- For the titular character, please see John Marbury.
"Previously on the West Wing" spoken by Charlie
"Lord John Marbury" is the eleventh episode of the first season of The West Wing.
The Kashmir border powderkeg becomes more explosive when the Indian army invades Pakistani-held territory, making the threat of a nuclear confrontation frighteningly real to President Bartlet, who calls in Lord John Marbury, an eccentric British diplomat with ties to both warring nations - and a weakness for booze. An angry Josh is subpoenaed to testify as the investigation into substance abuse among White House staffers grinds on towards its inevitable target: chief of staff Leo McGarry. Mandy floats a trial balloon among the staff to test their reaction to her notion of representing a liberal Republican. The President is surprised when Charlie asks him if he can date his willing daughter Zoey.
Summary
In the opening sequence, defense specialists intercept data about movement by Indian forces against Pakistan. The White House is briefed and President Bartlet and Leo head to the Situation Room for a briefing from Admiral Percy Fitzwallace. In the Situation Room, Bartlet and Leo learn that India has moved 300,000 troops into Kashmir. Bartlet takes the CIA Director to task for missing this.
Following the opening credits, the Senior Staff meets in the Oval Office without C.J. When C.J. steps into the office, Leo says they are just breaking up and that she can dismiss the press corps. Leo says to the others that he will brief her in the morning. Josh will brief the Hill. Zoey comes in and she asks Charlie if he "ever gets a night off" because it would "be fun to hang out or something."
Josh has also been subpoenaed by Claypool under the Freedom of Information Act regarding Josh's "investigation" of White House staff. Sam urges Josh to bring a lawyer to the hearing. Toby also encourages Josh to take a lawyer or to take Sam when he goes back for a second day of testimony the following day. Mandy comes to Sam to ask him to help her convince Toby and Josh to let her take Mike Brace, a Republican, on as a client. Sam attempts to persuade Toby, to no avail. He later tries with Josh and gets the same results. At Josh's second appearance, the questioning begins to focus on Leo and his alcoholism and Josh and Sam refuse to answer the pointed questions about Leo's drug problems. They leave rather than respond to the allegations. When they return to the White House, Josh takes Toby and C.J. into his office to tell them about Leo.
C.J. gives the Press the final briefing of the evening and dismisses a reporter's question regarding his source at the Pentagon that is reporting multiple troop movements in Pakistan. Leo watches on TV. The next morning, Leo informs C.J. on the issues in Kashmir. She is angry as she denied the question to the press. Leo tells her she she will have to expect that sometimes. Toby comes to her later to try and assuage her by telling her there is a feeling that she is too close to the press. He comes a second time and apologizes to C.J.
President Bartlet receives a nuclear briefing after which he decides to bring in Lord John Marbury, former British Ambassador to New Delhi. Leo objects, as he believes Marbury is a "kook . . . you really want to let him loose in the White House where there is booze and women?" At the conclusion of the meeting, Charlie mentions to the President that Zoey asked him out to which the President replies, "I should have locked her in the dungeon." He later tells Charlie that he can and wants him to go out with her. He tells Charlie two things, "She's 19 years old and the 82nd Airborne works for me." He also reminds him that many people will not be happy with Charlie out with the President's daughter and "you know what to do with the mail, right?"
Leo and the President move on to a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador, who informs them that China will not let the Indian aggression continue and hints they might intervene to which Bartlet replies, "Well, this just keeps getting better and better." The Pakistani Ambassador meets with Leo and the President and stonewalls as well - stating they will not work with India. This is followed by the Indian Ambassador who asserts India's rights to be a nuclear power.
When Lord John Marbury arrives, the President, Leo, and he speak about the crisis. Marbury agrees to the President's request to stay and help them through this (though Leo is still skeptical).
Continuity errors
- Director of Central Intelligence informs the President that the "KH Superplatform" has been ordered into a stationary orbit over the northern subcontinent. There is only one stationary orbit, the GEO or Geosynchrous Stationary orbit with a semimajoral axis of about 42 000 km directly above the equator. The satellite can be parked at a specific longitude and can generally not be moved from that position. Satellite tasking is not done lightly and takes time as it uses on-board consumables. Photo-surveillance satellites are generally placed in elliptic LEO (Low Earth Orbit) (orbiting 150 - 500 km above the surface) at high inclinations (around 90 degrees) thus almost polar orbits. GEO is a circular orbit. Thus it is impossible to have live coverage of an area for long time. In order to obtain photographic surveillance on short notice reconnaissance aircraft are employed (if possible). [1]
- Britain doesn't have ambassadors to India and Pakistan: as part of the Commonwealth of Nations it has High Commissioners.
Quotes
- Sam Seaborn: You're a cheap hack. You go after Leo, I'll bust you like a piñata.
- John Marbury: Allow me to present myself: I'm Lord John Marbury, I was summoned by your President.
- Leo McGarry: Yes, we've met 10 or 12 times. I'm Leo McGarry.
- John Marbury: Oh. I thought you were the butler.
- John Marbury The global triumph of the economic free market has created an illusionary assumption that the world is drawing itself closer together.
Cast
Starring
- Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn
- Moira Kelly as Mandy Hampton
- Dulé Hill as Charlie Young
- Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg
- Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler
- John Spencer as Leo McGarry
- Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman
- Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlet
Special Guest Star
- John Amos as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace
- with Roger Rees as Lord John Marbury
Guest Starring
- Janel Moloney as Donna Moss
- Elisabeth Moss as Zoey Bartlet
- John Diehl as Larry Claypool
- James Hong as David
- Eric Avari as Habib
- David Doty as Military Officer
- Clyde Kusatsu as Joe
- Iqbal Theba as Indian Ambassador
Co-Starring
- Kathryn Joosten as Mrs. Landingham
- NiCole Robinson as Margaret
- Melissa Fitzgerald as Carol Fitzpatrick
- Bill Stevenson as Jaworski
- Charles Hoyes as Thompson
- Ryan Cutrona as CIA Director Rollie
- Gary Cervantes as Bobby
- Ralph Meyering Jr. as Tom
- J. David Krassner as Jack
- Christopher Kriesa as Mitch
- Bill Duffy as Larry
- Peter James Smith as Ed
- Tom Hall as Mike (Officer)
- Dafidd McCracken as Mike (Security Officer)
- Charles Noland as Steve
- Colin K. Gray as Bruce
- Roger Ranney as Civilian
References
"The West Wing" Lord John Marbury (2000)