S2e4- In This White House (Ginger, get the popcorn!)

Sam goes on "Capital Beat" and get's whooped by a Republican named Ainsley Hayes.  While he hopes that no one is watching, his hopes are in vain.  Josh is watching, and gets Toby.  Who asks Ginger:

The West Wing truly rolled out the red carpet for Ansley- there's an elephant in Gail's fishbowl in her honor.  Needless to say, Ainsley is very well qualified, but does possess a somewhat unique conversational style:

She's offered a job after kicking Sam's butt on "Capital Beat," and while it's going to take a while for her to be fully welcomed, she's a terrific addition to the show.  And yes, the fact that this episode gives us Toby's line: Ginger, get the popcorn.  It's a wonderful line, and gives me an opportunity to share a brief Q&A with Kim Webster that happened on twitter a few days ago:

Five Questions for Kim Webster:

1: How soon into filming the Pilot did you know The West Wing would be picked up?

2: Which line do you hear more: "Get the popcorn" or "stiletto feminism?"

3: Do you have a favorite episode?

4: Would you rather see a West Wing Reunion or West Virginia National Championship?

5: Did you keep anything from your time on The West Wing?

Some clarifications: "I'm hoping it's porn is from Season 3, episode 19.  I had forgotten completely about it!  Kim Webster is an alum of West Virginia University, and the fire she refers to happened back in 2009, when the apartment building she lived in caught fire.  

In the midst of all the fun of Ainsley, popcorn, and Sam's butt-kicking, there is a very serious part of this episode I'd like to briefly address: the cost and access to HIV treatment in Africa.  There isn't much that can truly be considered good news on this topic, given how much more needs to be done; but here are some quick facts:

• Access to HIV treatment has increased 100 fold in the last 10 years.
• In 2000, the cost of a year’s supply of first-line HIV treatment was about US $10 000 per person; today, it is less than $100 per person.
• From 2010 to 2011, there was a 19% increase in treatment among those eligible.  (source).

While there are still far too many people not able to access antiretroviral drugs, it is nice to know that watching The West Wing 16 years later, some progress has been made.   Because I'm afraid there's a far smaller chance of any bipartisan hiring being done anytime soon.

What's Next?  S2e5- And It's Surely to Their Credit

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S2e3- The Midterms (I'm just going to take that crabpuff.)

After taking two episodes to cover 12 hours (and of course, a considerable amount of back story), we cover the twelve weeks before Midterm Elections.  Josh is recuperating, Toby is trying to find a way to use the President's 81% approval ratings to go after extremist groups like the ones the shooters were members of, and Charlie is struggling with the guilt of being the shooter's target.  However, everything's going to be ok, and the Midterm election results in no change in the makeup of Congress.

So, there's not too much of a reason to dwell on any of that, except to mention that CJ thinks that Josh plays power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This however, deserves some time:

The dialogue from this scene was inspired by an actual letter (of which there were several versions) sent anonymously to Dr. Laura Schlessinger, whose background is similar to that of our fictional Dr. Jacobs- although her Phd. was in Physiology (and to be fair to her, she did acquire a license as a Marriage and Family therapist in the state of California).  Now, I've seen several posts in response to this particular scene, and while I agree with them that a football might be nicknamed a "pigskin" it isn't actually porcine in nature, the remainder of their arguments generally revolve around clarifying that these situations that the President lists aren't being viewed in the proper context of the time they were written, and to inflame their readers (who probably already agree with the argument, but are looking for better talking points) by suggesting that Aaron Sorkin (via President Bartlet) is suggesting throwing out the bible in its entirety.  Hogwash.  He's simply suggesting that we should all quite literally practice what we preach:

You can't use the need for context to argue in favor of something you're refusing to consider with context.

The purpose of such a sarcastic and rhetorical argument is to prove that all things should be taken into context, and that excerpting one biblical passage to give legitimacy to suit already-held beliefs is to truly do a disservice to scripture.  However, many people seem swayed by this type of argument, and as the adage goes; if you can't beat'em, join'em.  So, here we go with an updated list of scripture passages that might be relevant in today's political world:

The Refugee Crisis:

Deuteronomy 10:19- And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.

...or your descendants.  Except Tom Cole and Markwayne Mullin, the only two Native American members of Congress.  They are more than welcome to discuss the negative impacts of accepting foreigners to the United States. 

Global Warming:

Genesis 2:15- The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

... I'm pretty sure that taking care of it would include not driving some of those more recent creations into extinction.

Gun Control:

Romans, 12:19- Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

And don't forget to remind anyone who tells you: "an eye for an eye" remind them that it exists in scripture as a false belief, and that the response prescribed is to turn the other cheek.  

Religious Tolerance:

1 Corinthians 10:31-32- So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God.

Also, you know, that whole love your neighbor doesn't specify what religion thy neighbor has to be...

Providing Social Services:

1 John 3:17-18- If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

I'm pretty sure that increasing small business loans and removing arduous regulations isn't quite what we're talking about.

So, I'm going to leave you in the same way this scene ends:

Because, after all- Sam was just looking out for her:

Deuteronomy 14:9-10- Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean.

What's Next?  S2e4- In This White House

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S2e1&2- In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 1&2) (Nah... I think we're exactly that dumb)

Ostensively, these two episodes take place over the course of 14 hours, but for the first time, we flash back to see how the West Wing staff was assembled (think the Avengers, but in politics), but I'll get to those later.  So, first, here are some updates:

President Bartlet and Josh have both been shot, there was a guy on the ground signaling to the shooters we're still looking for, and the Iraqi are choosing a bad day to mobilize an army.  In the aftermath of the shooting, Danny Concannon is raising questions about the 25th Amendment- who is in charge of the government while President Bartlet is in surgery, all the while, everyone is dealing with the shock of what has happened.  After the Season 1 finale, a great number of people thought that it would be Mandy who had been shot, in order to give her an exit to the show.  In Season 2 (and forever more), she just disappears without explanation.  Fans of the show now say that any supporting character who disappears without explanation simply has gone to"Mandyville."

**LIVE BLOGGING UPDATE- 12 minutes into Part 1 and I'm a bit of a mess.  I'm watching this at a mechanic's garage, which is terrible planning, but there's something a bit impressive about watching an episode for what must be the 12th time and still being moved by it.  At a mechanic's garage**

With the departure of Mandy to Mandyville, we have a new arrival-Nancy McNally, the National Security Advisor.  It's nice having Nancy here; she is competent, confident, and immediately likable.  It's more than a fair trade.  

So, on to the flashbacks and origin stories:

JOSH- Was working for Hoynes, and it's not going terribly well, because Josh's politics and Hoynes' don't mix well.  Leo invites Josh to New Hampshire to hear Jed Bartlet speak.  Josh has a concern:

Josh- Leo, the-the Democrats aren’t gonna nominate another liberal academic former governor 

from New England. I mean, we’re dumb, but we’re not that dumb.

Leo- Nah. I think we’re exactly that dumb.

Yeah, that's not relevant today at all...

SAM- Working for Gage Whitney Pace, about to make Partner, and busy building litigation shields for oil companies that are purchasing boats ships.  

TOBY- Working for Bartlet, but convinced that he's going to be fired; hence, he's drinking heavily in a bar before an event at the Nashua VFW-the same event that Josh is at.  Why is Toby going to be fired?  He advised Bartlet to tell the truth about his support for a law that hurt dairy farmers in New Hampshire.  

