The Bartlet administration experiences a scandal during the second and third seasons that has been compared to the Monica Lewinsky affair . President Bartlet has known that he has relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis ( MS ) since 1992 . The scandal centers around President Bartlet 's nondisclosure of his illness to the electorate during the election . He is investigated by an opposition Congress for defrauding the public and eventually accepts Congressional censure . Multiple sclerosis advocacy groups praised the show for its accurate portrayal of the symptoms of MS and stressing that it is not fatal . The National MS Society commented : Following the September 11 , 2001 attacks , the start of the third season was postponed for a week , as were most American television premieres that year . A script for a special episode was quickly written and began filming on September 21 . The episode " Isaac and Ishmael " aired on October 3 and addresses the sobering reality of terrorism in America and the wider world , albeit with no specific reference to September 11 . While " Isaac and Ishmael " received mixed critical reviews , it illustrated the show 's flexibility in addressing current events . The cast of the show state during the opening of the episode that it is not part of '' The West Wing '' continuity
September 11 , 2001 attacks
September 11 attacks
The West Wing