LIVE ON ZOOM

The brainchild of Aaron Sorkin reminded us that many people who go into government do so because they care deeply about our country and are genuinely idealistic about making life better. Patriotism is seen as an admirable quality.

Using interviews, documentary research, and numerous video clips, I’ll document why and how The West Wing transformed TV and transfixed the audience!

DATE: Monday Oct 28, 2024, 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

COST

I ask for a voluntary donation of $5.00. If you cannot afford it or feel my programs are not worth $5.00, you are invited to come for free; I am struggling but supporting a family, so I understand with compassion living on a tight budget!

Cash/Check Payable to Barry Bradford

Barry Bradford

P.O. Box #177

Deerfield, IL 60015

Please put ‘WEST AM’ in the subject line.

Paypal:

PayPal (Please note, PayPal takes 10% of your donation as a fee. I receive $4.50)

√ Venmo 

(send to @B-Bradford-1) Please add a note saying ‘WESTAM.’

√  Zelle – Use the email address Barry1776@ATT.NET (Please add a note that it is for WEST AM

√ Don’t pay (or pay less) if you cannot afford it!

NO ZOOM LINK?? 

If you do not receive a confirmation email, you did not sign up correctly. SAVE THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL! If you cannot find your confirmation email, check your spam folder. The other alternative is to return to the website and sign up again. I cannot send you the link! They come straight from Zoom!

The post The West Wing (Monday AM) appeared first on Speaking For A Change.

The West Wing is my favorite TV show. As a professional historian focusing on presidential elections and American political history, I admire Aaron Sorkin’s patriotic and idealistic writing about government. It’s easy to be cynical about politicians, but Sorkin created a love letter to public service. The West Wing portrays the White House as a place where flawed but dedicated people navigate the complexities of governance. The show balanced political realism with hope, a combination that has always resonated with me.

 The West Wing is one of television’s most important and influential shows. When it left the air, it held the records for the most Emmy nominations and wins for a drama series, earning 95 nominations and 26 Emmys, including four consecutive wins for Outstanding Drama Series (2000-2003). 

Two superb episodes, Isaac and Ishmael and 20 Hours in America, Part II, stand out for being among the first mainstream TV attempts to address the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Television’s Response to 9/11

The 9/11 terrorist attacks posed a unique challenge for television. Mainstream shows, even those set in New York, like Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond, largely avoided the subject, opting to shield viewers from the raw emotional devastation. While police and first-responder dramas acknowledged the aftermath, most TV shows distanced themselves. However, The West Wing took a different path. Sorkin recognized the need to address the impact of 9/11 head-on, tackling one of the most challenging periods in modern history.

The West Wing’s Timely Response to 9/11: Reflections on “Isaac and Ishmael” and “20 Hours in America”

Isaac and Ishmael: An Immediate Reflection

This urgency led to the creation of Isaac and Ishmael, a standalone episode aired on October 3, 2001, just 22 days after 9/11. The creator of The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin, known for his rapid writing pace, rushed this episode to air to offer an immediate reflection on terrorism, fear, and prejudice. While a distinct departure from the show’s regular narrative, its purpose was clear: to provide space for contemplation, not entertainment.

The episode Isaac and Ishmael takes place over a single day. When the White House is suddenly locked down in response to an unspecified terrorist threat. a group of high school students are trapped inside. They engage with senior White House staff in a conversation about terrorism. The dialogue captures the confusion and vulnerability Americans felt after the attacks. Click here to watch the scene.

Sam Seaborn’s Unforgettable Insights

Presidential aide Sam Seaborn (played by Rob Lowe) delivers some of the episode’s most memorable lines.

When asked what he’s learned about terrorism, Sam replies, “I’ve learned that terrorism has a 100% failure rate.” He explains that terrorists end up strengthening the causes they aim to destroy.

A student observes that terrorists don’t stop their attacks despite their failures. despite their failures, Sam says, “No.” This moment reveals the persistence and nihilism behind terrorism, driven by motives far beyond success or failure.

Finally, in a devastating exchange that ends the scene, the  student asks, “What do you call a society that lives with daily fear of such violence?”

Sam answers, “Israel.”

This stark line reminds Americans that many around the world had been living with the threat of terrorism long before September 11, 2001.

20 Hours in America, Part II: A Deeper Reflection

After Isaac and Ishmael, Aaron Sorkin wanted to take more time and create a more developed exploration of terrorism’s aftermath.

In 20 Hours in America, Part 2 aired on September 25, 2002, Sorkin moved beyond the immediate shock of 9/11 to highlight America’s resilience.

The episode culminates in President Josiah Bartlet’s (Martin Sheen) powerful, unforgettable speech honoring first responders and praising the nation’s enduring spirit.

The episode’s centerpiece is the announcement of a terrorist attack: a pipe bomb explodes at a college swim meet, killing 44 people and injuring over 100.

That night, President Bartlet addresses the nation at a candlelit event, invoking the bravery of students who ran into the fire to save others. This speech echoes the heroism of firefighters who climbed the stairs of the World Trade Center on 9/11.

President Bartlet’s Speech

President Bartlet’s speech (fictionally written in the car on the way to the event by Sam Seaborn) is an Aaron Sorkin masterpiece.  