DONNA- Tried to pretend that she already worked for Josh; she dropped out of college (go Badgers!) to take care of her med student boyfriend.  They broke up, and she's here to find herself and start over.  To quote Donna: "I think you might find me valuable."  Josh gives her a campaign lanyard and she's in.

CJ- Was working for Triton-Day Public Relations in California, until she's fired within 3 minutes of us seeing her.  That's why she's carrying a box of belongings home.  I should add that she didn't have her glasses on when this happened...

So, now we come to "THE MOMENT" -

Bartlet decides to go with Toby's answer, and gives a stirring speech.  Josh realizes that Bartlet is the real thing and get's Sam on board, and can hire Donna.  Toby's not fired, encouraged not to screw it up, and hires CJ.  

Avengers Assembled.  

Captain America: Leo- A man from another time, a bit old-fashioned and the leader of the bunch.

Iron Man- Josh- Has all the tools and savvy, and uses a hard exterior to mask an inner sensitivity.

Thor- CJ- Wields a lot of power, looks good in a cape, speaks with eloquence.

Hulk- Toby- Uncontrollable emotions.  Irrational actions.  You wouldn't like him when he's mad.

Black Widow- Sam- A little too good looking for his chosen career, but very skilled. 

Hawkeye- Donna- No one is sure why she's there, but ends up being really important (ok, you have to see the second Avengers to get to that point, but it takes a while for Donna, too).

Early campaign looks rough, until the Illinois Primary- Bartlet wins, but instead of a victory speech, he's in the airport with Josh, who's flying home after learning of his father's death.  In total mensch mode, Bartlet offers to fly home with Josh, who reminds him of his victory speech, and forces him to become "ready" to run for the Presidency.  

**LIVE BLOGGING UPDATE- I'm home now, so the tears are flowing freely.**

What's Next?  S2e3- The Midterms

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e22- What Kind of Day Has It Been (Decisions are made by those who show up.)

Well, we've reached the first season finale, and are 22/155 (that fraction does not reduce) of the way through the West Wing-ing It Journey.  There are 230 days until Election Day, and I'm pretty pleased about the rate of progress through the season.  I still have a hard time avoiding just describing my favorite moments, and instead sharing something people might not know about the episode or drawing comparisons to today's world in comparison to the West Wing World.  So, time to congratulate myself?

Oh, man, did you read that wrong.

There is a history to the title of this episode: What Kind of Day Has it Been, in that Aaron Sorkin has used for every show he's written for:

• Newsroom- Series Finale
• Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip- 1st Season Finale (also Series Finale)
• Sports Night- 1st Season Finale (incidentally, the Sports Night Season 2 Finale (also the Series Finale) aired one day before the this West Wing episode aired.

I'll have to dedicate a whole post to all of the Sorkin-isms that are repeated through these different shows, but for now, let's keep moving.

It's been 11 episodes since CJ wasn't told about the Pakistan-India conflict and was sent into the Press Room uninformed, but finally, in this episode, she is offered a chance to set the record straight with Leo:

LEO: There was a problem a few months ago with India/Pakistan, you were uncomfortable -
C.J.: Leo.
LEO: You were uncomfortable lying to the press...
C.J.: I wasn’t lying to the press about India/Pakistan, I was lied to by you, which made me
look like an idiot.
LEO: Well, I’m not lying to you now. Four Mh-53 J Pay-lows carrying 80 guys from the 16th special ops are out flying under radar.
C.J.: We’re going to pay a price for misleading the press.
LEO: I don’t care.
C.J.: I understand.

It's a long time coming, and this recognition of CJ's professionalism is confirmed by the successful mission after her press conference.

There's a line from the Town Hall meeting; "Decisions are made by those who show up" in reference to voter turnout amongst young people.  The story is that Sorkin initially had Woody Allen cited as the author of the quote in the script, but Martin Sheen, who was a friend of Mia Farrow, asked that the line be changed.  Anyhow, what about voter turnout by young people?  This, from the US Elections Project:

Ok, first reaction?  We should probably vote more during midterm election years.  Look at congress, for gosh's sake.  Besides that, it is interesting that in that there is exponential growth in the gaps between voter turnout in that age bracket.  What are we doing to make it easier for young people to vote?  I cast absentee ballots while living out of state for college, but it wasn't easy and you had to do it a fair amount of time before election day.  The problem?  College students seldom write papers sooner than the day before it is due, so expecting them to request an absentee ballot a month before election day seems to be a bit of a reach.  Once those people get out of college, how many of them are going to move to a new state for their first job?  Again, in the midst of young professional-dom, how easy are we making it for this demographic to vote?

Final thought of the season: the cliffhanger.  I'm not saying this season ended with a "who shot J.R." vibe, but it was at least at the level of Ross saying Rachel's name at his London wedding instead of his fiancé Emily's (note from the editor: please do not judge the writer's tv viewing habits on the basis of these two examples).  Ok, not really.  If Aaron Sorkin wanted us to end the episode sitting on the edge of our chairs, what he got instead was:

That's right- it fell flat.  The pre-credit scene leading to a flashback, leading back to the same pre-credit scene and ending with a fade to black and voices asking, "Who's been hit?  Who's been hit?" When I first saw this episode, I was terribly disappointed; it felt cheap and terribly out of character for the show.  I'm relieved to realize that Sorkin felt the same way, telling Terry Jackson of the Miami Herald in 2000: "The first time I saw the [final scene] I said, 'Holy cow, it doesn't really look like our show.'"  It was pretty widely panned in the press as being terribly clichéd, but it's interesting to note how successful it is in today's world of binge watching.  From the same interview, "The last two minutes of the show in May are really the first two minutes of the season opener," Sorkin says. "It really wasn't done to be shocking or to shake up the show."  If you're not forced to wait from May to October to see the next episode, it's not all that terrible.  It creates drama and certainly kickstarted a new narrative.  

Much like this blog.  

And just like that, we reach the end of Season 1 of The West Wing.  I hope you don't wait 5 months to read the next episode, and that you don't feel as though this ends with too much of a cliffhanger.  Because I can tell you, we're expecting big things from the blog in the second season.  I have exposés planned, secret guest bloggers and even a visit from... you'll have to wait until the first blog of Season 2 to find out.  

See what I just did there?

What's next?  A Special Double-Sized Blog- S2e1&2- In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part 1&2 (they originally aired on the same night- I might as well blog them on the same night!)

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e21- Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics ('Cause I'm a lily-livered, bleeding-heart, liberal, egg head, communist.)

Still in Milwaukee, where cheese abounds, and everything's grate.

Moving on...

This episode is all sorts of all over the place.  Here are some of the plates we're spinning:

• Joey Lucas and Josh are fighting over English as the National Language, Roosevelt and Alexis de Tocqueville. Joey's response?
  
  Isn't love grand?
• We're trying to get two more reformers onto the FEC, and not afraid to use the trappings of the White House to do it.
• The President has a finely honed sense about these things.  "These things" seems pretty all-inclusive, but in this case it's when Charlie isn't telling the truth.
• Sam is photographed with Lori, who has graduated from Law School by the London Daily Mirror, but it's all good, because as President Bartlet says: "It’s nice when we can do something for prostitutes once in a while, isn’t it?"
• There's polling being done during the entire episode, and it serves as somewhat of a referendum on the Bartlet Administration's new, energized, "Let Bartlet be Bartlet" mode.
• Also, there's a phone in Gail's fishbowl, so she's helping out with the polling.

