Disaster Relief (The West Wing)
Encyclopedia
"Disaster Relief" is episode 94 of The West Wing
. This episode directly follows the events of the previous episode.
in light of a killer tornado
in Oklahoma
, a disaster which ends up occupying the president's time and attention for far longer than anticipated. The staff discuss an appropriate response to the tornado and a consensus is reached to send Vice President Russell to visit the affected area. C.J. thinks otherwise and convinces the president that he should fly to Oklahoma and lend his presence to the disaster relief efforts. He agrees and quickly flies down on Air Force One, along with Charlie and C.J., who promises to have him back within hours. Once Bartlet sees the destruction firsthand and consoles several shocked victims, he insists on staying overnight, the logistics of which require heightened security and dozens of hotel rooms for the president's entourage. The next morning, C.J., at the prodding of an exasperated Leo, convinces Bartlet to return to Washington because "these people need their town back." As they fly back to Washington on Air Force One, C.J. and the president have a heated discussion about his leadership and how Zoey
's kidnapping has left him disoriented and in search of noble but ultimately ineffective efforts like his work in Oklahoma. C.J. snaps him out of it by reminding him of the dangerous times now facing Americans and the country's need for a strong leader. "I want my president back," C.J. tells him. "I need you to lead."
Meanwhile, Leo
is left to manage several crises in the capital that need the president's immediate attention. The new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Nicholas Alexander
(Terry O'Quinn
), tells Leo they should kill an expensive and unnecessary artillery system, but also warns Leo that Secretary of Defense Hutchinson is privately meeting with all Army generals who are in line to receive promotions. Leo confronts the Secretary and demands he stop politicizing the armed forces. Leo must also handle the impending arrival of the German Chancellor and a looming Greek-Albanian crisis (loosely based on the real Isla Perejil crisis).
Josh
fears the worst after a political miscalculation costs the Democrats dearly. Leo tells him he won't be fired but will have his job responsibilities scaled back and that, in particular, the budget negotiations are being taken away from him and given to a new staffer, Angela Blake. The Republicans push for drastic budget cuts and are helped by fiscally-conservative Blue Dog Democrats. Vice President Russell, standing in for both the President and Josh, bungles a meeting with Republicans and nearly offers them a huge political concession. Sidelined and furious, Josh ends up railing at the heavens and screaming at the U.S. Capitol dome before he reaches more level personal ground near the episode's end. And Donna
becomes concerned about Josh's welfare after he becomes Washington's latest target of scorn.
Also in this episode, Will Bailey
begins working for the Vice President, much to Toby
's dismay.
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...
. This episode directly follows the events of the previous episode.
Plot
A national emergency is declared by BartletJosiah 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...
in light of a killer tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, a disaster which ends up occupying the president's time and attention for far longer than anticipated. The staff discuss an appropriate response to the tornado and a consensus is reached to send Vice President Russell to visit the affected area. C.J. thinks otherwise and convinces the president that he should fly to Oklahoma and lend his presence to the disaster relief efforts. He agrees and quickly flies down on Air Force One, along with Charlie and C.J., who promises to have him back within hours. Once Bartlet sees the destruction firsthand and consoles several shocked victims, he insists on staying overnight, the logistics of which require heightened security and dozens of hotel rooms for the president's entourage. The next morning, C.J., at the prodding of an exasperated Leo, convinces Bartlet to return to Washington because "these people need their town back." As they fly back to Washington on Air Force One, C.J. and the president have a heated discussion about his leadership and how 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...
's kidnapping has left him disoriented and in search of noble but ultimately ineffective efforts like his work in Oklahoma. C.J. snaps him out of it by reminding him of the dangerous times now facing Americans and the country's need for a strong leader. "I want my president back," C.J. tells him. "I need you to lead."
Meanwhile, 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...
is left to manage several crises in the capital that need the president's immediate attention. The new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Nicholas Alexander
Nicholas Alexander
General Nicholas Alexander is a fictional character in the NBC television series The West Wing. He was played by American actor Terry O'Quinn. General Alexander did not appear frequently on the show due to O'Quinn's role on Lost....
(Terry O'Quinn
Terry O'Quinn
Terry O'Quinn is an American actor, most famous for playing John Locke on the TV series Lost. He made his debut in a 1980 television movie called F.D.R.: The Last Year. Since then, O'Quinn has had minor supporting roles in films and TV movies such as Young Guns, All the Right Moves, Silver Bullet,...
), tells Leo they should kill an expensive and unnecessary artillery system, but also warns Leo that Secretary of Defense Hutchinson is privately meeting with all Army generals who are in line to receive promotions. Leo confronts the Secretary and demands he stop politicizing the armed forces. Leo must also handle the impending arrival of the German Chancellor and a looming Greek-Albanian crisis (loosely based on the real Isla Perejil crisis).
Josh
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...
fears the worst after a political miscalculation costs the Democrats dearly. Leo tells him he won't be fired but will have his job responsibilities scaled back and that, in particular, the budget negotiations are being taken away from him and given to a new staffer, Angela Blake. The Republicans push for drastic budget cuts and are helped by fiscally-conservative Blue Dog Democrats. Vice President Russell, standing in for both the President and Josh, bungles a meeting with Republicans and nearly offers them a huge political concession. Sidelined and furious, Josh ends up railing at the heavens and screaming at the U.S. Capitol dome before he reaches more level personal ground near the episode's end. And Donna
Donna Moss
Donnatella "Donna" Moss is a fictional character played by Janel Moloney on the television serial drama The West Wing. Donna is a recurring character during the first season, although she appears in every episode, making her a de facto regular...
becomes concerned about Josh's welfare after he becomes Washington's latest target of scorn.
Also in this episode, 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...
begins working for the Vice President, much to Toby
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:...
's dismay.