Duck and Cover

"Duck and Cover" is episode 144 of The West Wing. Elections are underway in Kazakhstan, but Russia and China both on the brink of going to war in Central Asia over oil are the least of Bartlet and C.J.'s concerns as they face a nuclear reactor in California on the verge of a meltdown. While agonizing over the decisions over whether to evacuate nearby citizens and to release radioactive steam into the atmosphere, the Santos and Vinick campaigns st... more

"Duck and Cover" is episode 144 of The West Wing. Elections are underway in Kazakhstan, but Russia and China both on the brink of going to war in Central Asia over oil are the least of Bartlet and C.J.'s concerns as they face a nuclear reactor in California on the verge of a meltdown. While agonizing over the decisions over whether to evacuate nearby citizens and to release radioactive steam into the atmosphere, the Santos and Vinick campaigns stare each other down, trying to avoid being the first to turn the crisis into a political issue -- all the more complex as decades ago, Vinick lobbied for the plant's construction. Bruno is sure Josh will be the first person to speak out on this, but Josh surprisingly adopts a policy of not saying anything during or immediately after the crisis. Will Bailey manages the press situation and takes command by tossing a staffer who includes frightening and uncertain information about a controlled release of radiation to avoid a full meltdown and... less