And so, in honor of President Bartlet revealing his rather ludicrous knowledge of briefcases at the end of this episode, I would like to share some information with you regarding polling.  

First of all, the field is actually called Psephology- using the Greek root word Psephos, which means pebble.  This is so named because the pebble was used to cast votes in ancient Greece.  Probably the most noted Psephologist in the US is Nate Silver, who rose to prominence during the 2008 election, where he correctly predicted 49 of 50 states in the Presidential Election (Indiana eluded him, somehow) and all of the Senate races.  During this episode, Sam cites a response rate of 25% as lucky.  Unfortunately, in today's world, that response rate is usually below 10%.  What's more interesting is that fewer and fewer polling companies are using live phone polls (a conversation with a pollster) in favor of recorded voices or online polling.  This can cause disparities that we haven't even begun to understand- as in the case of Donald Trump, who performs much worse in live phone calls than he does in the other formats.   The leading theory is that "some Trump supporters are reluctant to acknowledge their preferred candidate to another person."

Which leads us to the title of this episode: "Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics."  Usually, this is referred to as a list of the three types of lies, which displays a cynical understanding of the incorrect use of statistics- something that happens in every election cycle.  Don't believe me?  Trump's claim of 42% unemployment (official rate is 4.9% and the U-6 rate is 10.3%, which accounts for the unemployed, those who are working part time for economic reasons and those who want to work but haven't looked for work recently) is fact checked here,  but the impact can already be made by using such an inflammatory number.   

However, in this episode, I think we have a less cynical interpretation of the quote.  

• LIES- There are more than a few lies told in order to get that extra seat on the FEC open, not the least of which is finding a reason to get rid of the Bulgarian Ambassador that isn't him cheating on his wife.
• DAMN LIES- Clearly, the purpose of getting photos of Sam and Lori together is to represent their relationship as inappropriate at best, and illegal at worst.  
• STATISTICS- Obviously, the focus of this episode becomes the polling data; only CJ expresses optimism, and is rewarded by their approval rating exceeding her expectations and jumping by 9%.  

Even more importantly, the administration has big MO- Momentum in their corner.  It's an optimistic end to an optimistic run of episodes, and next, we tackle our first West Wing Season Finale.  Expect big things!

What's next?  S1e22- What Kind of Day Has it Been 

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e20- Mandatory Minimums (We have term limits... they're called elections.)

Well, we've taken the blog on the road.  I'm writing from the birthplace of cheese curds- Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  There might be more dairy references on these next few posts, but I'll try not to milk it for all its worth.  See?  This is what I'm talking about.  I'll try to be gouda, I promise.

Anyways, time for me to get writing about this episode.

Whew.  So, the West Wing is seriously energized.  We're throwing our caps over walls, swearing at the Senate Majority Leader, taking walks and eating meals outdoors.  Joey Lucas is back, Charlie thinks she's a fine looking woman and this is either Josh's normal Tuesday suit, or it's his Joey Lucas suit:

(It's his Joey Lucas suit for sure, but he might assign clothing to days of the week.)

We get to learn a bit about Toby in this episode, thanks to meeting his ex-wife, Congresswoman Andy Wyatt.  Things we learn:

• Toby is a Yankees fan.  
• Making decisions for himself is his birthright.
• Toby likes pie.
• Toby's ex-wife calls him "Pokey."

All of this makes me incredibly happy, except the Yankees part.  Not as happy as hearing Ginger give Josh's badass phone call at the opening the New Jersey stamp of approval (p.s.- confirmed- Ginger was from New Jersey because Kim Webster was from New Jersey- thanks, @itskimwebster !).

Most of this episode surrounds the administration forming a new drug policy, and there is a conversation regarding shifting focus from enforcement to treatment.  There is compelling scientific data to support this, but Al Kiefer is back, and warns the president that you can't sell science.  Don't think he's right?  I've got two words for you- Climate Change.  

Mandatory Minimums are racist.  This point is made very clearly by this episode, and this is not fiction.  In 1986, at the height of the War on Drugs, Congress passed an Anti-Drug Abuse Act that mandated a minimum sentence of 5 years without parole for possession of 5 grams of crack cocaine while it mandated the same for possession of 500 grams of powder cocaine.  According to a 2015 Study, there is still a strong correlation between race and these two forms of drugs.  African-Americans are far more likely to use crack cocaine, and far less likely to use powder cocaine.  President Obama signed a law in 2010 (the Fair Sentencing Act) that reduce this disparity in sentancing from 100:1 to 18:1- a compromise from the initial 1:1 ratio put forth, in order to ensure bi-partisan support.  So, this is another area where we can see progress in today's USA, but there's still work to do.  Things are improving, and as President Bartlet says:

"I'm sleeping better, and when I sleep, I dream about a great discussion with experts and ideas and diction and energy and honesty. And when I wake up, I think, "I can sell that.""

Uh oh.

What's next?  S1e21- Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e19- Let Bartlet Be Bartlet (Learning is delightful and delicious- as, by the way, am I.)

I have a confession to make: Ive been editing out my negative feelings about Mandy from this blog.  I didn't complain when she wore a beret, I didn't complain when she asked if Abraham Lincoln was the Lincoln someone was referring to, and I didn't complain when she wanted to take on a republican candidate in addition to her work for the President.  

I even spoke up on her behalf here, saying that the writers aren't doing her any favors.  However, now we're 19 episodes in, Trump Drumpf just won the Florida primary and I need to really immerse myself in this world, but it's raining outside the White House (and we know it only rains in the West Wing when the cast isn't happy), and despite my attempts to be supportive, I'm convinced it's all Mandy's fault.  

When an old memo in which Mandy is critical of Bartlet and Leo resurfaces, I'm unable to separate reality from entertainment, actors from characters and writers from dialogue.  I'm incapable of having a rational, calm reaction to this memo.   I feel betrayed by Mandy and her memo, and I'm none too happy with Danny for writing about it in his paper.  I'm taking it on the chin with this memo, and my typing has become very loud.  The dog is concerned.

Then, I see the frustration on the face of Sam as he has a meeting on gays in the military that is a waste of everyone's time.  I hear Josh snapping at Donna, who has found a way to make James Madison relevant to a debate on making English the National Language.  Even Mrs. Landingham is getting sassy, telling the president to eat his leafy greens and stop complaining! 

All of a sudden, though, in the last 5 minutes of this episode, the brakes on my brain screech my negativity to a halt, as I realize we should be thankful for Mandy.  Because this damn memo is the needle that breaks the camel's back.  Wait- what is the camel?  I've been talking since the beginning of this blog about this sense of impending doom hanging over the White House.  It was present in the retirement of the Supreme Court Justice, and it's emerged a few more times- this notion that the President has moved to a more centrist, moderate position since being elected; a great contrast to his campaign.  Mandy's memo is nothing new, except it blames Leo for moving the administration to the middle, when in reality, it's the President who is overly cautious.  It's the President who has to make a change.

Then, it happens.  

BARTLET: I don’t want to feel like this anymore.

LEO: You don’t have to.

BARTLET: I don’t want to go to sleep like this.

LEO: You don’t have to.

