Written by Lawrence O’Donnell Jr.
Directed by Christopher Misiano
“He says he has a plan to win all 50 states.”
“Send him in.”
There are times The West Wing is so good that it’s infuriating…on many levels. This is one of those times.
1—Alan Alda is magnificent, charming, open-minded, liberal, and unpretentiously wonderful as the only Republican on Earth I’d ever vote for. He tells off the right wing religious nuts of his party, speaks the truth to the press, and has nothing but praise for the skills of his Democratic opponents. He’s simply breathtaking, and I’d be willing to watch a new West Wing where he’s in charge.
2—Martin Sheen, in the twilight of Bartlet’s Presidential term, has become a positive Gandalf of wisdom & sharp-eyed criticism — the wizard-sage of Washington, who is successful in reminding both friends and enemies that HE is still in charge. Not dead yet, and not taking a walk in the snow…
3—The return of Ron Silver as Bruno, Democrat master strategist, who makes an offer to run the Republican campaign with a passionate speech that came from the very pen of the gods themselves. It was one of those hair-standing-on-end moments that come thick and fast on this show, and I just lapped it up like a man dying of thirst. Brilliant.
I could go on and on, but I’d just be reciting a list of even more favourite moments. This episode is all about what politics SHOULD BE, as opposed to what they ACTUALLY ARE. In short, it’s an essay on why The West Wing doesn’t necessarily reflect reality — it sings a song of what reality COULD BE…and the type of people (such as Sheen’s Bartlet & Alda’s Vinick) that would be capable of bringing this about.
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