S3e5- War Crimes

The pattern has become all to familiar.  If the definition of terror is to make unsafe the places we once felt safe in, than this is terror; murder on such a scale that is can cause even the most hardened individuals to question the human condition.  Almost.

It's the situation that this episode of "The West Wing" starts with; a shooting in a church.  Unfortunately, it hardly feels like you're watching fiction.

Having woken up yesterday morning to read about the shooting in an Orlando LBGTQ club that has killed 50 and injured far more, it is amazing how much of this all seems too familiar.  President Obama's statement to the nation and the predictable response.  

1- "Guns don't kill people.  People kill people."
2- "Thoughts and prayers to the families impacted by this tragedy."
3- "Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!"

Ok, that last one wasn't at all predictable, that was the GOP nominee for the office of the President of the United States, Donald Trump; whose single greatest accomplishment in life surely is testing the human limits of both financial and moral bankruptcy.

Response to #1- Yes.  But People use guns to kill people, and it becomes a lot easier when they do.

Compare the gun control laws in those countries.  To quote Toby's sarcastic statement from S2e13, "Do you think it's because Americans are more homicidal by nature?"

Response to #2- Here's my favorite:

That's Senator Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader.  Why did I choose his thoughtful tweet?

Simple:
McConnell has voted for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, against adding sexual orientation to the definition of a "hate crime," and for allowing employers to continue to discriminate against LGBTQ employees. He made it clear he disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage, but the GOP was out of options to fight the new policy.  He also received $9,900 in his 2014 election campaign from the NRA.  Notice that his statement never mentions the community most affected by this senseless act of violence, or the weapons used in the tragic shooting.

What's my point?  Thoughts and prayers are all we will get from Mitch McConnell and so many other members of the NRA's constituency (i.e. recipients of campaign donations).  They know that if they support any type of gun control measure that the NRA will draft primary challenger and provide them with huge amounts of money to unseat the traitor.

What's the NRA saying about the shooting in Orlando??

Nothing.

But what is an NRA response worth, anyways?

In 1999, days after two high school students named Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris killed twelve of their peers and one teacher at Columbine High School, Wayne LaPierre said the following:
"First, we believe in absolutely gun-free, zero-tolerance, totally safe schools.  That means no guns in America's schools, period... with the rare exception of law enforcement officers or trained security personnel."

On December 21st, 2012, one week after Adam Lanza shot 20 six and seven year olds and 6 staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School and his mother with a semi-automatic rifle and 30-round magazine that were legally purchased by his mother, the NRA's Wayne LaPierre said that gun free zones attract killers, and the NRA proposed funding to put an armed police officer in every school.

The truth is that whether it is Mental Illness, Cliques, Goth clothing, Video games, ISIL or Gun Free Zones (or the lack thereof), the NRA and the politicians who they support will always find something else to blame besides the weapons used.

Yes, we need more love and acceptance in this world.  Yes, our culture is far too accepting of violence.  Yes, the toxic nature of political rhetoric only feeds the fear and hatred that far too many people act on.

Unfortunately, there's no way to legislate most of what I just listed (despite racist plans to deport entire citizen groups and build walls).

What can we legislate?  A ban on assault weapons.  A ban on high-volume magazines.  Stricter background checks, including at gun shows.

17 years after the shooting in Columbine, isn't it time to actually try to stop this cycle?  With more than just social media thoughts and prayers, that is.

S3e4- On the Day Before

Ok, so after my whole Don Claudialione take on the last episode, I was totally going to make a comparison between C.J.'s absolutely brutal, no holds barred takedown of Sheri Wexler (the entertainment reporter from Dallas) and its equivalence to a horse head in the bed.

Then, I realized that a lot of time has passed since my last blog, due to the end of a school year and necessary rest and recuperation.  

So, I'm just going to give a few thoughts, to ease everyone back into the blog, into watching our beloved "The West Wing" and feeling joy in life once again.  The truth is, with all that has been going on in the world recently, we could all probably benefit from 43 minutes of escapism-Trumps claims that any judge who has any Mexican heritage is incapable of being unbiased (and are we really surprised that Trump doesn't understand the concept of unbiased?  This is a racist, xenophobic birther who doesn't think that droughts or climate change are real things we are talking about, after all) alone are enough to make my soul cry for the loving embrace of my mother.

So, to Season 3, episode 4.

