Remember the movie "The American President" (1995)??? How great it was...

[Up2Late]

...to think that we could have a President like that, who actually thought about the 3rd shift Cleaning Crew and Janitors that a missile strike WILL kill BEFORE launching an Air-strike, let alone a War.

Maybe one day, I'll feel that way again. x(

Here's the YouTube video clip from the scenes I'm referring too:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHnZWSWEiU4>

Here's the script from this clip:

(Discussing a reprisal for an attack on US troops)

A. J. MacInerney: Sir, it's immediate, it's decisive, it's low-risk, and it's a proportional response.

President Andrew Shepherd: Someday someone's going to have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response.

(clip)-------------------------

President Andrew Shepherd: What I did tonight was not about political gain.

Leon Kodak: Yes sir. But it can be, sir. What you did tonight was very presidential.

President Andrew Shepherd: Leon, somewhere in Libya right now, a janitor's working the night shift at Libyan Intelligence headquarters. He's going about doing his job... because he has no idea, in about an hour he's going to die in a massive explosion. He's just going about his job, because he has no idea that about an hour ago I gave an order to have him killed. You've just seen me do the least presidential thing I do.

<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112346/quotes>

Clip from: "The American President" (1995)

The President (Michael Douglas) discussing the Innocent people who are going to die, due to the order he just gave to bomb a building in Libya.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHnZWSWEiU4>

The full movie profile at IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base):

<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112346/>

[longship]

1. "My name is Matthew Shepard and I *am* the President of the United States"

This is one of those movies I can watch over and over again. Rob Reiner really nails it. Great flick even though watching Annette Bening often makes my teeth hurt.

The supporting cast is simply wonderful. I love Michael J. Fox's characterization of Lewis Rothschild.

A favorite quote:
A.J. MacInerney: "If anybody needs me, I'll be in the Roosevelt Room, giving Lewis oxygen."

Did I say that this is a great flick? ;-)

[ThomCat]

2. I love that movie.

It would be nice to have a President like that. But I don't see it happening. We'd first need to have presidential candidates like that.

[AirmensMom]

3. Love that movie, too.

Our current joker in chief would be hard-pressed to be more presidential than most movie presidents.

Different issue, but ... remember this one, from "Dave"?

"I don't want to tell an eight-year-old kid he's gotta sleep in the street because we want people to feel better about their car."

[Up2Late]

12. I love the movie "Dave" too, I didn't remember that line thought.

I need to break the shrink wrap and watch "Dave" again too.

Movies that are really fun to watch, these days, are the old 1980's "Cold War" Comedies, like "Stripes" and "Spies Like Us" (Vanessa Angel, Russian Rocket Crew, Rrrrow!):evilgrin:

[Tesha]

15. That's after the pro-child bill was vetoed and he's trying to find funds..

> I love the movie "Dave" too, I didn't remember that line though.

That's after the pro-child bill was vetoed and he's trying to find funds
to restore the program. One BS spending item was a program by (IIRC)
the Department of Commerce to make people whod already bought a
car "feel good" about the purchase they'd made.

Tesha

[LSparkle]

4. That's one to buy ... I haven't seen it in a while

Didn't it have a lot of the cast of "The West Wing" in it? Martin Sheen played chief of staff and I thought at least a few other characters also showed up on the series.

[Up2Late]

16. West Wing had a few, Martin Sheen being the most obvious example...

...but mostly supporting players. I've highlighted them in bold below. There are a few who were in similar shows too, like "Commander in Chief" too.

I should say, I've never watched "The West Wing." I haven't had HBO since about 1991, and I stopped watching most "Entertainment T.V." in the late 1990's, when it ceased being entertaining.

Here's the cast (from IMDB) <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112346/fullcredits>:

Directed by
Rob Reiner

Writing credits (WGA)
Aaron Sorkin (written by)

Cast (in credits order)verified as complete

Michael Douglas .... President Andrew Shepherd

Annette Bening .... Sydney Ellen Wade

Martin Sheen .... A.J. MacInerney

Michael J. Fox .... Lewis Rothschild
Anna Deavere Smith .... Robin McCall

Samantha Mathis .... Janie Basdin

Shawna Waldron .... Lucy Shepherd

David Paymer .... Leon Kodak
Anne Haney .... Mrs. Chapil

Richard Dreyfuss .... Senator Bob Rumson

Nina Siemaszko .... Beth Wade

Wendie Malick .... Susan Sloan
Beau Billingslea .... Agent Cooper
Gail Strickland .... Esther MacInerney

Joshua Malina .... David

Clement von Franckenstein .... President René Jean D'Astier
Efrat Lavi .... Madame Monique Danielle D'Astier