BARTLET: I want to speak.

LEO: Say it out loud. Say it to me.

BARTLET: This is more important than reelection. I want to speak now.

LEO: Say it again.

BARTLET: This is more important than reelection. I want to speak now.

LEO: Now we’re in business!

BARTLET: What’s happening?

LEO: We got our asses kicked in the first quarter, and it’s time we move up the mat. 

BARTLET: Yes!

LEO: Say it.

BARTLET: This is more important than reelection. I want to speak now.

LEO: I’m gonna talk to the staff. I’m gonna take them off the leash.

BARTLET: You have a strategy for all this?

LEO: I have the beginnings of one.

BARTLET: What is it?

LEO: I’m gonna try that out for a little while.

BAM.               

(and by the way, awesomely distinctive penmanship from Leo!)

And just like that, we're naming our own candidates to the FEC, we're going to run headlong at issues, we're not going to be afraid of fights, we're going to bed energized, James Madison will be our homeboy and  we're going to eat salads and steaks, Mrs. Landingham!

Seriously, when Sam, Toby, Josh and CJ go around in a circle saying that they serve at the pleasure of the President (and by the way, a smile would have killed you, Toby?), I get a bit choked up.  The only reason I don't actually get to tears is because the music is just 3% too cheesy.  But it's ok.  Because we've got purpose, we've got a President who is going to lead rather than hedge, and because we have a President who is a pleasure to serve.

So, somewhat begrudgingly, I need to say: 

Thanks, Mandy.

What's next?  S1e20- Mandatory Minimums 

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e18- Six Meetings Before Lunch (No, honestly, I am dumb. Most of the time I'm playing smart.)

Quick hits:

• According to Ginger, Toby has had bad luck.  Very bad luck.  That's why we won't tempt the fates, and wait to celebrate until the 51st vote has been cast to confirm Justice Mendoza.  Then the Day of Jubilee can begin.
• There are people are seldom happy.  When they are happy, people are confused and concerned.  Toby is one such person.
• Donna has distinctive penmanship (best way to describe unintelligible scrawling ever).
• C.J. has a fish named Gail.  In this particular episode, Gail's fishbowl has a picture of panda bears in it.  Why is that relevant? Mandy wants to get a new Panda Bear for the National Zoo.  She wants Toby to help her, and that's why Toby is no longer happy.  
• Leo's taught his daughter to ask him for permission to have lunch with fascists.  I'm going to add that to the list of rules for my son.
• "If you haven't seen C.J. do “The Jackal,” then you haven't seen Shakespeare the way it was meant to be done." So, here is Shakespeare the way it was meant to be done.
• President Bartlet could take George Washington in a fight, minutemen or not.  

Two big topics in this episode: Slavery Reparations and School Vouchers.  As has always been consistently the case, the drama allows for the opportunity to present both sides of the argument: Josh has to talk to the nominee for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights about a comment he made in a dust jacket of a book that advocated for reparations, and Leo (for fun) gave his daughter Mallory a copy of a position paper in favor of School Vouchers that Sam wrote.  

Finally, two little tidbits I found while researching this episode: 

1. The show received quite a lot of hate mail after the walk and talk between Charlie and Zoey that ended in a rather passionate kiss in the corridors of the West Wing.  This surprised Sorkin, who assumed that an interracial relationship wouldn't ruffle anyone's feathers.  
2. CJ's performance of "The Jackal" was inspired by an impromptu performance in her trailer, and Allison Janney's formerly secret talent found it's way into the script.  Not sure where Sorkin found the inspiration for this:
   

Looking at the balance of the entire episode and observing the image of Sam making an ass of himself, I'm struck by the racial through-lines here: a performance of Ronny Jordan's "The Jackal" by a white woman for a room of predominantly white White House staffers, the gathering Secret Service concern over threats to the President's African-American valet for dating his (white) daughter, all the while the white jewish guy from Connecticut is arguing with a black civil rights lawyer from Georgia.  Do we get this image of Sam (along with a brief moment of arhythmic movement by Josh) to point out the inappropriateness of cultural appropriation?  Or is it there to provide a contrast in acceptance with the hatred about Charlie and Zoey's relationship?  

Or is Rob Lowe just a terrible dancer?  

What's next?  S1e19- Let Bartlet be Bartlet 

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e17- The White House Pro-Am (This - right here - this is why you have a reputation as a pain in the ass.)

I'm not going to lie- there are some wonderful moments in this episode.  Some terrific quotes, memorable moments and interesting developments in relationships.  That being said, nothing of importance actually happens in this show- it's a lot of situational drama and comedy.  So what am I going to talk about?

This entire episode centers around how the First Lady is "handled" by the staffers of the West Wing and the President when she is involved politically.  Needless to say, it isn't a flattering picture of FLOTUS.  Here are a few quotes:

SAM (to FLOTUS' Chief of Staff- Your guy's married to our guy and our guy won an election. That's something you people are gonna have to get used to.

JOSH (to CJ, about the President)- Did he say he didn't want you to 'handle the First lady cause he didn't want you to' or did he say it like 'handle the First Lady but I'm not the one who told you to?'

SAM (to FLOTUS)- I think you're prone to amateur mistakes.

ABBEY- Jed, we share a bed. Why didn't you just come to me? 

BARTLET- I staffed it out to C.J.. [argument ensues]

Now, my big problem is this.  One of the strengths of "The West Wing" is what I perceive as a willingness to present both sides of the story.  In this particular episode,  this main conflict has several scenes that relate to FLOTUS, most of them negative, and in none of them is she referred to as Dr. Bartlet.  Same makes brief mention that she went to medical school, but it's used to prove a point that she should listen to him.  Now, I understand that conflict is a necessary element in drama, and as I said at the outset- this episode has some wonderful moments.   To further the dramatic cause by lowering the stature of one of the characters feels cheap, and contributes to Sorkin's reputation for not presenting fair portrayals of female characters.  

Why am I making such a big deal about this?   As I said, nearly every hot-button issue that has formed the dramatic center of an episode has been fairly shown from all sides- the death penalty, census, tax policy, even ethanol subsidies.  The last time we saw this particular character, she was taking care of her husband in a medical capacity and ordering around a doctor from the navy named Admiral Hackett (and no; Admiral isn't a nickname, it's a rank).   Now, in this episode, the only information to balance out the presentation of the President's wife as an amateur (as opposed to the President and his staff as the professionals, as indicated by the episode's title) is made in jest.  

So, to Aaron Sorkin, in this particular episode, I cry fowl.  It might make for excellent drama, but it is cheaply won.   You should have saved this line for yourself, not Dr. Bartlet.

What's next?  S1e18- Six Meetings Before Lunch

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e16- 20 Hours in L.A. (The Voice of the People is the Voice of a Dog.)

Well, most of the West Wing staff is accompanying the President to Los Angeles- and what could say L.A. more than guest stars a-plenty:

John de Lancie- Al Kiefer (Q from Star Trek, for the fellow nerds reading this blog)
Marlee Matlin- Joey Lucas is back- hooray!  Along with Kenny, who gets some romantic dialogue, and I've got to say, he pulls it off well.
Jorja Fox- Zoey's new Secret Service agent, who talks to the President about threats that are being made against Zoey for dating Charlie.  She's not as believable as Ron Butterfield, but who is?!
Bob Balaban- Ted Marcus, film studio boss.  Interestingly, Bob's Uncle was the head of Paramount Pictures for 28 years (Mr. Balaban also portrays my favorite character in Waiting for Guffman).