Quick summary:
- Charlie shouldn't be talking about an immunity deal that everyone wants to talk to him about.  It doesn't matter, though, because he's not going to take the deal, because why can't he be a hero?  NO REASON, CHARLIE- YOU JUST KEEP BEING YOU!
- Sam and Toby throw an elbow, politically, and secure the votes needed to block the override veto.
- Josh has to put the Governor of Indiana back in his box, so he won't go around campaigning with such vim and vigor.

Coming back to this episode after some time, and a day after four people were shot in a market in Tel Aviv, the suicide bomb in an Israeli cafe that prompts political action by our fiction West Wing seems to echo a reality we might never escape.

Finally, a word on the aforementioned Sheri Wexler takedown.  It's a great moment for C.J., and all the more so because of her clear control of the situation.  This isn't the first time that C.J. being a woman becomes the story instead of the story on the West Wing, and it won't be the last.  It's impossible not to wonder whether any male press secretary would ever be criticized for changing from their tuxedo into a suit.

BAM!



... and the chemical abbreviation for table salt is NaCl.

What's Next?  S3e5- War Crimes

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S3e3- Ways and Means (Come and get us.)

Pair this image...

With this theme song...

... and you get my summary of this episode.

That's right.  One episode after almost submitting her resignation, C.J. is back, and she's pulling all the strings behind the scene.  Essentially, this entire episode is about her moving the debate from the Special Prosecutor, Clem Rollins (hard to hate a guy named "Clem") to the House of Representatives.  But let CJ tell you:

C.J.- Leo, we need to be investigated by someone who wants to kill us just to watch us die. We need someone perceived by the American people to be irresponsible, untrustworthy, partisan, ambitious and thirsty for the limelight. Am I crazy or is this not a job for the U.S. House of Representatives?

BAM!  You're awesome, C.J..  You know what would really be awesome?  If your devious plan worked, and after carefully manipulating the press into forcing the hands of Republicans in Congress to start hearings sooner so you have the enemy you want to fight (instead of poor ole' Clem), if you could have a badass tag line and a nice shot zooming out on you... 

Like the Capo you are, leading your Famiglia.   

Can you have a tagline too?  Something that sends us to the credits?

Thanks, C.J..  You're amazing.

In other news:

1. The President is going to veto the repeal of the Death Estate Tax.  He may sign it, he may stamp it, he may even sign and stamp it, but it's getting the repeal.  
2. Doug- still a tool. 
3. Connie Britton's character?  Still named Connie (seriously, was she just cast in this role that happened to be named Connie, or were they worried she wouldn't respond when other actors said "Connie?")
4. Donna- going crazy with her boxes.  Nearly misses having a date with Cliff Calley (another tool, not just because he's a Republican, though) because she was going crazy with her boxes.  Date with Cliff the Tool ends when he realizes the significance of her boxes, and that he probably can't be the lawyer for the people suing to see what's in the boxes and date the Donna in charge of organizing the boxes.
5. Lastly, Sam has some fairly decent Spanish skills, and definitely would have held his own with Cruz and Rubio in that one debate...

Lo siento por que le recuerda esto.

(I am sorry for reminding you of this.)

What's Next?  S3e4- On the Day Before

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S3e1&2- Manchester (Part I &II) (The President finds you all annoying, but not prohibitively debilitating.)

Welcome, Season 3!

This two part episode is essentially two episodes separated by four weeks-starting directly after President Bartlet's announcement that he would run for re-election, and four weeks later, as the whole staff goes to Manchester to make a more formal campaign announcement.  Shake up sections from each episode, blend it together, and you have a two-part season premiere.

Though there are several sub-plots in this episode, in my mind these two episodes circle around C.J.- which makes a whole lot of sense.  After the President's announcement, C.J. is the one member of the staff who is going to constantly face questions and pressure in the wake of his medical disclosure.  We see the impact of this news, whether in stories that didn't get covered (an agrigultural deal with Argentina), or more disastrously, on how stories get covered- as in the case of the military action in Haiti to restore the democratically elected government.

CARL- C.J., would you say that the President's situation makes it harder for him to focus on the situation in Haiti?
C.J.- To be honest with you, Carl, I think the President's relieved to be focusing on something that matters.

Bam.- and just like that, C.J., the person who was among the last to be told about the President's illness, the person who had shouldered the brunt of all the press questions, broke under the pressure and gave in to the frustration that must have been mounting (for sure, there was a ramp-up).  The quote isn't terrible at face-value, except when you consider the implication that he's relieved to be sending troops into harms way; not the most sensitive message given the circumstances.  Then, Leo decides that from that point forward, Nancy McNally will be briefing the press on the Haiti situation.  After several hints, C.J. tells the President that she will submit her resignation shortly after the announcement.   Thank goodness, the President starts to lecture C.J. and she gets in his face, which reminds him how much he needs her.  So, that crisis averted and C.J. once again back in the fold, let's check in on everyone else:

Josh continues to be Aaron Sorkin's Freudian Slip Machine- trying to fix the FDA's approval of RU-486; the very real Mifepristone, and confusing that with his misstep with the Tobacco Lawsuit.  I've got to say, I'm surprised that Josh actually asked everyone about leaking the memo and did it anyways, unless it is an expression of his frustration after learning about the President's illness.  Also, Josh needs to not make Donna get their bags.  Come on, man!

Don't play pool with Charlie for money.

Toby didn't want to do an announcement, and these signs are why.  But don't worry, he's fixing it:

Toby also has a new nemesis, and so do you.  Sensing, perhaps, that the audience missed the opportunity to loath a character to the extent that they disliked Mandy, Aaron Sorkin introduces Doug- the political consultant from hell.

Doug.

Thankfully, Doug has a jerk-idiot translator in Connie- the imaginatively named political consultant played by Connie Britton.  Seriously, it could only be worse if she spoke with a Cockney accent.

Connie, played by Connie

But wait- those aren't the only guest stars!  We also get Bruno- the political consultant brought in to help the campaign:

Bruno (who Leo doubts has ever voted in his life)

Most importantly, at the end of Part 2, we get a terrific pep talk from the President, who reminds them that not only do they want to win, they want to be right.  So, we're going to write a new book, and it starts here: Break's Over.  Cue the Band, it's time to run for re-election!

While it's clear that reelection is going to be a major focus in this season, these two episodes are very issue-light and character-conflict heavy.  I just read an interview with the producer of another television series talking about one of the benefits of placing a time difference between seasons is that you don't have to tie up every loose end.  Starting Season 3 with the last 3 minutes of Season 2 ensured that those each of those loose ends needed to be addressed, and after these two episodes, it feels like the show is ready to move forward into a new ark; no longer how he will reveal and what will happen after he does, but now how does he run for re-election, and what will the fall-out be, both politically and legally.

What's Next?  S3e3- Ways and Means

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S2e22- Two Cathedrals (Give me numbers.)

And just like that... we reach the end of Season 2.

This is a huge episode.  Most of the time, I try to write this blog like a seasoned pro who has watched this show several times, and is able to achieve some emotional distance from the plot and direction of the show.

This episode is not one of those times.  

Quick recap:
Leo: Taking meetings, not impressed by them.  Hopes Bartlet runs for reelection- even after he says he won't.
Sam: Clearly still struggling with the reality, clearly shouldn't be the one to meet with strategists.  Really doesn't think they should go on tv.
Josh: Would really like to light up Big Tobacco (pardon the pun)- generally worried.
C.J.: Still a badass, not sure if she wants to work at the White House anymore.
Toby: Offered a job, offended by job offer.  Worried about lighting the President from outside the windows.  Don't worry, though- they are lighting him from outside the window.
Donna: Still the calmest person in all the Senior Staff; manages to be worried about the President's well being and still do her job.  She's the best, to remind you.
Jane Lynch: Back in the Press Office (hasn't been there since S2e1- In the Shadow of Two Gunman)

The episode's title, "Two Cathedrals" refers to both the venue of Mrs. Landingham's funeral Washington National Cathedral and the chapel at the President's high school, where his father was the headmaster and Mrs. Landingham was the secretary to the headmaster.

The actress who plays the young Mrs. Landingham is a friend of Kathryn Joosten's, who recorded all of the lines for her so she can get the cadence and intonation correct- which might add to why the scenes portraying their relationship while the President was in High School are so eerie.  Mrs. Landingham attempts to get a younger Jed to advocate on behalf of the female employees of the school, who are being paid considerably less than the male employees (thankfully, this is an issue that no longer exists in the oh wait, I forgot it's still an issue).  This isn't an issue we're able to see Jed bring up, because unfortunately, his father has read a quote in the student newspaper-

"If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn."

An ironic quote, given the fact that Jed flaunts his intelligence, his father hits him and he's unable to talk to his father about the pay inequity that Mrs. Landingham has brought up.  However, it does help to explain some things that are shared a bit later in the episode.

Resource time:  here's your guide to Latin Phrases the President speaks in his tirade to God in the Cathedral after the service.

gratias tibi ago, domine.
Thank you, Lord.

haec credam a deo pio, a deo justo, a deo scito?
Am I to believe these things from a righteous god, a just god, a wise god?
cruciatus in crucem
To hell with your punishments! (literally "(put/send) punishments onto a cross")
tuus in terra servus, nuntius fui; officium perfeci.
I was your servant, your messenger on the earth; I did my duty.
cruciatus in crucem -- (with a dismissive wave of the hand) eas in crucem
To hell with your punishments!
And to hell with you! (literally, "may you go to a cross")"

You're welcome.