John Mahoney .... Leo Solomon

Taylor Nichols .... Stu
John Mahon .... Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
Tom Dahlgren .... Defense Secretary
Ralph Meyering Jr. .... General
Kurt Boesen .... Security Advisor
Joseph Latimore .... Secret Service Agent
Darryl Alan Reed .... Secret Service Agent
Andrew Steel .... Secret Service Agent

Jordan Lund .... Carl

Richard McGonagle .... Rumson Staffer
Frank Cavestani .... Rumson Staffer
Richard Stahl .... Rumson Staffer
Alice Kushida .... Carol

Renee Faia .... Lisa
Beans Morocco .... Doorkeeper
Kathryn Ish .... Education Secretary
Kamilah Martin .... Flower Girl
Augie Blunt .... Groundskeeper
Thom Barry .... Guard
Steve Gonzales .... Housing & Urban Development Secretary

Gabriel Jarret .... Jeff
Karen Maruyama .... Leo's Secretary
Nancy Kandal .... Leslie
George Murdock .... Congressman
Bernie McInerney .... Congressman Millman
Jack Gilroy .... Congressman Pennybaker
Matthew Saks .... Congressional Staffer
Googy Gress .... Gil
Ron Canada .... Lloyd, Reporter
Brian Pietro .... Reporter
Rick Garcia .... Reporter

Aaron Sorkin .... Aide in Bar

Kymberly Newberry .... Sally
Greg Poland .... Mark
Jennifer Crystal .... Maria, White House Staffer
Arthur Senzy .... Deputy

Nick Toth .... White House Aide

Jorge Noa .... White House Aide
Maud Winchester .... White House Aide
Jeffrey Anderson .... TV News Anchor
Suzanne Michaels .... TV News Anchor
Mark Thompson .... Kenneth Michaels
David Drew Gallagher .... New Guy
Todd Odom .... Secret Service Agent
Michael G. Alexander .... Color Guard Officer

Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leslie Bega .... Laura Staf

Anthony Backman .... Senator from Arizona (uncredited)

Arthur Eckdahl .... TV Anchor (uncredited)
Julienne Stern .... Reporter (uncredited)
Helen Thomas:hi: .... Herself (uncredited)
Ray Uhler .... Senator (uncredited)

[SutaUvaca]

5. Five stars for that movie!

I loved how in the final press conference scene President Shepherd makes it so thoroughly clear that his repugnant opponent was in no way interested in solving anyone's problems, but instead just wanted to manipulate them by pointing out someone else to blame.

Not always an Annette Benning fan, but I thought she was both personable and sizzling in this movie.

[Catchawave]

6. One of my favorites !

Did you know that the idea for "The West Wing" came from that movie !?

[LSparkle]

9. Written by Aaron Sorkin and has WW cast members in it

At least Martin Sheen and I thought the woman who played his secretary on WW is also in it.

[Greyhound]

11. Yep, and West Wing jumped the shark the season he left.

BTW my SO just told me what jumping the shark meant, damn me and my pop-cultural ignorance.

[Up2Late]

19. Funny thing is, most people had long stopped watching the show...

...by the time they did "The Shark" show.

I stopped watching Happy Days the year that Ron Howard left the show, and Henry Winkler was pretty much the only lead character left to build the plots around.

[Greeby]

7. I'm thinking it was a subliminal appeal to Bill Clinton

To be the kind of President that liberal America wanted.

In the same vein that the Love Actually Prime Minister who stands up to the bullying President is the kind of Prime Minister we want

[AFSCME girl]

8. One of my all time favorites!

I think I may just have to watch it again tonight :7

[Greyhound]

10. Just watched it last week for the umpteenth time.

What a great piece of fiction, I love it. I think Carter was the closest we will ever see to Andy Shepherd, and look what we did to him.

[Hippo_Tron]

13. I didn't like the whole movie that much, but it had some great moments

And that scene was certainly one of them. Also, where they are in the situation and President Shepherd says "Someday somebody is going to have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response." They did an entire West Wing Episode about that.

Martin Sheen, IMO, plays a much better president than Michael Douglas.

[Gloria]

14. Oh, God, everytime it comes on, I post it....my favorite part

is the White House press conference in which Prez. Shepherd comes in unexpectedly and then delivers a "speech" that brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it....talking about about "values" and "character", challenging Richard Dreyfuss' sleazy character on it; defends th ACLU, and generally kicks ass.

Needless to say, I have it on tape.

PS...and "Dave" is quite wonderful, too.

[greenbriar]

17. I LOVE that movie. I show it in my Government class

only two movies for pleasure in my Government class

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

and American PResident

[Up2Late]

18. What about "The Candidate" (Robert Redford, I think)?

I think my Government teacher showed us that one, but that was back around 1980.

[Up2Late]

20. kick n/t

:kick: