evidence to file by the end of it. He was persuaded to hold off by Leo McGarry, who cited national security concerns.
Danny won the Pulitzer Prize
for journalism
; C.J. mentioned in Season 4 that "he won it from the fourth row [of the Press Briefing Room]". Apparently, he wrote a biography on the First Lady
Abbey Bartlet
, as in a Season 1 episode the President points out to Danny "You literally wrote the book on my wife."
Danny and C.J. Cregg renew their relationship for good in season seven. They have two dinner dates in "Internal Displacement
"; C.J. is too distracted by her job to focus on Danny's courtship of her, but she takes to heart his injunction to make the final months of the Bartlet presidency count. When Leo McGarry dies suddenly on election night, C.J. turns to Danny for comfort ("Requiem
"). They continue to struggle with the dynamics of their relationship in "Institutional Memory
", but C.J. ultimately decides to turn down a position in the Santos administration in order to move to California with Danny, where she will administer a multi-billion-dollar charitable foundation. Three years later, at the dedication of President Bartlet's presidential library
(portrayed in "The Ticket
"), Danny and C.J. are married and live in Santa Monica
, California
with their child.
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
correspondent for the Washington Post played by Timothy Busfield
Timothy Busfield
Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing...
on the television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
serial
Serial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
The West Wing
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...
. Danny first appeared in the third episode of Season 1, "A Proportional Response
A Proportional Response
"A Proportional Response" is the 3rd episode of The West Wing.- Plot :An angry President Josiah Bartlet seeks vengeance after Syrian operatives blow up a jet carrying his personal physician and dozens of American passengers...
," where he mentioned that he had been a White House reporter for the past seven years. He has reported from the White House for the Washington Post, New York Times, Time Magazine and the Dallas Morning News. He is said to have been in step with the Bartlet campaign during the 1998 election. He, like President Bartlet is an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame.
In addition to having a long-standing on-again/off-again romance with White House Press Secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
turned Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
C.J. Cregg, Danny appears to be the correspondent who is the most steadfastly supportive of the Bartlet administration, and he appears to have a good friendship with President Josiah Bartlet
Josiah Bartlet
Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet is a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on the television serial drama The West Wing. He is President of the United States for the entire series until the last episode, when his successor is inaugurated...
, 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...
, Charlie Young
Charlie Young
Charles 'Charlie' Young is a fictional character played by Dulé Hill on the television serial drama The West Wing. For the majority of the series, he is the Personal Aide to President Josiah Bartlet.-Creation and development:...
and, in particular, Josh Lyman
Josh Lyman
Joshua "Josh" Lyman is a fictional character played by Bradley Whitford on the television drama The West Wing. For the majority of the series, he was White House Deputy Chief of Staff in the Josiah Bartlet administration...
. In the ninth episode, "The Short List
The Short List
"The Short List" is the 9th episode of The West Wing. The episode introduces recurring characters Roberto Mendoza and Gail the goldfish and a story arc concerning potential congressional investigation of a White House staff members history of substance abuse.-Plot:When a liberal Supreme Court...
," Danny offers Josh advice on determining the motivation behind a congressman's call for investigation of drug use by White House staff, and Josh shows his gratitude by sharing that C.J. loves "goldfish." Eager for a way to win her heart, Danny presents C.J. with a fish
Goldfish
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....
named Gail, only to discover that the goldfish C.J. likes are goldfish crackers. C.J. is still pleased by the gift and the fish is mentioned by name in several episodes across the run of the series.
Despite his friendship toward the staff, Danny is the first to break a few of the more controversial stories that arose in the Bartlet White House, and he shows a willingness to criticize the Administration if he feels it is appropriate. In his first appearance, he tells C.J. that he knows that Sam Seaborn
Sam Seaborn
Samuel Norman "Sam" Seaborn is a fictional character portrayed by Rob Lowe on the television serial drama The West Wing. He is best known for being Deputy White House Communications Director in the Josiah Bartlet administration throughout the first four seasons of the series.-Creation and...
has a friend who is a call girl
Call girl
A call girl or female escort is a sex worker who is not visible to the general public; nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency...
