Super Tense Oval Office Moment on the West Wing

Toby and Bartlett square off when Toby learns Bartlett has MS.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• The
• West
• Wing
• President
• Bartlett
• Toby

[fidelio1980]

I'm shocked that people think Toby was being petty or arrogant. It would have been nice if he had asked about Bartlet's comfort, but in light of what he'd just heard, of course he'd have bigger concerns.

There's a reason we saw Bartlet ignore Toby's points, and question his motivations instead - there wasn't much he COULD say in response to Toby's points. Bartlet was petty and whiny when he knew he was wrong.

Leo's eyes say it all - Toby's just opened them to the depth of the scandal.

[Reqrezentin]

I just watched this scene and ...

"The walls came tumbling down"

What drama, what work. Bravo.

[Ovrkyl]

@fidelio1980 Right on all points. Toby didn't have time for niceties, he was concerned that the leader of the country was compromised and had been during a time of crisis. As the communications director, he knew it would be a PR nightmare at best if word got out without a gameplan on how to handle it, not to mention his own concerns and the fact that his confidence in the leadership just got rocked. It wasn't that he felt left out, it was that his trust in Jed and Leo had been betrayed.

[MultiPurdy]

Surely this scene reflects almost exactly what happened when President Reagan was shot? Didn't the Sec of State claim that he was 'in charge', although constitutionally, he wasn't. However, nearly everyone who mattered was in the Situation Room and the VP was on his way back to Washington.

There's truth in this scene.

[8corporal]

Wow, forgott how good a scene this was. I wonder how it was for Clinton during his impeachment, and the attitude, feelings and uncertainty of the West Wing staffers towards him during this time, just as tense no doubt. As TV is full of reality `dumb down the population` crap today, I think my West Wing box set will be re-called into active entertainment duty! `They` just don`t write such drama as good today!

[egzy101]

how great is this programme that people will debate points of policy from a fictional president.

[Nonsensei436]

@histre101 So he can tell a joke but he cant move his fingers? Fuck, he could just have someone else write it and then just sign his name.

[histre101]

@Magnetohydrodynamics and under the constitution, he was right...he was speaking to power, bravo Toby.

[histre101]

@Nonsensei436  having been shot...seriously?? You expect the guy to write something under this??? Sorry,not buying it....

[FreedInsanity]

@Nonsensei436 Unless, of course, Bartlett and/or McGary had no plans of relinquishing the President's power directly to John Hoynes.

[Nonsensei436]

@FreedInsanity Its true, but the big hole in this whole plot line is that he was conscious, and Leo could have just given him a pad of paper and a pen before going under. There was no reason that couldnt have been done. FFS Bartlet was cracking jokes, i think he could have written "i relinquish my power to the Vice President for the duration of my Anesthesia signed President Bartlet."

[Magnetohydrodynamics]

"For ninety minutes there was a COUP D'ETAT IN THIS COUNTRY."