Will McAvoy quotes from The Newsroom

Will

It's not the greatest country in the world, professor. That's my answer.

You're saying...

Will

Yes.

Let's talk about...

Will

Fine. Sharon, the NEA is a loser. Yeah, it accounts for a penny out of our paycheck, but he gets to hit you with it any time he wants. It doesn't cost money, it costs votes; it costs airtime, column inches. You know why people don't like liberals? Because they lose. If liberals are so fucking smart, how come they lose so goddamn always?

Hey!

Will

[to Lewis] And with a straight face, you're gonna tell students that America's so star-spangled awesome, that we're the only ones in the world who have freedom? Canada has freedom, Japan has freedom, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Australia, Belgium has freedom. So 207 sovereign states in the world, like 180 of them have freedom.

All right...

Will

And yeah, you, sorority girl. Just in case you accidentally wander into a voting booth one day, there's some things you should know, and one of them is, there's absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we're the greatest country in the world. We're 7th in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, 3rd in median household income, number 4 in labor force, and number 4 in exports. We lead the world in only 3 categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real, and defense spending, where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined. 25 of whom are allies. Now, none of this is the fault of a 20 year old college student. But you, nonetheless, are without a doubt a member of the worst, period, generation, period, ever, period, so when you ask, "What makes us the greatest country in the world?" I dunno know what the fuck you're talking about! Yosemite? [Pause] It sure used to be. We stood up for what was right. We fought for moral reasons, we passed laws, struck down laws for moral reasons, we waged wars on poverty, not poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors. We put our money where our mouths were, and we never beat our chest. We built great big things, made ungodly technological advances, explored the universe, cured diseases, and we cultivated the world's greatest artists and the world's greatest economy. We reached for the stars, acted like men. We aspired to intelligence, we didn't belittle it, it didn't make us feel inferior. We didn't identify ourselves by who we voted for in our last election, and we didn't [sighs] we didn't scare so easy. We were able to be all these things, and to do all these things, because we were informed. By great men, men who were revered. First step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore. [to the moderator] Enough?

Will

Yeah, I get that there are moments, small moments, infrequent moments, where I'm not the easiest guy to work with, but who the hell is?

Charlie

I am.

Will

Well, it helps that you're drunk most of the time.

Charlie

It certainly does. Do me a favor–

Will

This is more than unprofessional, it's uncivilized. But more than that, it's unprofessional.

Charlie

Just do me a favor, okay?

Will

Sure.

Charlie

Try not to make a scene–

Will

Yeah. [yelling at Elliot through a glass conference room door] Hey, dickless! (Don and Elliot both look up) [to Don, calmly] Not you. You're in a minute.

Will

What does winning look like to you?

Mac

Reclaiming the fourth estate. Reclaiming journalism as an honorable profession. A nightly newscast that informs a debate worthy of a great nation. Civility, respect, and a return to what's important; the death of bitchiness; the death of gossip and voyeurism; speaking truth to stupid. No demographic sweet spot; a place where we all come together.

Mac

Now I'd like you to listen to these words which were written 500 years ago by Don Miguel de Cervantes: "Hear me now, O thou bleak and unbearable world. Thou art base and debauched as can be. But a knight with his banners all bravely unfurled now hurls down his gauntlet to thee!" That was Don Quixote.

Will

Those words were written 45 years ago by the lyricist for "Man of La Mancha."

Mac

Didn't think you'd know that, but the point's still the same-- it's time for Don Quixote!

Will

You think I'm him?

Mac

No, I think I'm him. You're his horse.

Will

He rode a donkey.

Mac

Well, I can't help you there.

Charlie

For a long time now, I badly wanted to watch the news on my TV at night. Then it occurred to me-- I run a news division.

Will

She's indifferent to ratings, competition, corporate concerns, and, generally speaking, consequences.

Charlie

Good, 'cause you just described my job. I'm Don Quixote, you can be Sancho, she'll be Dulcinea, and everyone out there is the horse.

Will

Donkey. How did you know about that conversation?

Charlie

I know everything. Anchors having an opinion isn't a new phenomenon. Murrow had one and that was the end of McCarthy. Cronkite had one and that was the end of Vietnam.

Will

I'm not those guys.

Charlie

I'm betting all my money on you're wrong. You know what, kiddo? In the old days of about 10 minutes ago, we did the news well. You know how? We just decided to.

Will

"We aspired to intelligence. We didn't belittle it. It didn't make us feel inferior."

MacKenzie

"Reclaiming the Fourth Estate. Reclaiming journalism as an honorable profession. A nightly newscast that informs a debate worthy of a great nation. Civility, respect, and a return to what's important. The death of bitchiness, the death of gossip and voyeurism." ..... Speaking truth to stupid.

MacKenzie

"And where does it say that a good news show can't be popular?

Will

"Yes, people choose the news they want now, but-- People choose the facts they want now"

MacKenzie

"That America ... has said over and over and over that we can do better. It's part of our DNA. .... People will want the news if you give it to them with integrity. Not everybody, not even a lot of people --- 5%. And 5% more of anything is what makes the difference in this country. So we can do better.

