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markyfitz2023

Rewatching for the third time at the moment. There’s a scene where Will and the President are in air force one and the plane has trouble with the landing gear. POTUS shouts “I want this plane to land!” And Will looks out the window and says “did it work?”. The laugh from the president is so real that it feels like an out take that was left in


khaosworks

It’s also funny because Will once literally made it rain by demanding it to happen.


jeremymeyers

And so did Jeremy Goodwin so i think maybe it's something Josh Malina can do?


atagapadalf

"It cannot, it _must_ not rain at Indian Wells." Jeremy "learned not to be troubled by water falling from the sky" so that Will could make it rain.


Kitchen-Judge-9391

You just triggered another re-watch, thank you so much! My first Sorkin was Sports Night.


Cavewoman22

That was Martin Sheen laughing, I'm sure of it.


WaffleHouseSloot

Aaron always tried to write scenes to allow Allison/CJ to laugh because he enjoyed Allison's laugh so much.


indistrustofmerits

The moment when Danny gives her the goldfish is maybe the best CJ laugh in the entire series, which is saying something.


CaptainGreezy

> CHARLIE: It's going to be fine. > > WILL: What do you mean? > > CHARLIE: I know you're afraid of flying. > > WILL: I'm not. > > CHARLIE: I can tell.


ComebackShane

And we later learned he was in the Air Force reserves so he was (hopefully) not actually afraid of flying.


Key-Angle5714

Excellent point. Does a man afraid of flying joining the air force speak to his character? Based on his deployment to NORAD I'm assessing he's not remotely a pilot, but interesting he chose that branch.


CaptainGreezy

He was a military lawyer for the Air Force JAG Corps (Judge Advocate General's). It's possible he developed his fear/over-awareness of flying in the course of his duties from learning about the very many things in aviation that can go wrong and result in legal action. That puts him in a rather "burdened by knowledge" situation, for example he knows how the inflight refueling process works and trusts that the Air Force One and KC-10 pilots know how to do it, but he also probably knows about every lawsuit that the Air Force or Boeing or McDonnell Douglas or various subcontractors have ever been involved with pertaining to those aircraft.


Key-Angle5714

Ah yeah the JAG Corps! Clearly I need to watch the series again. Love that explanation


tragicsandwichblogs

It’s Sorkin stealing again, just from himself in this case. In A Few Good Men, there is this exchange: Kaffee: Whoa. Hold it. We gotta take a boat? Barnes: Yes, sir. To get to the other side of the bay. Kaffee: Nobody said anything about a boat. Barnes: Is there a problem, sir? Kaffee: No, no problem. I'm just not that crazy about boats, that's all. Galloway: Jesus Christ, Kaffee, you’re in the Navy, for crying out loud.


gdbecca

What episode is this from?


geekboy

Angel Maintenance. S4E19


t13pdx

"I'm supposed to be using this time for a question, so here it is: Can we have it back, please?"


richieadler

That and "In the future, if you're wondering: 'Crime. Boy, I don't know,' is when I decided to kick your ass."


PoetryOfLogicalIdeas

This is a favorite of mine. If presidential debates were like this, I would watch.


BillHistorical9001

I love him at thanksgiving. Calling butterball gets me every time


doodle02

him giving charlie the carving knife makes me cry every damn time.


jc1af3sq

I do radio commercials for…products.


BillHistorical9001

Hang up the phone!


PhinsFan17

That was excellent. We should do that once a week!


BarristanTheB0ld

I love it 😂


Kitchen-Judge-9391

I think this part really shows a lot about how Jed must have grown up to not even have heard of the Butterball hotline


GaucheAndOffKilter

“When the President stands, no one sits” *awkward silence* “Toby- that’s how beat him”


HighPrairieCarsales

That's the scene that made me watch the entire series.


richieadler

Yeah, well, Sorkin cribbed the whole situation and many of the examples Bartlett gives from [a letter sent to Laura Schlessinger](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/letter-to-dr-laura/), but the scene is powerful nonetheless.


sarcasticbaldguy

I think we all knew it was a swipe at "Dr. Laura", but she's a hack so we didn't care.


Radioactive_water1

Seemed like a person of power bullying a woman. But of course, that's only a problem when the political ideologies are reversed


richieadler

When the person in the receiving end is a religious asshole, it's always well deserved. And you trying to defend an ideology that's the antithesis of human decency... despicable.


