“Things Fall Apart” · Season 6
In this episode: Josiah Bartlet (4), Leo McGarry (3), Arnold Vinick (2), Toby Ziegler (1), Will Bailey (1), Matt Santos (1), Annabeth Schott (1)
How are you feeling, Sir.
Vexed, riled, irked.
The Republican Convention.
Ticked, honked, pissed.
You can't take it personally.
That's what I keep telling myself. But when you start telling yourself that, it's too late: you're already taking it personally.
For in the end, the presidency is more than a simple catalog of policies pursued, crises weathered, battles lost and won. It is a stewardship, a sacred trust, a commitment to sacrifice every fiber of your being, every thought, every moment, every ... every everything, in service to your nation.
Arnold Vinick just positioned himself as Jed Bartlet's natural successor.
How'd he do that?
Without one mention, without so much as an allusion to either one, he managed to dismiss Russell and Santos as puny dwarf-like children trying to get a seat at the grownups' table.
Werner Von Braun's autobiography was titled 'I Aim for the Stars.' Mort Sahl joked, he should have added 'Only Sometimes I Hit London.'
[as Santos enters] Quick, hide the ouija board.
See, they can afford ouija boards. Josh still has us reading chicken entrails.
[about the Democratic convention] We need someone strong enough to organize the damn thing.
[resignedly] Wonder who we can get?
If it helps, it gives me no pleasure dumping this damn thing on you.
There's the pleasure of not having to do it yourself.
Which is not inconsiderable.
It is with great humility that I accept your nomination for president of the United States. Before I share with you my vision for America, I want to say a few words about the man who I hope is my predecessor, President Josiah Bartlet. He has graced and honored his office, the highest in the land. The most powerful in the world, some would say, myself included. He has served this country steadfastly and laudably, and I say this despite our political and philosophical differences. For in the end, the presidency is more than a simple catalog of policies pursued, crises weathered, battles lost and won. It is a stewardship, a sacred trust, a commitment to sacrifice every fiber of your being, every thought, every moment, every ... every everything, in service to your nation. President Bartlet has done this well and ably, and he deserves nothing less than our humble appreciation and heartfelt gratitude.
Nice what he said about you.
Yeah. The bastard.
He just picked up five million Democratic votes.
My commitment to strive to be worthy of the example of the great men who have gone before. Presidents walk in giant footsteps. They have magnificent legacies to uphold. I stand here on this day and put my name forth as one who aspires to their example, who will daily make that sacrifice. Who will honor not just the office, but the people that office serves. Their president of these United States of America.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's The West Wing pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
