A Proportional Response
Encyclopedia
"A Proportional Response" is the 3rd episode of The West Wing
.
seeks vengeance after Syrian operatives blow up a jet carrying his personal physician and dozens of American passengers. The Pentagon comes up with what they call a "proportional response" to the attack, which involves air strikes on three low-level targets in Syria as well as one against the Syrian intelligence agency headquarters. However, President Bartlet wants a stronger response, and the Joint Chiefs respond with an attack plan on a much more prominent target: the international airport in Damascus. The subtext of the story involves the President's unease around the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and his worries about receiving their respect despite never having served in the military. Leo McGarry
talks to Admiral Percy Fitzwallace
who tells him the President is doing fine. Despite this, Fitzwallace earlier told the President that his desired response is disproportionate, saying that he "will have doled out five thousand dollars worth of punishment for a fifty buck crime." Leo confronts the President about the disproportionate response and says that he will stand up against him if he continues to insist on it. President Bartlet confesses he has personalized the terrorist attack because his physician, a good man with a newborn daughter, was among the victims. He then authorizes the proportional response and gives a televised speech in which he explains the situation to the American people.
In other story lines, Charlie Young
applies for a White House job and C.J. Cregg talks reporter Danny Concannon
out of writing a story about Sam Seaborn
's relationship with a call girl. Charlie, who was applying for a messenger job, impresses Josh Lyman
enough that Josh insists on hiring Charlie as the President's personal aide, or "body man
."
in his 1995 movie, The American President when after being told attacking the Libyan Intelligence Headquarters is a proportional response to Libya's attack on C-STAD in Israel
, President Shepherd asks, "Someday somebody's going to have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response." Martin Sheen
was part of both scenes, as he played the White House Chief of Staff A.J. MacInerney in The American President.
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
An angry President Josiah 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...
seeks vengeance after Syrian operatives blow up a jet carrying his personal physician and dozens of American passengers. The Pentagon comes up with what they call a "proportional response" to the attack, which involves air strikes on three low-level targets in Syria as well as one against the Syrian intelligence agency headquarters. However, President Bartlet wants a stronger response, and the Joint Chiefs respond with an attack plan on a much more prominent target: the international airport in Damascus. The subtext of the story involves the President's unease around the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
and his worries about receiving their respect despite never having served in the military. 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...
talks to Admiral Percy Fitzwallace
Percy Fitzwallace
Admiral Percy "Fitz" Fitzwallace, played by John Amos, is a fictional character on the television series The West Wing. In the universe of the show, he is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff....
who tells him the President is doing fine. Despite this, Fitzwallace earlier told the President that his desired response is disproportionate, saying that he "will have doled out five thousand dollars worth of punishment for a fifty buck crime." Leo confronts the President about the disproportionate response and says that he will stand up against him if he continues to insist on it. President Bartlet confesses he has personalized the terrorist attack because his physician, a good man with a newborn daughter, was among the victims. He then authorizes the proportional response and gives a televised speech in which he explains the situation to the American people.
In other story lines, 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:...
applies for a White House job and C.J. Cregg talks reporter Danny Concannon
Danny Concannon
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...
out of writing a story about 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...
's relationship with a call girl. Charlie, who was applying for a messenger job, impresses 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...
enough that Josh insists on hiring Charlie as the President's personal aide, or "body man
Body man
A body man is, in U.S. political jargon, a personal assistant to a politician or political candidate. A body man accompanies the politician or candidate virtually everywhere, often arranging lodging, transportation or meals, and providing companionship, snacks, a cell phone, and any other...
."
Episode title
The military option offered to the President is a proportional response but he calls for a disproportionate response. The issue of the virtue of a proportional response was also touched on by Aaron SorkinAaron Sorkin
Aaron Benjamin Sorkin is an Academy and Emmy award winning American screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose works include A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Social Network, and Moneyball.After graduating from Syracuse...
in his 1995 movie, The American President when after being told attacking the Libyan Intelligence Headquarters is a proportional response to Libya's attack on C-STAD in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, President Shepherd asks, "Someday somebody's going to have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response." Martin Sheen
Martin Sheen
Ramón Gerardo Antonio Estévez , better known by his stage name Martin Sheen, is an American film actor best known for his performances in the films Badlands and Apocalypse Now , and in the television series The West Wing from 1999 to 2006.He is considered one of the best actors never to be...
was part of both scenes, as he played the White House Chief of Staff A.J. MacInerney in The American President.