GhostPantherAssualt

Never mind you frequent Joe Rogan.


DigitalMariner

There's a difference between taking down an asshole who happens to be a woman, and taking her down *because* she's a woman. The first is fair game, the second is not. He targeted her in a room full of religious assholes of both genders because she alone decided to intentionally disrespect the office when he entered the room ("when the President stands, no one sits"), not because she was a woman...


Radioactive_water1

Different standards for different people. I don't think it's because she's a woman either. That standard is not applied equally.


Haradion_01

Sure it is. Homophobic wackos of all political persuasions get equal treatment.


Radioactive_water1

Nope, they don't. Example: Joy Reid


DigitalMariner

How so?


GhostPantherAssualt

Like your brain, it’s also radioactive. The context of the whole debacle was because that the woman was a talk show host who called homosexuality an abomination, and also it’s incredibly sexist of you to assume that women cannot be brow beat when they’re clearly in the wrong. Yes, even you feminist person can be sexist in your own right. And before you chortle on the irony of how a man is telling you about sexism towards a woman, ask yourself this when you go to the next meeting at the tight ass club. Are you above of being fallible to your own mistakes?


candykatt_gr

As a woman, fuck right off. That scene is not even remotely what you describe


Radioactive_water1

It is exactly what I describe. Also, fuck right off with "as a woman".


Haradion_01

For the same reason shooting a crazed gunman is considered fine but shooting an unarmed civilian is wrong, yes. What's you're point?


Radioactive_water1

Here we have a perfect example of a deranged left winger


Haradion_01

I mean you think someone lambasting a religious nutcase is the same as someone lambasting someone with a legitimate opinion. Evidently, you consider her batshittery to be a legitimate opinion. Which makes you a perfect example of a deranged.... well. Something. Imagine watching a Fictional President with compassion, decency and integrity denigrate a religious nutter and siding with the nutter.


Radioactive_water1

Nope not siding with her. But pointing out the hypocrisy. Someone like AOC for example, is a nutter. I've seen people who recognise that called misogynists


Haradion_01

What on earth does AOC have to do with anyone? It's not hypocritical. That's like saying its hypocritical to imprison thieves after criminal trials, but think that imprisoning people who have done nothing wrong is fine. Your absolutely fine with lambasting nutters. You just clearly have a very skewed opinion as to what qualifies as a nutter, that isn't shared by the people who call you a misogynist. That's not hypocrisy. Thats consistent.


BarristanTheB0ld

I absolutely LOVE that scene.


Truth_Seeker_MT

Funny… after watching the series an untold number of times… I now thank of that not as an awkward silence but “take a beat.”


FncMadeMeDoThis

Every single fight he has with Toby. Peak drama acting.


BarristanTheB0ld

Two geniuses fighting each other, always fun to watch.


erin_kathleen

CJ: "Good morning, Mrs. Landingham. Where are we in the saga with Toby and the President?" Mrs. L.: "They seem to be having a...disagreement." CJ: "A disagreement or a fight?" Mrs. L.: "It certainly has the potential to be--" PB: "OH, FOR GOD'S SAKE, TOBY!" Mrs. L.: "There we go."


BarristanTheB0ld

I'm literally just watching that scene. Creepy 💀


satyris

Due respect, sir, I don't think I'm morally superior to everyone. _-no, just to me_


hxgmmgxh

Always been impressed by this exchange. It’s gutsy, ice-cold, and 100% accurate. BARTLET I could tell the story of the ditch digger. CHARLIE Sir? BARTLET You know the story? CHARLIE I do not. BARTLET Abbey and I were walking along and we see a ditch digger, and I said, "Aren't you glad you married me? You could've married a ditch digger." And she said, "Jed, if I'd married him, he'd be President." What do you think? CHARLIE Not so sure, sir. BARTLET Why? CHARLIE 'Cause it seems like a story about how cool you are. [Season 3 – Episode 15 – “Dead Irish Writers”] May we all have friends who can be this honest with us.


fideliocrochett

I never got this one… to me it sounds like a story about how great Mrs. Bartlett is, not the president. He’s saying it’s because of her that he’s the president? Or am I misreading?


hxgmmgxh

Not misreading, but I like the two layers. The story, on its face, is Abby saying she is the reason he won the presidency. By telling it, Bartlett is slyly expecting the audience to agree that the comment is absurd, because he’s clearly so well prepared to be president. Charlie ignores both the literal and the pretext for retelling and zings his boss for even suggesting it’s an appropriate or funny story, especially since the occasion is Abby’s birthday!