, but he decides to drop the story at C.J.'s urging although he warns her "not everybody is a good guy [like me]" (indeed, a tabloid newspaper publishes the story later that year); C.J. thanks him by letting him be the first to know of a story that breaks while he is there in her office, "for being a good guy." Near the end of season one, Danny also recovers a memo written for a campaign by Mandy Hampton
Mandy Hampton
Dr. Madeline 'Mandy' Hampton is a fictional character played by Moira Kelly on the American serial drama television series The West Wing. She was White House media consultant during the first season of the show, and the former girlfriend of Deputy White House Chief of Staff Josh Lyman, with whom...
before she came to work in the White House. The memo listed Mandy's perception of the weaknesses and shortcomings of the Bartlet administration. Even though C.J. asked him not to run with this story either, this time Danny felt it was newsworthy and decided to file it, straining their relationship briefly (as seen in "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet
Let Bartlet Be Bartlet
"Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" is the 19th episode of The West Wing.-Plot:When a damaging memo which is critical of the President is discovered, the White House press cover it with zest, much to CJ's dismay. Later it is revealed that Mandy wrote it when she was working for Lloyd Russell...
").
Near the beginning of season 2, Danny was offered a job as an editor at The Washington Post. C.J. was hoping that he would take it, believing that they could never have a real relationship while he was a reporter, but Danny turned the job down. Sometime after this he apparently became a foreign correspondent as he was not seen for all of season three and the first part of season four. He made his return in the episode "Holy Night" of the fourth season, surprising C.J. by dressing up as Santa Claus, but things became very serious when Danny confessed to her he had evidence to suggest the U.S. was behind the death of Abdul Shareef. Danny was investigating the story for most of the fourth season, finally getting enough evidence to file by the end of it. He was persuaded to hold off by Leo McGarry, who cited national security concerns.
Danny won the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
; C.J. mentioned in Season 4 that "he won it from the fourth row [of the Press Briefing Room]". Apparently, he wrote a biography on 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:...
, as in a Season 1 episode the President points out to Danny "You literally wrote the book on my wife."
Danny and C.J. Cregg renew their relationship for good in season seven. They have two dinner dates in "Internal Displacement
Internal Displacement
-Plot:C.J. realizes that she barely has any time left in office and decides to try and solve the crisis in Darfur, Sudan, along with the crisis between Russia and China over Kazakhstan...
"; C.J. is too distracted by her job to focus on Danny's courtship of her, but she takes to heart his injunction to make the final months of the Bartlet presidency count. When Leo McGarry dies suddenly on election night, C.J. turns to Danny for comfort ("Requiem
Requiem (The West Wing)
"Requiem" is episode 150 of The West Wing.Following his death on election night, Leo McGarry is laid to rest. The service was filmed at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore.-Plot:...
"). They continue to struggle with the dynamics of their relationship in "Institutional Memory
Institutional Memory
"Insititutional Memory" is episode 153 of The West Wing, the penultimate episode of the series.-Plot:The episode is set two weeks before the inauguration and the Bartlet administration staff is preparing to leave the White House. Most are seeking jobs in the Santos administration or elsewhere. C.J...
", but C.J. ultimately decides to turn down a position in the Santos administration in order to move to California with Danny, where she will administer a multi-billion-dollar charitable foundation. Three years later, at the dedication of President Bartlet's presidential library
Presidential library
In the United States, the Presidential library system is a nationwide network of 13 libraries administered by the Office of Presidential Libraries, which is part of the National Archives and Records Administration...
(portrayed in "The Ticket
The Ticket (The West Wing)
"The Ticket" is episode 133 of The West Wing, and the first episode of the seventh season.-Plot:The season opener starts with a scene from three years in the future; a reunion of several main characters at the opening of Bartlet's Presidential library. References are made to the lives of the...
"), Danny and C.J. are married and live in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with their child.
See also
- The West WingThe 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...
- List of characters on The West Wing
- List of politicians on The West Wing
- List of The West Wing episodes