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“A Proportional Response”
The West Wing episode
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 3
Guest stars	John Amos Renee Estevez Janel Moloney Suzy Nakamura
Written by	Aaron Sorkin
Directed by	Marc Buckland
Production no.	225902
Original airdate
Season 1 episodes
Pilot Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc A Proportional Response Five Votes Down The Crackpots and These Women Mr. Willis of Ohio The State Dinner Enemies The Short List In Excelsis Deo Lord John Marbury He Shall, From Time To Time... Take Out The Trash Day Take This Sabbath Day Celestial Navigation 20 Hours In L.A. The White House Pro-Am Six Meetings Before Lunch Let Bartlet Be Bartlet Mandatory Minimums Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics What Kind of Day Has It Been
List of The West Wing episodes

"A Proportional Response" is the 3rd episode of The West Wing.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Episode Title 3 Trivia 4 Quotes 5 External link

An angry President Bartlet seeks vengeance for downed jet which happened to carry his new physician among other passengers, while Charlie Young applies for a White House job, and C.J. talks reporter Danny Concannon out of writing a story about Sam's relationship with the call girl. Charlie, who was applying for a messenger job, impresses Josh (as well as Debbie, who becomes a recurring character played by Lily Tomlin late in season 3) enough that Josh insists on hiring Charlie as the President's personal aide, or "body man."

The military option offered to the President is a proportional response but he calls for a disproportionate response.

• The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People criticized the lack of diversity on the show and therefore the character of Charlie was created.

Josh: Have you ever tried to overthrow the government?
Charlie: No.
Sam: What the hell's been stopping you?

Toby: Ordinarily we get help from inside the Syrian intelligence.
Bartlet: So what's the problem?
Toby: We just blew up Syrian intelligence.
Bartlet: Somebody get on the phone to CNN and find out if we hit anything?

Josh: You're over-reacting.
CJ: Am I?
Josh: Yes.
CJ: As women are prone to do?
Josh: That's not what I meant.
CJ: Yes it is.
Josh: No it isn't
CJ: It's always what you mean.
Josh: You know what CJ, I really think I'm the best judge of what I mean, you paranoid Berkeley shiksta-feminista...wow that was way too far.
CJ: No, no. Well, I've got a staff meeting to go to and so do you, you elitist Harvard fascist missed-the-Dean's-list-two-semesters-in-a-row Yankee jackass.
Josh: Feel better getting that off your chest there CJ?
CJ: I'm a whole new woman.

• The West Wing Episode Guide