Ep 11. Holy Night

As the title suggests, The West Wing's season 4 episode 11, "Holy Night," takes place on Christmas Eve. The episode primarily revolves around President Bartlet's decision to exercise the executive clemency power and pardon a handful of prisoners. The proposal is met with differing opinions from his staff and advisors.

The episode opens with an intro of the staff preparing for the holiday season at the White House. The President is away, and his staff continues to work on the pardoning process. The decision is a pivotal one, with potentially significant political ramifications as the President's opponents question his motives and the government's decision-making ability. Therefore, each staff member's opinion is important and relevant to the episode.

C.J. Cregg, the White House press secretary, decides to go home to her family in Ohio for Christmas but ends up getting snowed in and is forced to spend Christmas Eve alone in a hotel room. Toby Ziegler, the White House communications director, is tasked with trying to find a way to ensure that all the legal requirements for these pardons are met, which proves a difficult task.

Leo McGarry, the President's chief of staff, is left with the responsibility of ensuring that all aspects of the pardoning process are appropriately handled. As the President's right-hand man, Leo gets a front-row seat to the complex and often emotionally charged nature of the decision.

Meanwhile, back in the Oval Office, President Bartlet is grappling with the moral and ethical implications of granting clemency to convicted felons. He is trying to balance the desire to give those who have committed crimes a second chance with the responsibility to uphold the law and the political repercussions that could come with his decision.

The President's senior advisors are also divided about the pardons, which leads to discussions and debates around the ethical considerations of exercising executive clemency. Eventually, the President announces his decision, and the episode concludes with the final implications of his choice.

The West Wing's "Holy Night" is an essential episode of the series primarily because of its focus on the president's power to grant clemency, an issue that continues to be relevant in contemporary politics. The episode beautifully captures the emotional and moral complexity of exercising such power, including weighing the ethical considerations, political ramifications, and legal requirements that come with granting clemency. This emotional episode of The West Wing will leave viewers questioning the ethical implications of pardoning individuals convicted of crimes today.