Will[broadcasting] During Tea Party rallies and campaign speeches, we have been told that America was founded as a Christian nation, and that if the Founding Fathers were here today, they'd tell us so. Here's John Adams in the Treaty of Tripoli: "As the Government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion..." And here's Thomas Jefferson: "... That our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions." And here's the First Amendment to the US Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." What's more frightening than the perversion of our great history is that sensible, smart, strong Republicans, the very men and women who should be standing up to radical fundamentalism, are so frightened of losing Primary battles to religious zealots that they've thrown in the towel on sanity. So we get this:
[cuts to a video of John McCain]
JMJohn McCain
Yes, the - the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation.
[Back to Will]
Will
It's ironic, because the biggest enemy of the phoney Republican isn't Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid or Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. It's this man. [a picture of Jesus flashes on the screen behind him] He said to heal the sick, feed the hungry, care for the weakest among us, and always pray in private.
Will
Sorority girl!
[to Jennifer] Don't be scared.
Will
You're the girl, right?
Will
Just graduated Northwestern?
Will
You asked me that moronic question and then my world came apart and she came here and I landed in the tabloids and I got death threats and my job is constantly in jeopardy and you ruined my life?
Will
What the hell are you doing here?
I'm applying for an internship.
Will
Why?
I watch the show and I read the "New York Magazine" article and I know what a greater fool is. And I want to be one.
Will
"Camelot"- she's the kid at the end of "Camelot." Ask me again.
Will
Ask me your idiot question again.
What makes America the greatest country in the world?
Will
[To Jennifer] You do. [To Mac] Hire her.
He'll be out in a minute.
I'm Jenna Johnson. I just started as an intern.
Will
[emerging from bathroom] Say "Why is America the greatest country in the world?"
[sighs] Why is America the greatest--
You're the sorority girl!
That's what I'm most famous for.
Will
I'm benevolent.
Will
[to Jennifer] There are eight Broadway musicals that have won the Pulitzer Prize for drama. In five minutes, I need you to name them, the composer, lyricist, librettist, and source material, if any.
Will
Go.
[Johnson leaves]
You make the interns learn musical theater history?
Will
You’re welcome, America.
Will
I don't think there's an immoral way to kill terrorists.
There's an illegal way and we're doing it.
Will
I don't care.
'Cause you were taken off the 9/11 anniversary coverage?
Will
Yes!
Will
Of course I'm-- Are you kidding me? I'm flipping out! - Holy shit, Mac. What the fuck did I do?
Will
I used to be exactly the person that you wanted to see in these moments.
Will
I don't mean the old days. Like a year ago.
Will
I remind people of the enemy? Jesus!
Every blond-haired guy from Nebraska reminds people of Muslim extremists. There's nothing you can do.
Will
Don't try to make me laugh.
You can blame it all on me.
Will
If there was a way to blame it on you, don't you think I would have done that by now? I've got Roger Daltrey screaming, "You better, you better, you bet" in my ear.
Will
Look, I'm trying real hard to care the Al-Awlaki is dead, but I-
I don't care that he's dead. I care that we killed him. Without a trial, or anything resembling due process.
Will
You can't switch teams, declare your intention to kill as many Americans as possible, and not expect to be treated as an enemy of the state.
And you can't be found to be an enemy of the state without a trial.
Will
John Dillinger said the problem with living outside the law is that you no longer have the protection of it.
That doesn't sound like Dillinger.
Will
Yeah, it may have been someone else.
Federal Agents tried to arrest Dillinger coming out of a movie theater, and when he pulled a gun, they shot him. They didn't hit the theater with a rocket.
Will
Al-Awlaki was the head of AQAP. He doesn't get read Miranda. I don't give a shit what his passport says.
Will
And you know all those times the two of you ask me why I'm a Republican, as if that's something that needs an explanation?
I don't know what the hell you're on about...
Will
I have never heard either of you ask anyone why they're a Democrat. Well it's right here. The purposeful suspension of common sense.
Treason is a crime, you have to be found guilty of it before you can be punished.
Will
Anwar Al-Awlaki was killed today. It wasn't an accident. There was no warrant, no arrest, no arraignment, no judge, no jury, and no appeal.
OOfficer
How do you spell...?
Will
Not here. A US citizen was targeted. Another on death row for the crime of not being able to afford a good lawyer. And a bunch more have been locked up for wearing Halloween masks. So obviously what I'm doing is dealing with the easiest one!