Jay Leno- playing himself, he makes it clear to CJ that he'd like more bicycles into trees (a reference to the pilot episode)
David Hasslehoff-  Playing what I can only assume is a more scholarly version of himself, Hasslehoff is shown quoting Brennan's majority decision in Texas v. Johnson- finding that Johnson was within his 1st Amendment right.  Donna is more interested in Hassle-ing the Hoff than she is hearing his nuanced opinion on flag-burning.  Until she sees Matthew Perry.

and finally, the biggest guest star of them all:

Air Force One- we get to see the inside and outside, and watch the President start the engines.

There is a lot of policy talk going on among all the glitz and glamour of L.A.- gays in the military, an ethanol tax, flag burning, and the subtleties of polling data.  The merits of the ethanol tax is presented in an argument between Leo and the suddenly sympathetic Vice-President Hoynes, and flag burning is spoken about in a town hall, and by Joey Lucas, who reminds Josh that many people feel that burning a flag is a form of expression that people find very hurtful.  She reminds him of the phrase "Vox populi, Vox dei," which means the voice of the people is the voice of god (or dog, depending on your latin translation skills).  Joey also scores some major points by pointing out that there's a difference between supporting an idea in a poll, and indicating how strongly they support the idea.  Here's the math of what they're talking about:

80% Support an amendment outlawing burning the American flag.
37% of those who said they'd favor the amendment, rated the issue fairly or very important.
12% said that the issue would swing their vote.

This is interesting, because the 80% presents a compelling amount of support, which erodes when you ask more specific questions aimed at assessing the strength of those beliefs.  This makes me question all polling data given by politicians- we never hear the the strength of the feelings expressed in the statistic, just the most impactful number.  Do any of these numbers really mean anything???

Sorry, I'm back from my irrational fear of numbers.

Back on the episode, Josh is clearly smitten with Joey Lucas, but needs some encouragement.  Thankfully, Donna is there to give a gentle push.

Yes, that's Donna Moss, clucking like a chicken, to make it clear to Josh that she feels he is lacking in confidence and initiative (this blog is being read internationally, I wasn't sure how self-explanatory that was).

Towards the end of the episode, President Bartlet and Ted Marcus get into a little bit of a spat,  during which we learn that the President is having trouble sleeping, which is why he arranged for such hectic travel.  Unfortunately, the last shot of the episode is of the President trying unsuccessfully to sleep.  This continues the trend of ending episodes with feelings of trouble for President Bartlet; it all seems to be mounting up, but to what?

What's Next?  S1e17- The White House Pro-Am

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e15- Celestial Navigation (I had a woot canaw)

Racism, profiling and the Supreme Court nominee.  Oh my!

Yes, Edward James Olmos is back as Justice Mendoza, and he's there to stand and deliver (sorry, I couldn't resist) some brutal truth about the criminal justice system.  Mr. Mendoza has been arrested for drunk driving, but there's a problem- he has a medical condition that makes it lethal for him to drink.  So, he's not drunk, and it's suggested that he was arrested for driving while not being white in a sleepy little town in Connecticut.  Toby and Josh are sent to go get him out of jail, and get lost; Sam tries to find his way to the sleepy little town using the north star- hence: Celestial Navigation.

This episode is a different format- the showrunners clearly wanted to switch it up, so the episode is told by Josh, who is being interviewed as a guest at some sort of university lecture.  He's asked to describe an "average day at the White House,"  and happens to choose a day where he's a spectacular dodo.

Why was Josh a dodo?

• CJ has root canal- but since she had root canal, she says "woot canaw."  Take a moment and say that out loud.  

Other words that you should experience in an audible way:

• Briefing ("Bwiefing")
• Try very, very hard not to destroy us (Twy vewy, vewy hawd not to destwoy us)
• You completely imploded!  (You compwetewy impwoded!)
• A secret plan to fight inflation! (A secwet pwan to fight infwation!)

• Josh has absolutely no powers of debate, and here's some of the way's we know he's not up to the Socratic Wonder that is the White House Press Corps.  
• Josh also calls a reporter's question stupid.
• Josh says that the President doesn't smoke, even though he bummed a cigarette from one of the reporters on Air Force One.
• Josh manages to create a secret plan to fight inflation that he doesn't support.  

So what do we learn in this episode?  That CJ, with cotton balls in her mouth after emergency root canal (say it again:"woot canaw"- isn't that great?!) is a better press secretary than Josh ever could be. 

We also learn that Allison Janney (who plays CJ) is very capable of comedy- something I think we all agree we're glad the producers discovered.   Oh, and we also learn that Sam is nuts for dental hygiene; but that's not really a surprise- very in character for Sam:

SAM: Your teeth are the best friends you got, C.J.

C.J: They are?

SAM: You take care of them, they’ll take care of you.

That's very true.  If you don't take care of your teeth, you might have to have an emergency root canal.  And that's no fun- although it's enjoyable to say.  One more time:

What's Next? 20 Hours in L.A.- the return of Joey Lucas!

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e14- Take this Sabbath Day (What the Hell are you doing here?)

Based on the how Josh looks when he wakes up the morning after attending a bachelor party (above), Donna is correct when she says that Josh has a very delicate system.  Thanks to ZuZu (the cleaner on Connecticut.), he get's cleaned up (almost) in time for a Saturday morning meeting.  A meeting with who?  With Joey Lucas, along with her interpreter, Kenny... Somebody (Thurman- I'm sure Josh would remember that if he wasn't so hungover).  She is running a campaign in California that is having its funding cut because the President doesn't think enough of her candidate, and Democrats make tons of money every time the incumbent Republican says something inflammatory.  She takes a tour that ends with a nice (though abruptly ended) meeting with the President in the Oval Office, and it's clear that she's a true winner.  Though Josh first meets Joey looking like the Gortons Fisherman: 

he rallies by meeting her at her hotel to lay on a little bit of charm and pass along some presidential encouragement for her to run for office.  

Besides the comedic moments about Josh's delicate system, this episode centers around the Death Penalty.  As has been the case with other weighty issues presented on The West Wing, arguments are presented both for and against capital punishment with equal strength and impact- Sam's impassioned arguments against, Charlie's admission that he would be very pro-capital punishment in the case of his mother's killer, and CJ, who really has no opinion.  By the end of the episode, this debate provides us with an opportunity to explore the President's character, and the relationship between him, his office, and his Catholicism.

A few episodes back, in S1e9- The Short List, we heard rumblings about the Bartlet Presidency; whether or not he was leading with the courage of his convictions that he showed during his campaign.  In this episode, President Bartlet cites public opinion, court decisions, concern over the precedence it would set, the separation of powers, St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and the old Testament as reasons why Bartlet the politician should not stop the execution of a man convicted of killing two drug kingpins.  Meanwhile, both Bartlet the man and Bartlet the Catholic are unable to find a rationale that would also satisfy Bartlet the politician to stay the execution- until it is too late.

Having arrived at the White House just before the execution takes place, President Bartlet's childhood priest from New Hampshire, Father Cavanaugh, reminds him that of a simple line of scripture, which should have been all the reason he needed to stay the execution:

“‘Vengeance is mine,’ sayeth the Lord.”