Will

They're very young out there.

Mac

I know. But what they lack in experience, they make up for in inexperience.

Will

Mac–

Mac

It's an asset. They don't know how to do the news badly yet.

Will

Or really at all.

Mackenzie

[Realizing she just sent a mass e-mail to the staff, with details of her infidelity during a relationship with Will] No... No, no... No, no, no, no, no, no I need everyone's attention, right now [Gary Cooper receives the e-mail on his Blackberry, which Mackenzie snatches from his hand, throws to the floor, crushes beneath her heel, and upon which she pours another employee's tea.]

Gary

[staring at the ruins of his phone] That was unusual.

Mackenzie

[frantically] I need everyone to delete the staff e-mail, right now, without reading it. Then I need someone to sneak into Will's office and delete the e-mail from his inbox. If it's password protected, I need someone to, um mm, TAKE A BASEBALL BAT AND SMASH-- [Will enters with a stunned expression on his face] I thought you said he was at a thing uptown.

I guess he came back.

Will

We stood in my office this morning...

Mackenzie

Will...

Will

...and I said under no circumstances did I want anyone to know what happened, and you said yes, and yes again. I mean it really, it really seemed like you understood. Then, you sent an e-mail, explaining in some detail, what happened and then you copied 47 reporters on it.

Mackenzie

Will...

Will

You know how sometimes something happens in an instant that's so astonishing you just... shut down?

Mackenzie

Of course, that's understand–

Will

THAT DOESN'T! FUCKING! HAPPEN! TO ME!

Mackenzie

We need privacy.

Will

[Sarcastically] REALLY?!

Mackenzie

We're going to go into Will's office, I want everyone to delete the e-mail-

Mack, I think I just accidentally forwarded it to corporate.

Will

[Will angrily charges at Martin and is blocked by Mackenzie and Maggie] WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!

Mackenzie

[Frantically] I was trying to send an e-mail to you, but instead I sent it to Sloan and then 'Sloan' became 'Staff' and I either did or didn't type the asterisk.

Will

Why were you sending it at all?

Mackenzie

Because-... and here's where I'm on firmer ground. Sloan thought that you cheated on me and that you were an ass! [To the staff] Which is not true! I'm changing minds, Will!

Will

[Points angrily to his office] GET IN THERE!

Mackenzie

Sure.

Mac

You're going on a date with a cheerleader?

Will

Not a high school cheerleader, a professional cheerleader.

Mac

That doesn't make it better!

Will

Can I help you?

Mac

She's a student!

Will

A graduate student.

Mac

In philosophy?

Will

Physical therapy.

Mac

There are better ways to get back at me.

Will

I'll put up a suggestion box.

Mac

Can I warn you about something? You're a rich and famous person, and for that reason only, she may want to sleep with you.

Will

That didn't sound like something that should come with a warning, that sounded like something that should come with balloons.

Mac

... I loathe you right now.

Will

You have ink on your face.

Mac

I WORK WITH PENS!

Will

Get a grip!

Mac

I know.

Mackenzie

[After meeting Will's second date for the first time] Spinning instructor?

Will

Chief of neurology at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital. That would make her a brain surgeon...literally, a brain surgeon.

Mackenzie

[Pauses] That's not hard to beat.

Now you seem lonely and broken to me.

Will

I do?

But don't worry I can fix you.

Will

Well, if there's one thing a man likes it's a woman who tries to fix him.

Mac

Honey are you saying the United States of America is getting out-lawyered?

Will

Don't call him honey it makes me crazy. I didn't say that, it came out of my mouth... just...words.

Will

I was rejecting a pass from her while trying to talk her out of what they call at TMI a 'take-down piece' of one of the desperate housewives of New Jersey.

Charlie

Real Housewives.

Will

Who gives a shit.

Charlie

Definitely not me.

Will

And the tuxedo's off the rack.

Charlie

Did you grope her?

Will

No! I-I-I-- I gently touched her to block her as she was coming in for a kiss. I blocked her. I was the victim of an unwanted sexual advance. But more important, I was fighting the good fight.

Charlie

Why were you fighting any fight?

Will

I was trying to get her to not write the take-down piece.

Charlie

Why?

Will

Why?

Charlie

Yeah.

Will

I'll tell you why. Because I'm on a mission to civilize.

Charlie

How's it going so far?

Will

Progress is slow, but I'm in it for the long haul.

Charlie

You want Publicity to draft a statement?

Will

About the mission?

Charlie

The Page Six piece.

Will

Absolutely not.

Charlie

Good.

Will

What did you call me up here for?

Charlie

Mostly to laugh at you.

Mac

Back in 15 seconds Will, try not to date anyone before you're on the air.

Will

Copy, Mac, try not to sleep with your ex-boyfriend while I am.

Mac

[to self] He got the better of that exchange.

Reese

Every second you're not current a thousand people are changing the channel to the guy who is. That's the business you're in. MSNBC, FOX and CNN all say she's dead. Don, tell him. Don!

Don

It's a person. A doctor pronounces her dead, not the news.

And we're back in 3...2... ...

Will

[after a few moments] Here's what we know so far: