One of his more notable appearances is in an episode where Bart takes him on for the class presidency. Martin, of course, has a comprehensive (though not particularly politically well-judged) platform that Bart, with the aid of Homer, picks apart with populist nonsense. In a debate, Martin begins to speak of the high level of asbestos (a carcinogenic material used as insulation in many schools and other buildings before its dangers were known - its removal is tedious, expensive, but necessary) in the classrooms. Bart interrupts and says "We want . . . MORE ASBESTOS, MORE ASBESTOS" leaving the entire class chanting this arrant nonsense.
Despite the natural animosity between Bart and Martin, the two have teamed up on numerous occasions. In one episode, Martin tutors Bart in exchange for lessons on being cool. In another, Martin and Bart work together on a soapbox racer. Bart, Martin, and Milhouse all pool their money to buy a copy of the first [Radioactive Man]? comic. When kids from Shelbyville steal Springfield's lemon tree, Martin joins Bart as part of the gang of raiders who seek to take the lemon tree back.