Anyone see West Wing last night?

[Totally Committed]

Jimmy Smits plays the Democratic Party nominee who is still in the NG, but still scores below the chickenhawk Republican (Alan Alda) on security. His campaign head and team keep toying with the idea of "repackaging" him as a "moderate"... away from the baase. Then a new member of the team (Janeane Garafolo) who says the only way to get traction against the Republicans is to hit back when they hit, and hit hard. And to act like "he has a spine".

Any of you see it? What did you think?

TC

[deadparrot]

1. And Janeane/Lou told Josh to "stop drinking the Kool-Aid."

;)

[Totally Committed]

2. I know....

I loved that show!

[Oreo]

3. There are so many parallels with real life.

I think they're doing it on purpose. But they're showing how things SHOULD be handled.

NASA leak = Plame Leak
Dems and security
Leo's Heart Problems = Cheney
Leo's drinking = Bush

There are more... can't think of them now.

I liked Garofalo's part... it was bigger than I thought it would be.

[Blue Belle]

8. Yes... the parallels of today...

I like last week's episode where they said that they had to get the leak investigation out of the hands of white house counsel because the white house can't and shouldn't investigate itself... smacks the "I'll get to the bottom of the Katrina problems" meme right in the face. :)

[FreedomAngel82]

18. Oh yes!

There were a lot of paralells. I liked that one. :) I liked Santo's comment about that too. I thought he did it quite nicely.

[liberal N proud]

6. Loved that remark

[havocmom]

4. Just caught the tail end of it. Sounds like advice from the Big Dawg

He said he loved it when they attacked him cuz he could hit back HARD and he smiled that happy smile.

Glad she got a line about Kool Aid. Sorry I missed that.

[Mass]

5. The best part is that Santos does not do what the consultants say

He does what he thinks is right. This may be the most important part of the movie. Let the candidate be the candidate and stop expecting that he is going to agree with each and every strategist in the party.

The Democratic party has too many strategists and they are muddying the message.

[Totally Committed]

7. I agree...

after the last Presidential campaign I found that part very comforting. I like that Santos is being Santos in spite of all the advice he's getting!

[FreedomAngel82]

19. Yes!

He listened to all people and made up his own decisions. I really liked that about him. It seems to me if Kerry did that they wouldn't have been able to steal it from us. Hopefully our next canidate can learn from all this. Plus, I love the campaign behind the scenes stuff. :D

[Blue Belle]

9. Does anyone else think that this is the beginning of the end...

for West Wing?? I'm not liking the decision to move the show to Sunday nights(although, it's great for me because now I have something to watch before Desparate Housewives)... it seems that once they start jerking the schedule time around the series often spirals into it's final throws. To be honest, I think the shows writing fell once Sorken left, but I like the election story line, and they've added strong cast members the makes the Bartlet transition out less painful.

[truebrit71]

10. I saw it, and it was 100% better than the premiere last week...

I absolutely LOVED Janeane's role, and most especially her message...Hit back, and hit hard....

It was an excellent episode!

[Pithy Cherub]

11. It was fantabulous! especially, the way "Louise" kicked the

consultants asses on they were just there for spoils of the DNC media buy. Josh (scary Shrum like behavior)doesn't know who his client is so he hedges too many bets. Louise is all about the impact and doesn't care if there is blood spilled in battle and I LOVED the way that charcter told the candidate some home truths with no sugarcoating.

That was a message to Democratic former and current candidates if I ever saw one and the tone aligns right with why we are so frustrated on the left now.
:loveya:it last night.

[welshTerrier2]

12. do they rerun this during the week?

the Garafolo character sounds like a breath of fresh air for network TV ... is it possible our "radical extremist views" could actually get an airing to the viewing public ???

fictional TV show or not, ideas are ideas and i, for one, am glad to hear that a little life has been breathed back into the West Wing ... of course, i missed last night's show ...

does anyone know if they rerun the recent episode during the week or will i have to wait for the endless parade of reruns later this year ???

[Totally Committed]

13. You would have loved this!

It's like someone is reading the disaffection on the Blogs, and translating it into the story.

The Republican is a "good" Republican, and he's still vile, and will stop at nothing. The Democrat is a Latino with an attitude and a heart, but he was (before last night) getting and following some bad advice to remain "quiet" and act on the polls.

Garafalo's character went in there urging him to fight back, and ignore the polls... to be who he truly was. He took some of that advice, but went a step further... he did, in the end, what he felt was right for him, and it was golden.

I am dreading the eventual outcome of this "campaign". If Alda wins instead of Smits, I will be so sad!

I don't think it repeats during the week, but I'll see what I can find out.

