From that conversation it is inferred that Jay is depressed: the women in his life have abandoned him; he has lost his job as a high school teacher and now works as a day laborer; he has declared bankruptcy; and spends his days reading blogs.

Jay explains to Ben that he has decided he must, "for the good of humankind", assassinate President George W. Bush, and then kill himself.

Ben, who symbolizes American modern liberalism, spends his time trying to persuade Jay to cancel his "mission".

The novel ends inconclusively, the reader left unaware of whether Jay is going to go through with his plan.

Book reviewers and critics have identified Jay[3] as the political extremist in the argument of Checkpoint.