Leo Breaks Through: Bartlet Agrees to Reveal MS to Toby
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Bartlet reveals he's closed embassies in Tanzania and Brussels while deflecting Leo's concern about domestic threats.
Leo urgently insists they must tell Toby about the MS diagnosis as he's piecing together Hoynes' political moves.
Bartlet slams his notebook while challenging Leo to predict staff reactions to the MS revelation.
Leo finally convinces Bartlet to reveal everything to Toby, who sighs knowing this begins their reckoning.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Urgently persuasive with controlled frustration masking deep concern for unity
Leo enters the Oval Office unannounced, urgently urges President Bartlet to disclose the MS secret to Toby waiting nearby, details the suspicion trail from Hoynes' actions, persists through resistance by framing it as a staff reaction test, and departs authorized to reveal everything.
- • Force immediate disclosure to Toby to contain suspicions
- • Gauge and manage staff reactions to the MS secret
- • Toby's intelligence demands honesty to prevent independent discovery
- • Controlled revelation strengthens rather than destroys the team
Intensely curious and probing, verging on confrontation
Toby waits off-screen in his office, his fevered suspicions—sparked by Hoynes' maneuvers—directly catalyzing Leo's push for MS disclosure, positioning him as the imminent recipient of shattering truth.
- • Uncover the truth behind Hoynes' anomalous political moves
- • Protect the administration from internal betrayal
- • Hoynes' actions signal a direct threat to Bartlet's re-election
- • Persistent digging will expose hidden vulnerabilities
Neutral bystander, uninvolved directly
Bill Trotter is referenced solely as the sidelined figure whose energy speech slot Hoynes commandeered, igniting Toby's initial curiosity and snowballing into the demand for MS disclosure.
- • Deliver prepared policy address unhindered
- • Support administration messaging
- • Technical expertise trumps political showmanship
- • Substitution disrupts planned diplomacy
Maneuvering confidence inferred through actions
Hoynes is invoked repeatedly as the instigator whose substitution for Trotter, secret poll, and Vermont-New Hampshire itinerary fuel Toby's suspicions, framing him as the shadowy catalyst forcing the MS revelation.
- • Position himself for 2002 ticket via polling and visibility
- • Exploit perceived Bartlet weaknesses without direct confrontation
- • Bartlet's vulnerabilities create an opening for his ascent
- • Subtle public moves mask aggressive succession strategy
frustrated, resistant, resigned
sits at the desk, announces closure of embassies in Tanzania and Brussels, resists Leo's urging to disclose MS diagnosis to Toby, slams notebook on desk, rises and challenges Leo to predict staff reactions, ultimately agrees to tell Toby everything, sighs heavily
- • handle immediate crisis of embassy closures and domestic threats
- • resist and challenge the idea of revealing MS diagnosis
- • assess potential staff shock, betrayal, confusion before agreeing
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Toby's realization about Hoynes' political moves parallels Bartlet's grappling with immediate crisis and terror threats."
"Toby's realization about Hoynes' political moves parallels Bartlet's grappling with immediate crisis and terror threats."
"Toby's realization about Hoynes' political moves parallels Bartlet's grappling with immediate crisis and terror threats."
"Leo convincing Bartlet to reveal everything to Toby leads to Bartlet's revelation of his MS diagnosis."
"Leo convincing Bartlet to reveal everything to Toby leads to Bartlet's revelation of his MS diagnosis."
"Leo convincing Bartlet to reveal everything to Toby leads to Bartlet's revelation of his MS diagnosis."
Themes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"LEO: "Mr. President, I've got Toby waiting in his office right now. We've got to tell him." BARTLET: "Tell him what?""
"BARTLET: "([rising]) The staff's reaction will be what?" LEO: "I don't know! Shock, betrayal, confusion, concern about our future?""
"BARTLET: "What do I tell him?" LEO: "Everything." BARTLET: "Go tell him.""