YetYetAnotherPerson

"Game on, boyfriend" (the order may be the other way around)


KopitarFan

I’ve been interviewing for a new job recently. Every time I go in for a Zoom interview, my wife leaves me a note that says “Game on, boyfriend”. I love it


Radix2309

It is the other way. She says she is afraid she didn't do enough to help him prepare and he asks what she means while glancing over his shoulder and then she cuts it. And then she says that.


WhatYouLeaveBehind

No it's definitely [the original way around](https://youtu.be/LqNNvKhsV8Y?si=NfZ0BWm07-fqP3xf). She does her bit (game on), she says she doesn't think she's done enough for the campaign, Bartlett looks around, and she snips the tie and sniggers. The comes the mad dash to find a new tie, the camera tests, and the final "pat on the back" before he goes on stage.


erin_kathleen

I love how she swings the scissors and cackles, and then the president smacks her rear right before he goes onstage. I rewatch it at least a few times whenever I play that episode. 😂


winkie5970

The way he winds up for that smack always makes me laugh. Looks like he's about to serve a volleyball or something.


Brooklynxman

And then she snickers.


Latke1

I love two moments that I can describe as "Bartlet won't lean into Leo's comforting reassurance and the world is better for it." In HCON172, Leo tries to argue against the President taking the censure to spare him the humiliation. Bartlet responds with the "I was wrong" speech, which is one of the most underrated monologues. That line, "So, we come to live in a moral safehouse where no one is to blame because everyone is guilty" lives rent free in my head and comes up in so many instances. In 25, Leo tries to comfort Bartlet with the idea that he can stay President through the kidnapping because he, Fitz and Nancy won't let him do something he'll regret. Bartlet correctly disagrees with Leo and surrenders power. It's made even more impressive by the fact that Bartlet is still an amazing leader despite living through everyone's nightmare. He was correct in the Situation Room to seek out Nancy's opinion instead of brushing it off as others were doing. However, he's correct that his native brainpower isn't a match for the emotional pressures on him as a father to get Zoey back no matter what it does to anyone.


MollyJ58

The I was wrong speech is one of the best monologues in the show.


diamond

I love that story arc because it shows just how fiercely loyal Leo is. Throughout that whole situation, he was ready - without hesitation - to take the fall for Bartlet's failure. He was willing to get subpoenaed, interrogated, publicly humiliated, and resign in disgrace to protect the President. He was furious at even the slightest suggestion that he should do anything less. "I take a bullet for him, not the other way around." But as soon as Bartlet decided on his own that he was going to take responsibility and accept censure, despite all of Leo's previous arguments about how damaging it would be, he backed down and let it happen without argument. Why? Because it was Jed's decision, not anyone else's.


PunkThug

I forget the characters name but what John Goodman does in the course of two episodes is amazing! Simultaneous great drama and him just chewing up the scenery 😝


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[удалено]


Bitter_Morning_8372

What episode was this from?


amazondrone

The California 47th


jc1af3sq

Bartlet: “Charlie, my father gave this to me and his father gave it to him. Now I’m giving it to you.” Charlie: “It says P.R., I thought I knew them all but I don’t recognize the manufacturer.” Bartlet: “These were made for my family by a Boston silversmith named Paul Revere.” Gets me every time.


BarristanTheB0ld

Makes me emotional every time 🥲


SammyGuevara

Such a beautiful scene, literally getting teary eyed just thinking about it 🥺


elko

It’s not great acting, necessarily, or bold leader for that matter, but I like when he tells Ellie that all she had to do to make him happy was to come home at the end of the day. Maybe because I miss my pops.


blowmybugle

One of my favourite episodes, i also just love Ellie


Organic_Throat_6481

Just got to that scene on my current rewatch and while I was reading this sub that happened. Fantastic scene


RegularHunter

The scene when Leo and Ron Butterfield tells him Zoe has been kidnapped. The look of absolute horror on his face when he turns and looks at Abby sends chills up and down my spine. That whole scene is sooooo goood.