With this simple statement, Fr. Cavanaugh reminds the President of the difference between leadership and just going along with the popular and easy idea; he also reminds him that Bartlet's humanity was elected, not his ability to read polling data.  Fr. Cavanaugh further breaks through the barrier that Bartlet has built between the himself and the office by calling him by his first name, and asking if he would like to give confession.  The president kneels on the seal of the President- a stunning visual of the most powerful man in the country submitting to a higher power.

Fr. Cavanaugh (portrayed so well by the lovely Karl Malden) also shares this parable, in response to President Bartlet's anger that his prayers for wisdom went unanswered:

"You know, you remind me of the man that lived by the river. He heard a radio report that the river was going to rush up and flood the town. And that all the residents should evacuate their homes. But the man said, “I’m religious. I pray. God loves me. God will save me.” The waters rose up. A guy in a row boat came along and he shouted, “Hey, hey you! You in there. The town is flooding. Let me take you to safety.” But the man shouted back, “I’m religious. I pray. God loves me. God will save me.” A helicopter was hovering overhead. And a guy with a megaphone shouted, “Hey you, you down there. The town is flooding. Let me drop this ladder and I’ll take you to safety.” But the
man shouted back that he was religious, that he prayed, that God loved him and that God will take him to safety. Well... the man drowned. And standing at the gates of St. Peter, he demanded an audience with God. “Lord,” he said, “I’m a religious man, I pray. I thought you loved me. Why did this happen?” God said, “I sent you a radio report, a helicopter, and a guy in a rowboat. What the hell are you doing here?”"

You see, we all don't get a burning bush, waters parting, a talking donkey or bottomless casks of wine (although that would be nice) as signs of God's wisdom- the miracles of inspiration that we get are much more often found in the form of the people who come into our lives, and those small moments of courage in which we bravely chose our actions based on the conviction of our beliefs, rather than what might be popular, easy to applaud or is guaranteed to get votes.

I know that outside my world of West Wing blogging, many people are voting in primaries- (I'll be voting in the Michigan Primary on the day this posts) and more people are deciding who they hope to vote for in November.  I hope we look for people who seek out that inspiration and have that courage, rather than a platform of diatribe designed to engender popularity, applause or votes.  We elect people and their humanity, not just a collection of polling data, soundbites and enough anger to raise people up through fear.  For some reason, another bit of Aaron Sorkin's writing has been running through my mind on this Primary day- I'll just leave it here for you to judge.  In the movie "American President," the President is finally speaking out against the main antagonist (Bob Rumson) in the movie- Sorkin (through his mouthpiece, President Andrew Sheppard) lets us behind the curtain on Candidate Rumson's campaign platform:

"I've known Bob Rumson for years, and I've been operating under the assumption that the reason Bob devotes so much time and energy to shouting at the rain was that he simply didn't get it. Well, I was wrong. Bob's problem isn't that he doesn't get it. Bob's problem is that he can't sell it! We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. You gather a group of middle-aged, middle-class, middle-income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family and American values and character."


What's Next? S1e15- Celestial Navigation

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e13- Take out the Trash Day (I won't say that word.)

Oh, Leo.  

The President is worried about Leo seeing someone named Simon Blye, but Leo comes to this fellow Simon's defense, telling him that he has been a good friend.  Well, Leo was wrong.  He's not a good friend, he's a silly jerk with a silly accent and a silly name.  

Leo, realizing that Simon Blye is a jerk.

Simon Blye, the jerk.

Sorry, I strongly dislike anyone who isn't nice to Leo.  Why?  For so many reasons.  In this episode, it's because he continues to have faith in people after he gets crushed by it. 

Later in the episode, Toby's assistant; Ginger,  discovers who leaked the information about Leo's stay at the Sierra-Tucson Rehabilitation Facility (and gets no credit whatsoever- what's up with that?!), and Sam fires the leaker.  Let's keep in mind that this employee has put Leo through the ringer- publicly.  Leo meets with her, and after talking to her and hearing her story, ends up complimenting her ("I'm not sure it wasn't a little bit brave") and gives her a second chance.  In the process, he also gives a terrific explanation about addiction- again, Sorkin and John Spencer (who plays Leo) both spoke from experience.  

The only other thing I'm going to write about today is the Lydells.  We heard about their son, Lowell's death in S1e10, In Excelsis Deo, and also learned that the administration was unsure about Hate Crimes legislation.  It seems that certainty has been found, because the President is about to sign legislation into law.  The Lydells are invited to the bill signing, but there is uncertainty with regard to Mr. Lydell's support of the President, his comfort with having had a gay son and the bill in general.  After an uncomfortable exchange, CJ asks him directly about his support.  He responds:

"The hate crimes bill is fine. Who gives a damn? It's fine. I don't care. If you ask me, we shouldn't 

be making laws against what's in a person's head but who gives a damn? I don't understand 

how this President, who I voted for, I don't understand how he can take such a completely 

weak-ass position on gay rights.  Gays in the military, same-sex marriage, gay adoption, boards 

of education - where the hell is he? I want to know what qualities necessary to being a 

parent this President feels my son lacked? I want to know from this President, who has 

served not one day in Vietnam - I had two tours in Vietnam. I want to know what qualities 

necessary to being a soldier this President feels my son lacked? Lady, I'm not embarrassed 

my son was gay. My government is."

Now please don't get me wrong- The West Wing is my favorite television show ever, and I have a picture of President Bartlet in my living room.  But I will say that one of the challenges of watching this show is recognizing that though time has passed, things have not necessarily improved- the West Wing presented a idealized (though at times imperfect) liberal presidency, and often times the West Wing world served as a vehicle to point out what was still wrong with the real world.  This father's words were incredibly impactful in 2000- striking at the core of the inequality that existed at the time for members of the LBGTQ community.  Let's see how we're doing with those issues he brought up:

• Don't Ask, Don't Tell was repealed on September 20, 2011.
• On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that the fundamental right to marry was guaranteed to same-sex couples.
• In 2013, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act stated that federally funded Adoption Agencies are forbidden by law to discriminate against same-sex couples or anyone who identifies as LBGTQ.  However, private adoption agencies are another matter.

I'm not sure about what the last item on Mr. Lydell's list means (Boards of Education), but it should be celebrated that this episode aired on January 26, 2000, and sixteen years later many of the shortcomings listed have improved dramatically.  For all the times that we will watch an episode of the West Wing and worry about the lack of progress, these advancements need to be recognized and celebrated.  I'm not saying that The West Wing is responsible for creating change, but I'm comfortable stating that it was the change we wanted to see in the real world.

Thanks, Obama, the Notorious RBG (Ruth Bader Ginsberg), and all the other hardworking members of political and advocacy groups who saw this progress across the finish line!

What's Next?  S1e14- Take This Sabbath Day

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e12- He Shall, from Time to Time... (I'm proud to report our country's stranger than it was a year ago.)

There is a lot going on in this episode, to say the least.  The State of the Union is approaching (Gail's fishbowl features a podium in its honor), Leo's time at the Sierra-Tuscon Rehabilitation Facility for alcohol and valium addiction becomes public, India and Pakistan are getting ready to go to war as soon as the cease-fire ends, and the Celtics have lost.  Plus, Lord John Marbury is still running around offering medical advice (take whatever you want, but make sure to add a shot of whiskey) and CJ manages to conquer exceptional awkwardness to kiss Danny in her office (including knocking on her own door before entering, and trying to take the fishbowl with her upon her exit after the kiss- silly CJ).