Will
I'm not allowed to make that suggestion on television.
Make it anytime you want. We're protected.
Will
Oh, you mean the tape.
The tape, baby, the tape. We're like made men. We're like Joe Pesci in "Goodfellas."
Will
He got shot.
Will
Before he got shot, he wasn't a made man.
We're like James Caan in "The Godfather."
Will
Also shot. Many, many times.
Will
Two guys who have a tape of their boss admitting to phone hacking.
How do these people boo a soldier? How do the candidates say nothing? And how are you a member of this party?
Will
I'm changing it from within.
Like Pacino in "Scarface."
Will
Have you ever seen any of these movies?
NHNina Howard
The message said--
Will
You don't have to say what it said.
Will
It's all right.
NHNina Howard
It said, "Hey, Mac, it's me. Look, I'm not just saying this because I'm high. I've never stopped loving you. You were spectacular tonight." Then there's a pause and you say, "Can you believe we got Obama?"
Will
I sit down with her...
Will
I tell her exactly what happened...
(stretched out and kind of singsong) Noohoohoo.
Will
And I appeal...
Will
To her God given humanity.
God didn't give her humanity. That's why she's a gossip columnist.
Will
God gave us all humanity.
Let's look at the tape of people boo-ing a guy while he was in the middle of saving their lives.
Will
I have no explanation for that.
He says he never said they used sarin.
He says he never said that.
I knew this would happen.
Will
It happens all the time. These guys get cold feet or someone at the DOD begs them to recant.
Edited him out of context.
Did you tell him we have the raw footage?
Raw footage isn't edited out of context. It isn't edited at all.
He said he was gonna kill me.
Will
Did he say it the way Mac says it to me or did it seem like he meant it?
I mean it when I say it to you.
Tell him I'm gonna go right now to look at the raw interview again and that he can look at it with me if he wants.
Will
We knew things were gonna happen.
Yeah. [stepping out the door] Chemical weapons expert wants to kill me. I make the worst enemies. Seriously, I'm a perfectly nice guy.
We're gonna resign, Leona. It's what has to happen now. Elliot Hirsch, Sloan Sabbith, Terry Smith, Dayside ACN, ACN. We understand the integrity of the news is more important--
Than one individual. That is beautiful. Not as beautiful as Daniel Craig.
We're not fucking around.
You will resign when I fire you out of petty malice and not before.
Will
Firing Jerry was obviously the right thing to do, but it wasn't enough and we've known that for two months. Charlie and I have to go.
McMac. Can I call you McMac? Doesn't matter, I'm gonna anyway, McMac. Your head's up your ass.
Guy comes in here into my hizzy-- guy comes in here, cooks an interview, no remorse. It goes on air. You, I don't know what you'd do to Sherlock Holmes this thing. I wouldn't be able to figure it out and I'm the smartest person in the room.
Will
Well, I wouldn't go that--
Oh, shut the fuck up, you Daniel Craig wannabe.
Will
I don't want to be Daniel Craig.
Well, you should want to be Daniel Craig. Everybody should.
Will
Leona, are you stoned?
[catching sight of her own reflection in a window] You know, my makeup lasts a long time.
Will
Oh, jeez.
No, no, please, call me-- Continue to call me Mrs. Lansing.
Will
Leona--
Guy comes into my house which I love. Which I bet you guys didn't know. But I love it. I love ACN. You don't make me a nickel and you cause headaches for the divisions that do, but you make me-- You make me so proud. God, guy comes in here, cooks an interview, and this ends up with-- 'Cause he's unemployable he gets a $5 million settlement and the three of you leave? Oh, I don't think so. And McMac. That's a name that's really starting to grow on me. She doesn't have to go. Nobody's ever heard of her. But she's going to do the honorable thing. And what's expected of me, huh? Not to do the honorable thing? What's expected of me? [shouting] No, I do not accept your resignations! And Jerry Dantana's not gonna get one FUCKING dollar! [in a normal tone] I got some kick-ass courtroom outfits.
Will
You have to accept our resignations and you have to settle. He'll take it to trial and win. There was an institutional failure and he was the only one fired.
Then you'll need a good lawyer. Lee, don't accept their resignations.
I already wasn't accepting their resignations, Becca. Don't horn in on my honorable thing. God, I mean, can't a lady have--
[in desperation] Leona, we don't have the trust of the public anymore!
The Newsroom · 118 quotes
