path: Home / Threads & Relationships  C.J.  Cregg & Danny Concannon

Melissa Fitzgerald as Carol, Timothy Busfield as Danny Concannon, Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg NBC Warner Bros. photo

Soon after Danny is introduced in [#3], he starts flirting with CJ. She doesn't know what to make of it and finally asks:

"When you flirt with me are you doing it to get a story?"
"No."
"Then why are you doing it?"
"I'm doing it to flirt with you." [#7]

CJ is still confused:

"You're the one who goes around town saying I'm too friendly with the press corps and that makes me a weak press secretary."
"I never said you were a weak press secretary."
"Yeah, but you've been thinking it." [#7]

Misunderstanding what kind of goldfish C.J. likes, he brings her a goldfish named Gail and says:

"Keep your head in the game." [#9]

When Danny suggests they have a "relationship," C.J. makes a list of reasons why they shouldn't and she reads them off to him:

"It would hurt my reputation. It would hurt your reputation. Your editors would obviously. . . ."
"You actually made a list?" Then he offers her a wrapped gift.
"You already gave me a goldfish, Danny. What more could a girl possibly want? . . . Goldfish food."
"I'm going to ignore your list. Cause I think it's ridiculous. Also because I have a crush on you."

Danny often offers CJ advice on how to do her job:

"Also do you really want to be the first person to use the word subpoena?"
"In the context."
"I don't care what the context was, that's the only word anybody's going to read tomorrow."
"I really don't need your tips, Danny."
"As a matter of fact you do."

C.J. becomes a little obsessed with Danny and in a flash of inspiration, she decides that it would help if she just did what she's been thinking about:

"I do seem to have a preoccupation, a girlish.... I thought I'd kiss you on the mouth.... I'd just get past it."
"Oh good."
Past it?" Danny asks an obviously dazed C.J. [#12]

The kissing leads to more kissing:

"You know, eventually, you are going to have to go on a date with me. You can't just keep grabbing me and kissing me. [#13]

They have an unspoken agreement not to let their relationship (whatever it is) get in the way of their work. When CJ tries to leak Danny a story that she wants out there:

"Don't leak me a story!"
"I wasn't."
"I've seen this look on four other press secretaries before you...."
"Four other press secretaries and you never took a free lead?"
"I always took a free lead. But ... not from you."
"Why?"
"Cause 20 minutes from now you'll remember you're a professional and you won't like me any more."
"What makes you think I like you now?"
"I don't know. But as long as you keep grabbing me and kissing me, what the hell do I care?"
"Good point." [#13]

She tells those she works for/with:

"I don't leak stories to Danny." [#13]

But when the relationship comes up against their respective jobs, the jobs come first.

"I don't like taking advantage of any feelings beyond friendship you might have for me...."
"Right. You have them for me too." [#19]

But he won't withhold a story from publication and she cuts him personally and professionally even when he's trying to help:

"But I don't count on everybody always understanding what the hell comes out of your mouth when I can't even do it half the time. And you can't stay mad at me forever."
"Let's find out." [#21]

More quotations between these two have been collected at: http://www.galacticlounge.com/cjdanny/classified/quotes.html

Danny disappears for awhile, comes back dressed as Santa Claus and kisses C.J. but then tells her he is chasing a story about Shareef's plane. A story Leo and the President are still trying to keep from public knowledge.

"I'm back and I'm happy about it. And I think you know how I feel about you. But don't mess me around on this story, okay?" [#411]