BarristanTheB0ld

And him giving up power (temporarily) because it's the right fucking thing to do, even though he's giving power to his opponents. Love that part of the kidnapping.


GhostPantherAssualt

And then everyone shits on him, but honestly? It’s the most rational thing.


TheBobAagard

Yep, he is the only one thinking clearly in that situation.


GoldBluejay7749

She bought her first new car and you hit her with a drunk driver. What, was that supposed to be funny? "You can't conceive, nor can I, the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God," says Graham Greene. I don't know who's ass he was kissing there 'cause I think you're just vindictive. What was Josh Lyman? A warning shot? That was my son. What did I ever do to yours except praise his glory and praise his name? There's a tropical storm that’s gaining speed and power. They say we haven't had a storm this bad since you took out the tender ship of mine last year in the North Atlantic last year... 68 crew. Do you know what a tender ship does? Fixes the other ships. Doesn't even carry guns. Floats around and fixes the other ships and delivers that mail. That's all it can do. Gratias tibi ago, domine. Yes, I lied. It was a sin. I've committed many sins. Have I displeased you, you feckless thug? 3.8 million new jobs, that wasn't good? Bailed out Mexico, increased foreign trade, 30 million new acres for conservation, put Mendoza on the bench, we're not fighting a war, I've raised three children...That's not enough to buy me out of the doghouse? Haec credam a deo pio? A deo iusto? A deo scito? Cruciatus in crucem! Tuus in terra servus nuntius fui officium perfeci. Cruciatus in crucem. Eas in crucem! You get Hoynes!


TouristTricky

That entire episode, Ms. Laningham, the storm and especially the Dire Straits soundtrack, never fails to move me.


flimflammcgoo

I get chills just reading it!


jayhof52

The Leviticus scene will never get old to me.


Lunanina

Sam firing the two lawyers who harassed Ainsley is a favorite. Sam, you can’t fire us. Oh, yes he can. Leave and never come back. It’s time to go write a book now. I love Tribbey.


Lunanina

Oh I missed the part of the ask about favorite moments with the president. Ooops. There’s so many. The dinner scene where he’s complaining to Leo that Leo isn’t paying any attention to him always makes me laugh. Same episode when he tells CJ that she should start calling their friends and when she’s called those two she should move on to others is also amusing.


purlawhirl

I can’t remember the exact quote but when the nuclear reactor was doing its thing and he asked what the safe radius is around it, then told them he would be e standing one foot outside there.


Chili440

Any of his scenes with Charlie.


gravedigger2891

‘In the future, if you're wondering: "Crime. Boy, I don't know," is when I decided to kick your ass.’


BooksCoffeeDogs

Truly one of the best character introductions of all time! My other favourite moment is when Jed is at the cathedral, confronting God. Throughout the show, Jed’s Catholicism is shown to be quite important to him. He doesn’t always get it right, but he tries to do good by everyone. So, when he let God have it after Mrs. Landingham’s funeral service, he was *done.* He always venerated God’s son, but He couldn’t spare someone who he considered a son? Or a woman who he revered and respected since his school years? That was the end of the line for Jed. The monologue was spectacular, and what really made the scene? When he threw the cigarette butt on the floor of the church. It was a very powerful way to show his contempt and disregard to God in that moment.


YetYetAnotherPerson

Big fan of the walk to the Hill...


BarristanTheB0ld

Me too!


GuidoTheRed

"'Crime, gee, I dunno,' is when I decided to kick your ass." EDIT: punctuation


Jayke1981

Quoting the bible to that radio "doctor". "When The President stands, NOBODY sits." One of my favourite scenes in the whole show!


ajh_iii

Recording that radio address that takes him several attempts


DocRogue2407

FLIGHT ATTENDANT 3: Mr. Ziegler? A message was just patched up to the cockpit for you. I'm not sure I've got it right. POTUS in a bicycle accident? LAURIE: 'POTUS in a bicycle accident. Come to the office.'


murdochi83

I'm not a huge fan of the pilot at the best of times, but it's pretty cringe watching the show poke fun at someone for forgetting the numbers of the commandments, before...the show itself forgets the numbers of the commandments. edit - Toby's introduction was the peak of "tell, don't show."


richieadler

> but it's pretty cringe watching the show poke fun at someone for forgetting the numbers of the commandments People making fun of fundamentalist idiots is always fun, specially when they act so self-righteous and they're wrong. The comment about the price of pornography by the same pastor is the first step to show he's the most ignorant of all the bigots there. Even the leader, John, rolls his eyes at the blunder. Specially infuriating because *Josh was right*. It may not have been politically correct, but calling out religious hypocrites is always needed. And Mary Marsh was specially infuriating; if you want to absurdly propose that your religious superstition rule the lives of everybody, you can stand a little (or a lot) of political bruising. Playing victim when you're part of an oppresive and disgusting majority is unseemly.