There are also some policy discussions over the content of the State of the Union; one conversation in particular is important to share, regarding using the line "The era of Big Government is over":

TOBY- ... the government can be a place where people come together and where no one gets left behind. No one gets left behind, an instrument of good.  I have no trouble understanding why the line tested well, Josh, but I don’t think that means we should say it. I think that means we should change it.

One much larger plot line that is introduced in this episode is the President's health; specifically, that he has a relapsing-remitting form of Multiple Sclerosis.  How did Aaron Sorkin come up with this idea?

"I think it all started because I wanted the president to be in bed watching soap operas. I wanted him, for the first time, to be experiencing daytime dramas, ...And I had to figure out how he got there. And I didn't want it to just be the flu. Oh! I also wanted us to discover that Stockard Channing's character (the first lady) is a doctor and so things just started happening." - Aaron Sorkin

Um, excuse me?  I imagine Aaron Sorkin writing this show with multiple chalkboards, diagrams, maps and Latin dictionaries handy.  Surely my favorite show couldn't be written this haphazardly?!  You wanted to see him joke about NBC's Passions and Jerry Springer, so you gave him MS?! Well, here you go, Aaron.  Hope you're happy.

Sorry.  Just had to get that off my chest.  Back to the episode.

This is huge news, obviously- made more so in light of the fact that Leo clearly didn't know about this; in fact, no one knew except Mrs. Bartlet.

All of this leads us to the first of two touching moments that serve as an endearing testament to the strength of the friendship between Leo and Jed:

The second is a conversation Leo overhears between the President and Roger Tribby, the Secretary of Agriculture.  Bartlet is telling him what do do in case something happens during the State of the Union (Sec. Tribby has been chosen to stay behind to preserve the line of succession).

BARTLET- You have a best friend?
ROGER- Yes, sir.
BARTLET- Is he smarter than you?
ROGER- Yes, sir.
BARTLET- Would you trust him with your life?
ROGER- Yes, sir.
BARTLET- That’s your chief of staff.

And just like that, the President is off to deliver the State of the Union, having gazed into the 321st Century (not a typo).  He is proud to report that the country is stranger and stronger than it was a year ago, and the same could be said for the characters on the West Wing over the course of these first twelve episodes.  The identities of each member of the administration have become more clear, while at the same time their individual complications are coming more into focus.  All of this suggests a depth we have yet to explore, and each additional piece of information we learn always seems to open more doors than it closes.  It's part of what makes this show so wonderful, and I feel honored to document it's hal#lowed journey.

What's Next?  S1e13- Take Out The Trash Day

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e11- Lord John Marbury (I don't even think the accent's real.)

Yes, Lord John Fauntleroy Marbury is here, with his liquor and his women.  Thank heavens, too, because this episode is fairly serious- we spend a fair amount of time in the Situation Room, where there is seldom blog-able comedy, and deal about open war between India and Pakistan.  There is nothing funny about that either, plus, there's nothing that someone with degrees in Music Education and Choral Conducting can add to the conversation.  So, I won't try.  Thankfully, there's plenty of other topics in this episode that I can lend my voice to.

First: Josh gets subpoenaed, and yes, I had to look up how to spell this.  What starts out as an inquiry about Josh's investigation into West Wing staff drug use becomes a clear attack of Leo.  Thankfully, Sam is there to slam his briefcase shut (29:11) and stop the deposition before Josh perjures himself.  He also threatens to bust the opposing lawyer like a piñata- yet another West Wing quote I aspire to use one day in conversation.

Second: We meet Ed and Larry for the first time.  Not sure which is Ed and which is Larry?  That's ok- no one really ever is sure who is who.

Ed and Larry, or Larry and Ed.  Not sure which...

Third: President Bartlet wishes he had built a dungeon to keep his daughter away from men in general.  Zoey asked Charlie out, and Charlie asked Bartlet if it would be alright if they went on a date.  Leo

LEO- Got a racial problem?
BARTLET- A racial problem?
LEO- It’s okay to admit it.
BARTLET- I don’t!
LEO- Okay.
BARTLET- I don’t have a racial problem.
LEO- Okay.
BARTLET- I’m Spencer Tracy at the end of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”
LEO- Okay.
BARTLET- Racial problem!
LEO- I’m just saying...
BARTLET- My problem is not that she’s white, he’s black, it’s that she’s a girl and he’s not.

Yup- that pretty much sums it up.

Fourth: Leo and Lord John Marbury apparently have met 10-12 times.  Leo remembers, knows that he is the Chief of Staff (and that his name is Leo), while Lord John Marbury does not recall any of this.

Thankfully, Lord John Marbury will be sticking around as long as he is needed.

Fifth: This is facinating, so follow me through this:

Erick Avari was born in India, and plays the Pakistani Ambassador.

Iqbal Theba was born in Pakistan, and plays the Indian Ambassador.

I'm trying to figure out if there's something more there- that can't be an accident, right?  Tweets to Iqbal Theba have gone unreplied.  I'm positive his people have a picture of me and are on the lookout for the "crazy West Wing guy."


Last: CJ get's hosed by the everyone.  Completely not cool.  Dee Dee Myers (Press Secretary under Clinton) faced a similar situation (read all about it here), and wasn't satisfied with how the conflict found resolution.  I would share more about this, but I don't want to soften the blow of the fact that it was not at all ok, smacked of sexism, and Toby's apology sucked.

What's Next?  S1e12- He Shall, From Time to Time...

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e10- In Excelsis Deo (Who the hell is this guy, and why do I care if he has a Merry Christmas?)

Happy Holidays!  Got your Dickensian costume ready to go?  

This episode starts with a quaint argument about the start of the new millennium- 2000 or 2001?  Sam is very pro-2000, while Toby is very pro-2001.  For the record, Toby is correct- 2000 would be the last year of the previous millennium.

We also learn that CJ's Secret Service Code Name is Flamingo.

Hold on, what did he say?

That's right- CJ's Secret Service Code Name is Flamingo.  Let that process for a bit.

Got it?  Good, because I'm now going to transition as quickly, abruptly and heartbreakingly as this episode does.  Full disclosure- I cry at at least 3 different points in this episode.  

1- When Charlie tells the President that Lowell Lydell has died.  Leo told Josh about him earlier in the episode: "A gay high school senior. He got beaten up, then they stripped him naked, tied him to a 

tree and threw rocks and bottles at his head. You know how old the assailants were? Thirteen."  The President is in the middle of an endearingly cute exchange with elementary-aged students when he is told of his death, and the visible effort it takes him to gather himself before returning to the kids gets me every time.

2- When Mrs. Landigham tells Charlie about the death of her two sons.  Something about the way she continues to look at her computer suggests that she needs to keep some focus so she doesn't fall apart, and when she says that her boys must have been so scared and needed their mother, I just stare at my computer and try to keep my focus so I don't fall apart.

3- Mrs. Landingham joins Toby at the military funeral that Toby (using the President's name) has arranged for the homeless Korean War veteran who died while wearing a coat Toby donated to the Goodwill.  At the conclusion of the ceremony, flowers are laid on the coffin by the veteran's brother.  

These moments are separated by lighter moments:

• Jessica Hodges- this kid came from Central Casting- they asked for the cutest child imagineable.

