Liftoff
Encyclopedia
Plot
Having just been promoted, it's CJ's first day as Chief of StaffWhite 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:...
. After being introduced to the Secret Service Agents
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
assigned to protect her, it is time for her last press briefing, where she receives a huge round of applause from a stunned Press Room. CJ struggles to come to terms with her new position; giving orders to her friends, getting used to a new office (and Margaret - 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...
's devoted secretary) and her open access to the Situation Room
White House Situation Room
The White House Situation Room is a conference room and intelligence management center in the basement of the West Wing of the White House. It is run by the National Security Council staff for the use of the President of the United States and his advisors to monitor and deal...
. After an emotional first day, she goes to see Leo in hospital, where she tells him she doesn't think this is going to work. However, after a second day, she finds her feet and begins to exert her authority (even to the President, who is a little stunned but very impressed).
C.J.'s first task as Chief of Staff is dealing with a sudden international issue: an ex-government official from the former Soviet republic of Georgia is offering a stockpile of uranium to the U.S. He's apparently also offering it to the Iranian government, so the U.S. has to act fast if they want to secure the material. C.J. initially has circles run around her by brusque SecDef
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
Hutchinson, who is adamant about not wanting DoD personnel involved in extracting the material. Toby gives her the break she needs when he figures out it is about budgeting and personnel, and C.J. is able to broker an arrangement between the Departments of Defense and Energy, with possible assistance from the United Kingdom.
Toby finds it hard facing the press, as a stop-gap until a replacement is found, and makes an over-the-line analogy when discussing the Middle East deployment. He finds an unlikely ally in Annabeth Schott, who returns to his radar when C.J. rejects his first choice of an Ari Fleischer
Ari Fleischer
On May 19, 2003, he announced that he would resign during the summer, citing a desire to spend more time with his wife and to work in the private sector...
type. Annabeth feels Toby could be right for the job with just a little grooming and offers to coach him until he gets it right.
Josh finds out that Matt Santos
Matt Santos
Matthew Vincente "Matt" Santos is a fictional character on the American television show The West Wing, played by Jimmy Smits. His initial appearance is as a Democratic U.S. Representative from Houston, Texas. According to West Wing writer and producer Eli Attie, Santos was based on the then...
, a rising star Congressman who just got appointed to the Ways and Means Committee, is going to retire and return to Houston at the end of the term. Josh goes and tries to convince Santos to defer his plans to open a large number of public health clinics, but while he doesn't succeed, he leaves very impressed with Santos.
Trivia
This is Jimmy Smits'sJimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing...
first appearance as Matt Santos
Matt Santos
Matthew Vincente "Matt" Santos is a fictional character on the American television show The West Wing, played by Jimmy Smits. His initial appearance is as a Democratic U.S. Representative from Houston, Texas. According to West Wing writer and producer Eli Attie, Santos was based on the then...
, also already appearing in the opening montage, and Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
as Annabeth Schott
Annabeth Schott
Annabeth Schott, played by Kristin Chenoweth, is a fictional character on the political drama The West Wing. She joined the Bartlet administration in Season 6 as the Deputy Press Secretary for Media Relations following the promotion of C.J. Cregg to White House Chief of Staff...
, although here as a guest star.