Kleenex alert: 35:28.  When Mrs. Landingham walks back into the Oval Office after the President has called out for her, it's hard not to lose it.  It's even harder to keep it together when she does exactly what everyone has been hoping for: remind this man she's known for years that he possesses the compassion, intelligence and leadership to right just a few of the many wrongs that exist out in the world- she makes him give her numbers.  She also tells him that his father was "a prick who could never get over the fact that he wasn't as smart as his brothers." This is an imaginary conversation on a fictitious television show, and I'm moved every time- mostly because of the echoed statements between the two of them in the retrospective scenes and current.

Then, the President get's in his car to go to the State Department for a press conference- and drives by the Washington Cathedral at the very moment that a janitor is picking up his discarded cigarette (the sign of disrespect previously mentioned by Headmaster Bartlet).  Aaron Sorkin is a master dramaturge, but my disbelief can't be this suspended.  Clearly, he forgot to write a line for Charlie, which should have read:

"Hey Bill (a great name for a driver)- the President asked for the scenic route."

Or, C.J. should have said- "OK- here now, after a significant transportation delay, is the President."

What am I talking about?

Now, I'm assuming that the Presidential motorcade could make the drive a bit faster, but why not just... you know- go right to the State Department?  

(Thanks, Google Maps, for making me look smart and snarky at the same time!)

One thing I only noticed this time?  The President forgoes his overcoat in the Tropical Storm, getting fairly well drenched.  Charlie offers him one, but he ignores it.  Once Charlie gets the President off the Portico, he takes of his own coat.  Because if President Bartlet is going to get soaked, then dammit, so is Charlie.  That's devotion.  I couldn't help but look- everyone else is shown either putting on their coats or bundling up even more into them.  Something about this made me appreciate the extent of Charlie's devotion a bit more.

When it aired, this episode was criticized for being a cliffhanger.  Really?  Take a second look at 20:45 into the episode:

MRS. LANDINGHAM- You're going to do it.
JED- Well, I didn't say that.
MRS. LANDINGHAM- Yes, you did.
JED- When?
MRS. LANDINGHAM- Just then. You stuck your hands in your pockets. You looked away and smiled.
MRS. LANDINGHAM- That means you made up your mind.
JED- That doesn't mean anything.
MRS. LANDINGHAM- Yes, it does.
JED- I stuck my hands in my pockets!
MRS. LANDINGHAM- And looked away, and smiled. We're in.

Leo is right on when he says at 42:50- "Watch this" - and sure enough, President Bartlet puts his hand in his pockets, looks away, and smiles.

We're in.

Thanks, Mrs. Landingham.

What's Next?  Season 3!

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S2e21- 18th and Potomac

Whew.

Just got done watching this episode, and I think the same thing every time- why does Charlie have to be the one who gets the phone call?

He spends what seems like a decent part of the day being shocked by Mrs. Landindham- no surround sound, no subwoofer, no tow package, no extended warranty.  She even paid sticker price, to Charlie's amazement.

So why does Charlie, whose mother switched to the shift she was killed on for him, whose boss and the guy that hired him were shot by people were trying to shoot him- why does Charlie have to be the one to get the phone call that Mrs. Landingham has been killed in her new blue car by a drunk driver at 18th and Potomac?

Because it hurts more.

Why kill Mrs. Landingham?  As a plot device, we'll find out more in the next episode, but that episode is more about President Bartlet than it is Mrs. Landingham.  It turns out that the actor that plays her, Kathryn Joosten, went out for a cigarette with Aaron Sorkin at a charity banquet and shared with him that she was shooting a pilot for another show.  Then, Sorkin started thinking about what it would be like to not have her in the cast... and then, she was getting pulled into the producers office to discuss her exit from the show.

So, here you go, Mrs. Landingham- the three things I'll miss the most about you:

1- There are few things more entertaining than hearing one of your parents use language outside their colloquial nomenclature.  I always felt like Toby and Josh asking Mrs. Landingham a simple question- "Who da men?"(S1e9- The Short List) was a sign of both their love of her and her role in the office.  She endeared herself to the audience and characters by responding:

2- Often times, she was the only person who could call out the President, and get away with it.  Consider the following conversation (S1e19- Let Bartlet be Bartlet), regarding his dissatisfaction with his lunch:

Charlie: He says it's made almost entirely of vegetables.
Mrs. Landingham: Yes, it's a salad, Charlie.
Charlie: The President would prefer a sandwich. He says roast beef will be fine, pastrami, sliced steak...
Mrs. Landingham: Charlie, tell the President he will eat his salad, and if he doesn't like it, he knows where to put his salad.