• President Bartlet at "Rare Books," where he clearly knows a lot about types of binding.
• Donna wants ski pants, ski boots, ski hat, ski goggles, ski gloves, ski poles for Christmas. And Skis.
• Gail the Goldfish's fishbowl has a Christmas tree in it.
• CJ made an actual list of reasons why they shouldn't date. Danny made a list of why he and CJ should date. It's a mental list. Then gives her some fish food, and tells CJ he has a crush on her.

There are also a few touching moments in between the lighter moments and heartbreaking ones:

• After Toby says that he's a powerful and influential person (and looks absolutely ashamed doing it), he tries to give two homeless men money, but they won't take it, because he doesn't live around here and they're worried he won't get home alright.
• Laurie (Sam's friend who is a law-student by day and call-girl by night) reminds Sam and Josh that they're supposed to be the good guys, and shouldn't stoop to the level of the people attacking Leo.
• Josh got Donna a rare and old book about skiing for Christmas.  She's disappointed (maybe she didn't appreciate the molted calf cover and original drab boards), until she reads the inscription.  She's touched, and when Josh goes into his office, he looks back to see her reaction again- we realize that there is something more than clever banter between these two.

All of these moments provide a brief respite which allows you almost enough time to recuperate before getting hit with another wave of heartache and tears.  Spaced appropriately, it's a masterful manipulation of feelings; the episode doesn't feel heavy; it encourages empathy, if anything.  

So, in an attempt to take advantage of your empathy, I'm going to place two links below where you can help with some of the issues raised in this episode.   Support, share and give. 

The story of Lowell Lydell was based on that of Matthew Shepard.  On October 7, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming, was brutally attacked and tied to a fence in a field outside of Laramie, Wyo. and left to die. On October 12, Matt succumbed to his wounds in a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado.  In the aftermath of Matt’s death, Judy and Dennis Shepard started the Matthew Shepard Foundation to honor his life and aspirations. Because of the tragedy endured by the Shepards, the beginning principle of the Foundation was to teach parents with children who may be questioning their sexuality to love and accept them for who they are, and to not throw them away.

http://www.matthewshepard.org/

There are an average of 50,000 homeless Veterans on any given night.  Wounded Warrior Homes is a grassroots charitable non-profit chartered to provide transitional housing to single post-9/11 combat veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS).

BARTLET- Toby, if we start pulling strings like this, you don’t think every homeless veteran
would come out of the woodworks?

TOBY- I can only hope, sir.

http://woundedwarriorhomes.org/

What's Next?  S1e11- Lord John Marbury

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!

S1e9- The Short List (There’s many a slip twixt the tongue and the wrist.)

Look, I understand that filling a seat on the Supreme Court is a timely topic to discuss, given the recent death of Justice Scalia and the reluctance of Senate Republicans to, you know- do their job.  I could also applaud Aaron Sorkin for accurately predicting that the right to privacy will indeed be the biggest issue of the next twenty years- only a few days ago Apple began a very public fight against court orders to unlock an iPhone found on the body of one of the San Bernadino shooters.  I could also discuss the decision to make Leo, one of the most likable characters, a recovering addict; something that both John Spencer and Aaron Sorkin know plenty enough about.  These are all incredibly worthy topics, as is the discussion of the difference between moderate and nondescript as it pertains to judicial prowess.

So what am I going to blog about today, while watching this episode?

Donna.  That's right, Donna.  

Commedia dell'arte was one of the earliest forms of profesional theater, best known for the stock character types used in their productions.  One such type is Colombina, who is a servant girl who, despite her station, was known as the smartest and wittiest characters on stage.  This immediately upsets the social order, and provides wonderful dramatic fodder.  Why do I bring this up?  Donna shares many of the characteristics of Colombina.  At the start of the episode, when Josh is celebrating getting his nominee to the Supreme Court, Donna offers the following: 

JOSH- Peyton Cabot Harrison III. He sounds like he should be a Supreme Court justice.

DONNA- It’s a good name.

JOSH- Phillips Exeter, Princeton, Rhodes scholar, Harvard Law Review, for which he was, oh yeah, 

the editor. Did I mention that he was dean of Harvard Law School? Did I mention that his 

father was attorney general to Eisenhower?

DONNA- Peyton Cabot Harrison III. 

JOSH- That’s right.

DONNA- Jewish fellow?

...

JOSH- You know what we’re finally gonna have?

DONNA- A waspy old man in the Supreme Court?

JOSH- A smooth confirmation process.

...

JOSH- It’s gonna sail, Donna.

DONNA- There’s many a slip twixt the tongue and the wrist, Josh.

JOSH- Yes. Well, your fortune cookie wisdom notwithstanding, it’s gonna sail.

DONNA- Please don’t get your hopes up.

JOSH- Why shouldn’t I get my hopes up?

DONNA- Because when it doesn’t work out, you end up drunk in my apartment in the middle of 

the night and yell at my roommate’s cats.

JOSH-Smooth sailing, Donna.

DONNA-Cautious optimism, Josh.

JOSH- Nothing bad is gonna happen this week.

DONNA- Exercise cautious optimism.

These lines move by so quickly (thanks, Sorkin) that it's easy to miss, but twice, Donna makes a point to comment on the lack of diversity evidenced in this selection.  She also knows that even when things seem certain to succeed, they can still go wrong; that's the meaning of the proverb she misquotes: there’s many a slip twixt the tongue and the wrist (it should be twixt the cup and the lip).  Her point is only further stressed by a chunk of ceiling falling on Josh's desk, serving as punctuation for her encouragement for cautious optimism.  My point is, Donna may be Josh's assistant, without his experience or degrees, but that doesn't make him smarter than her; Columbina was often more intelligent in the ways of the world in comparison to the book-smarts of the other characters.  For the record, though, Columbina wouldn't have accrued parking tickets like Donna.  That is definately a departure between the two characters.

This is the first episode where voice is given to a larger issue with the Bartlet administration: moderation and lack of political will.  The retiring Supreme Court Justice accuses the President of running an insurgency campaign and then moving too firmly to the middle, and Josh remarks that Harrison was never who they talked about during the campaign.  The retiring Justice goes so far to say that Bartlet would lose the next election to a gutsier Republican candidate.  While Bartlet keeps his composure, some part of this meeting leads him to reconsider his appointment, eventually naming the judge who the retiring Justice encouraged him to consider.  So Bartlet, on some level agrees; will we see more of this?  

Finally, Josh seeks out reporter Danny Concannon for info and advice about the latest scandal- Congressman Lillienfield asserting that 1/3 of White House staffers use drugs on a regular basis.  Danny's council is appreciated, and as a thanks, Josh tells him that CJ likes goldfish.

Danny thinks Josh means this, 

and shows up in CJ's office like this,

but unfortunately, Josh meant this:

This exchange is touching- CJ gives us a great laugh, Danny gets a kiss on the cheek, and Gail the Goldfish is officially welcomed to the cast of The West Wing.  Keep an eye on her fishbowl- it is often decorated in a theme matching the episode.  And no, those of you who were about to ask- there was no Commedia Dell'arte character for a goldfish.

What's Next? S1e10- In Excelsis Deo (Yay for Holiday episodes!)

Like what you've read?  Click on those little buttons to share this blog via facebook, twitter, email, etc!