Martin Sheen’s delivery, the beautiful production, and the emotional script merge to create a scene of surpassing power.  Although President Bartlet is addressing a fictional incident, there’s no doubt that Sorkin’s words are about 9/11.

Click here to watch it. The text is below.

“More than any time in recent history, America’s destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek nor did we provoke an assault on our freedom and our way of life. We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people’s strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive… The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight, but every time we think we have measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and remember that that capacity may well be limitless. This is a time for American heroes, and we reach for the stars.”

The Evolving Role of Television

Historically, American television has often served as an escape from the real world. In the 1950s, shows like I Love Lucy, Leave It to Beaver, and The Honeymooners existed in worlds that ignored major social issues like the civil rights movement. In the 1960s, Gomer Pyle remained in basic training for five years without mentioning Vietnam. By 2001, The West Wing led a new era of sophisticated dramas like The Sopranos and Game of Thrones. While it couldn’t directly address 9/11, Sorkin masterfully wove America’s reaction to terrorism into unforgettable fiction.

Postscript: Context And A Question

Isaac and Ishmael aired before the official premiere of The West Wing’s third season and is often considered “episode zero” because it exists outside the continuity of both seasons two and three. Before the episode, Martin Sheen addressed the audience directly, explaining that it was a “play” meant to stand apart from the show’s usual narrative. He also provided information about donation hotlines for victims of the September 11 attacks, offering viewers a way to support those affected by the tragedy.

In the picture above, Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford)  asked the students to find the correct answer to this equation: Islamic extremism is to Islam as _____ is to Christianity. How would you answer?

The post The West Wing’s Timely Response to 9/11: Reflections on “Isaac and Ishmael” and “20 Hours in America” appeared first on Speaking For A Change.

LIVE ON ZOOM

The brainchild of Aaron Sorkin reminded us that many people who go into government do so because they care deeply about our country and are genuinely idealistic about making life better. Patriotism is seen as an admirable quality.

Using interviews, documentary research, and numerous video clips, I’ll document why and how The West Wing transformed TV and transfixed the audience!

DATE: Oct 22, 2024, 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUldu-hpjspGt1hrrzpublFS8MsCe7XkZuG

COST

I ask for a voluntary donation of $5.00. If you cannot afford it or feel my programs are not worth $5.00, you are invited to come for free; I am struggling but supporting a family, so I understand with compassion living on a tight budget!

Cash/Check Payable to Barry Bradford

Barry Bradford

P.O. Box #177

Deerfield, IL 60015

Please put ‘WEST’ in the subject line.

Paypal:

PayPal (Please note, PayPal takes 10% of your donation as a fee. I receive $4.50)

√ Venmo 

(send to @B-Bradford-1) Please add a note saying ‘WESTPM.’

√  Zelle – Use the email address Barry1776@ATT.NET (Please add a note that it is for WEST PM)

√ Don’t pay (or pay less) if you cannot afford it!

NO ZOOM LINK?? 

If you do not receive a confirmation email, you did not sign up correctly. SAVE THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL! If you cannot find your confirmation email, check your spam folder. The other alternative is to return to the website and sign up again. I cannot send you the link! They come straight from Zoom!

The post The West Wing appeared first on Speaking For A Change.

LIVE IN PERSON

The brainchild of Aaron Sorkin reminded us that many people who go into government do so because they care deeply about our country and are genuinely idealistic about making life better. Patriotism is seen as an admirable quality.

Using interviews, documentary research, and numerous video clips, I’ll document why and how The West Wing transformed TV and transfixed the audience!

The post The West Wing appeared first on Speaking For A Change.

LIVE ON ZOOM

The brainchild of Aaron Sorkin reminded us that many people who go into government do so because they care deeply about our country and are genuinely idealistic about making life better. Patriotism is seen as an admirable quality.

Using interviews, documentary research, and numerous video clips, I’ll document why and how The West Wing transformed TV and transfixed the audience!

DATE: Jan 10, 2023, 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkdeuvqzsoG9w-RXf0UtetET_EJ5DRAn2s

COST

I ask for a voluntary donation of $5.00. If you cannot afford it or feel my programs are not worth $5.00, you are invited to come for free; I am struggling but supporting a family, so I understand with compassion living on a tight budget!

Cash/Check Payable to Barry Bradford

Barry Bradford

P.O. Box #177

Deerfield, IL 60015

Put ‘WEST AM’ On The Subject Line, Please.

Paypal:

PayPal (Please note, PayPal takes 10% of your donation as a fee. I receive $4.50)

√ Venmo 

(send to @B-Bradford-1) Please add a note saying ‘WES AMT’

√  Zelle – Use the email address: Barry1776@ATT.NET (Please add a note that it is for WEST AM)

√ Don’t pay (or pay less) if you cannot afford it!

Registration

NO ZOOM LINK?? 

If you do not receive a confirmation email, you did not sign up correctly. SAVE THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL! If you cannot find your confirmation email, check your spam folder. The other alternative is to go back to the website and sign up again. I cannot send you the link! They come straight from Zoom!

The post TV History Of The West Wing (AM) appeared first on Speaking For A Change.