And he wouldn't dare try to steal her beer (S1e5- The Crackpots and These Women).

3- She kept a cookie jar on her desk with cookies that she could give on a bad day and refuse on a snippy day and always knew what was next.  So when we heard the story of her two sons (S1e10), we realized just how much she had already given to her country, and the fact that she hadn't missed a day in 14 years of working for Bartlet only made us love her more.  If it was possible, after this:

What's Next?  S2e22- Two Cathedrals

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S2e20- The Fall's Gonna Kill You (The sky is falling down.)

More and more people are learning about the President's illness- C.J. clearly learned the night before this episode takes place, where she starts her day at 5:30am with a meeting with the always-charming Oliver Babish.

The big question is whether the President's illness will be as C.J. suggests (responding to the concern that putting a poll into the field will give the impression that they revealed his MS in response to that poll):

"You guys are like Butch and Sundance peering over the edge of a cliff to the boulder-filled rapids 300 feet below, thinking you better not jump 'cause there's a chance you might drown. The President has this disease and has been lying about it, and you guys are worried that the polling might make us look bad? It's the fall that's gonna kill ya!"

C.J.'s position is considerably more jaded that Josh's because she is the one who had delivered the results of the President's physicals, and confides in Mrs. Bartlet that she saw her inject her husband with something during the campaign, and that she only ever asks the President if there's anything else she "needs" to know- a wording designed to maintain deniability.  Which doesn't bode well for C.J., who ends the episode not exactly feeling like a part of the gang.

OR!

Will the revelation of the President's MS be like Donna's Chinese Satellite- one of 17,000 pieces of man-made space junk that have returned to earth, but miraculously never hurt anyone.  In another words- does it just seem like the sky is falling, but it will all be ok?  Maybe the whole senior staff doesn't realize that this is all very benign- happens every day and isn't a big deal.  We're going to be looking to Donna a lot for optimism in the coming episodes.

The lowest hanging fruit available to me currently is to compare this whole space objects crashing safely/death by falling off a cliff metaphor chain that "The West Wing" is working to the nomination of Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for President.  Unfortunately, the mere fact that he has been nominated indicates that we are already a political Jackson Pollack painting on the rocks below the cliff- that is to say, we have already gone "splat."

The next rung of fruit available that might provide some insight into the multitude of ways that "The West Wing" imitates life as a whole would be to compare it to the end of a school year- some students rushing to leave everything behind them that they crash on their way out; others hurdle themselves through and truly commence at Commencement without so much as a scratch.  However, that's only an interesting analogy if you happen to be a teacher of high school students, and are thinking about anything besides dragging yourself across the finish line (by the skin of one's teeth) yourself!

So instead, I will get out my ladder, and from such a lofty perch, I'm going to talk about parenting.  My one year old started to walk this past month, and in the short amount of time he's been moving on his own, it has been a study in risk management.  First, let's be clear on the fact that from an engineering standpoint, it would be better if he were not both upright and mobile at the same time.  With a head that is large even by our high standards as Irish people with big heads, approximately 60% of his body's weight sits above his shoulders.  He has pudgy feet that are cute, but clearly not the most stable foundation upon which to stand, much less perambulate.  He is also unable to resist joining in applause; if he hears clapping, he must join in- whether it is on the tv, one of his toys (thanks, Fisher Price) or a parent congratulating him on his newfound mobility.  In most ways, every time he initiates movement, we are watching him enter a process that will either end in an amazingly miraculous safe (albeit clumsy) landing or a cataclysmic tumble leading to tears (mostly by us).

Why does all this matter?  Because while I would love it if he were safely earth-bound and unwilling to move that giant noggin more than a safe torso-length away from the floor, the truth is that he won't get very far in either our living room or life doing so.   I talk to those students who are about to graduate about the inherent risk involved in choosing to try something new- and my son is a wonderful example of that.  Watching this episode, you can't help but hope that these wonderful characters will find a safe resting place, and that their faith in each other won't be crushed in the process.

Also, heaven help us if "He Who Must Not Be Named" (my new moniker for Trump) is elected.  Sorry- that low-hanging fruit is just so tasty.

What's Next?  S2e21-18th and Potomac

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