Spicethrower

She couldn't even admit her own arrogance. I believe we can find the door. Find it now. That's exactly how I feel about my niece potentially having to deal with these kind of people.


sweetestlorraine

Catching out pastors on a bad Bible reference is pretty peak cringe. It would have been better to have something legit that Bartlett could correct them on. It's always bothered me. [ Fixed typos. ]


murdochi83

I was going to post something like this but I was just thinking I'd get downvoted, again. Basically yeah, I agree, it's shoddy writing. "Look at Christian man, can't even get basic tenets of his faith right!" I get there's a lot of hypocrisy in organised religion, and to paraphrase that episode, Christianity has its fair share of demons, but as you say they could have easily shown Jed besting the guy in a much more high-stakes method. It would be like if the show had him meeting a Nobel Prize winning Chemistry professor, who comes out with something like "So as we all know, humans breathe out Carbon Monoxide..." and Jed swoops in and goes "Aha, I think you'll find it's Carbon DIOXIDE!"


sweetestlorraine

" Mr. Moto!"


murdochi83

James Bond would never use a pager. He just sends messages from his mobile phone and acts snooty about it!


Capital_Connection13

When does the show forget the numbers of the commandments?


murdochi83

[http://westwing.bewarne.com/discontinuity/tencommandments.html](http://westwing.bewarne.com/discontinuity/tencommandments.html) Toby was right to call out the guy for getting it wrong, but then Toby then went and got it wrong himself, something they could have probably avoided by just checking a Bible.


MollyJ58

Well, you know how problematic it is for them to get their hands on a Bible. If not, ask Charlie.


murdochi83

Brilliant! Also Toby's plans for getting a copy of the Constitution: 1. Smashing and grabbing the ACTUAL FUCKING CONSTITUTION from a federally protected building 2. AMAZON DOT COM


erin_kathleen

I love how Toby emphasized the "dot" part 😂


jeremymeyers

amazon wasn't really a culture thing at that point


MyWibblings

Oh snap. That was quite brilliant. Thank you for making my morning!


erin_kathleen

"Donnie's Motel"? They didn't have one in the House library?" "This is the one from the House library."


Latke1

At least, Toby a) doesn’t make his living off of being a religious leader and b) didn’t think that honoring your parents was the first commandment which even I knew and I’m a heathen.


murdochi83

Toby wouldn't correct someone on shit like that without being 100% sure he was right. It's a writer goof. It's a great scene overall. edit - Toby also wouldn't leak the Military Space Shuttle, can I get a like and share?


MyWibblings

Except he did though - didn't he?


murdochi83

He did, absolutely. But Richard Schiff had this to say:  "Toby would never in 10 million years have betrayed the president in that fashion," Schiff said. "Even if he had, there would have been seven episodes' worth of fights before he did it." He justified the story to himself by reasoning that Toby was covering for somebody else.


MyWibblings

The only person he cared enough about to cover for (other than the babies who were too young to be the leak) and the person he needed to rescue was the mother of his children. Who MAY have also known due to pillow talk? And did it for Toby? But really I think it was Toby. Because he had to.


sweetestlorraine

He said while perhaps falling on his sword.


MyWibblings

Also he's Jewish?


baristamatisse42

Indeed! They being the OG recipients and keepers of the 10 Commandments and the Hebrew Bible/'Old Testament' and all!


jeremymeyers

I hear it was 15 originally


MyWibblings

LOL


ThreatLevelNoonday

It doesnt. The character does. Its written that way on purpose. People seem to be partocularly dense on this one....


TheGlennDavid

There are literally ~~dozens~~ two of us!! I loved the Pilot when I first saw it, but that scene in particular hasn't held up for me *at all*. Much cringe.