Abbey Bartlet - Definition

Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet, First Lady is a fictional character played by Stockard Channing on the television serial drama The West Wing.

Abbey is a world-class physician, and wife of more than thirty years to President Bartlet.

To protect the secret of her husband's multiple sclerosis, Abbey gave the President doses of betaseron, which helped keep his MS in check. It was only after he collapsed and was confronted by Leo that she revealed their secret to a member of the White House senior staff. Her decision to medicate her husband — in violation of several AMA rules — caused her to decide to give up her medical license for the duration of her stay in the White House. However, she has begun to do some volunteer work at a local clinic.

Abbey was a recurring character during the first two seasons and has been a regular since the third, despite the fact that she does not appear in several episodes.