[welshTerrier2]

14. thanks, TC ...

i watch the "premiere" last week and thought it was pretty weak ...

this week's show sounded great ... i can't believe i missed it ... do you think Garafalo's character will become a regular?

i wonder what this says about the network's willingness to air our views? i wonder if they'll make the writer's "tone it down" a bit ... or are they just a bunch of commercial, profit-only suckups who don't care what gets said as long as they make money??? or ...

D. all of the above ...

[Totally Committed]

15. West Wing is the only network tv I watch...

I usually find the corporate "message" and content too much to bear (on network shows), but they always manage to delight me... if , for no other reason than, for one hour a week, there is a Democratic President in the WH, and I at least recognize and approve of SOME of his reactions and decsions. He isn't perfect, but at least I know the species.

It appears the Garafolo character will be a regular to the campaign. She was smart, mouthy, agressive, and (thank goodness) Smits' character has her reporting to him instead of Josh.

I'll PM you if I can find a repeat anywhere in our area. If not, at least watch next week. Looks like the fun is just starting.

[tomg]

16. I've always loved the West Wing,

but what I really want to see is the TV Republicans get the TV White House and the Real Democrats get the Real White House. Oh, and glad to know the new season has started. Missed it last night.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. I loved it!

I really enjoyed that and it felt really great to see a democratic canidate with a spine and not giving a damn about his "image"! Our democrats can take a hint about that!

[Totally Committed]

20. A Hint?

I am beginning to think it was the writers' whole message:

"Earth to Democratic Party: This is what you have to do, and who you have to listen to to take back the country"

I hope they are listening!

[ReadTomPaine]

21. Alan Alda as a Neocon GOP candidate?!

I really should watch this show. What a casting selection!

[Totally Committed]

22. It is truly a stroke of genius... so unexpected, and so out-of-character!

He plays a "good" old-fashioned Republican, though, not a "Neo-Con" Republican (like one of those would ever win the nomination today...). He's one of those who doesn't appreciate the Religious influence in the Party, and who helped the Democratic President pass a higher minimum wage bill that was badly needed with a compromise they both made while sitting in the WH kitchen eating ice cream. He seemed like a very affable, very intelligent guy.

But, as this campaign has unfolded, what is seen, is what I've always believed... there are no "good" Republicans, if they are out to win an election from you. From the coming attractions for next week, it looks like he's going dirty on Santos, so it should be interesting.

[ReadTomPaine]

24. Don't forget Alda's role in "Crimes and Misdemeanors"

He was a first class heel in that as well. Tho I saw that film for Martin Landau more than anyone. I've enjoyed his work since "Mission: Impossible!"

I really have to catch up with "The West Wing". I've been told it's quite good, and the DVD episodes are everywhere.

Thanks!

[Totally Committed]

28. You're right! Forgot all about "Crimes and Misdemeanors"...

I love Alda best when he is being Alda. (So sue me, I love the guy!) The Four Seasons and Sweet Liberty are my two favorite films of his. And, in those, he definitely plays "Alda" as we believe him to be.

[AntiCoup2K4]

23. So Janeane and Sam have been fibbing to us on the Majority Report then?

They seemed to be implying that Janeane's character on the show might be a "DLC type" and I was looking forward to a sarcastic portrayal of the appeasement wing. I missed the show anyway, but from what I'm reading here, her character doesn't sound much like a DLC'er at all ;)

[Totally Committed]

26. Actually, it's the Josh character that is taking the DLC role...

Broke my heart, really.

[cally]

25. What did folks think about the broken bed storyline?

For those who missed the episode, the AP ran with a pic showing a broken bed after Santos spent a night in a hotel. Josh asks him if there's something Santos is hiding and it turns out him and his wife broke the bed. The press is running with the story and the campaign is refusing comment. Finally, Santos says that the only comment he will make is that, "There is no way that bed was steel reinforced." The polls among women went up the next day among women. Santos is being called a Casanova.

The whole thing just seemed improbable to me. I think the campaign would have to answer some questions at least on background and release travel schedules showing his wife was there. Second, I think the press would endlessly speculate about the candidates sex life and ask the wife endless questions. Some talking heads would come on and say it indicates violence. I doubt it would affect polls.

[Totally Committed]

27. I think it was a comment on the fact that no part of a candidate's life

is private or sacred any longer. And, the way he chose to handle it -- out in the open, and with humor -- showed how candidates are forced to sacrifice their privacy, even when they are with their own spouses, for this office. I thought it was an undignified story, with a dignified outcome.

[cally]

29. Yes, but I think the press would continue to bring it up

over and over again.

[Totally Committed]

30. Sad, but probably true... n/t