‘Joy cometh in the morning,’ scripture tells us. I hope so. I don’t know if life would be worth living if it didn’t. And I don’t yet know who set off the bomb at Kennison State. I don’t know if it’s one person or ten, and I don’t know what they want. All I know for sure, all I know for certain, is that they weren’t born wanting to do this. There’s evil in the world, there’ll always be, and we can’t do anything about that. But there’s violence in our schools, too much mayhem in our culture, and we can do something about that. There’s not enough character, discipline, and depth in our classrooms; there aren’t enough teachers in our classrooms. There isn’t nearly enough, not nearly enough, not nearly enough money in our classrooms, and we can do something about that. We’re not doing nearly enough, not nearly enough to teach our children well, and we can do better, and we must do better, and we will do better, and we will start this moment today! They weren’t born wanting to do this!
President Josiah Bartlet
“College Kids”
The West Wing Season 4, Episode 3
Original Airdate: October 2, 2002
“College Kids”
The West Wing Season 4, Episode 3
Original Airdate: October 2, 2002
The White House Pro-Am
- Josh: We're gonna do good cop, bad cop.
- Toby: No, we're really not.
- Josh: Why not?
- Toby: 'Cause this isn't an episode of Hawaii Five-O. How about you be the good cop and I be the cop that doesn't go to the meeting?
Nobody got hurt at the Boston Tea Party. The only people that got hurt was some fancy boys who didn’t have anything to wash down their crumpets with. We jumped out from behind bushes, while the British came down the road in their bright red jackets, but never has a war been so courteously declared. It was on parchment with calligraphy and ‘Your Highness, we beseech you on this day in Philadelphia to bite me, if you please.’
Sam Seaborn
“Isaac and Ishmael”
The West Wing Special Episode
Original Airdate: October 3, 2001
“Isaac and Ishmael”
The West Wing Special Episode
Original Airdate: October 3, 2001
I’m not going to the bunker. There are going to be people who aren’t going to the bunker, and when I get out, I’m not going to be able to tell them what to do anymore, and I like doing that. Let’s get Abbey to New Hampshire, but I’m not going to the bunker. And if you say I have to, I’m walking across the alley with the Chief Justice, and I’m handing John Hoynes my resignation. And as soon as he’s sworn in, I’m telling him to appoint me his Vice President, because I’m not going to the bunker. If the agents come, the agents come, but tell Ron he’d better bring more than a couple of guys.
President Josiah Bartlet
“The Black Vera Wang”
The West Wing Season 3, Episode 19
Original Airdate: May 8, 2002
“The Black Vera Wang”
The West Wing Season 3, Episode 19
Original Airdate: May 8, 2002
Celestial Navigation
- Phone next to bed: [rings several times]
- Bartlet: What?
- Charlie: Good morning, Mr. President. It's Charlie. I hope...
- Bartlet: What could you possibly want right now?
- Charlie: Sir, it's 6:30 a.m. and...
- Bartlet: In the morning?
- Charlie: Yes, sir. And I wanted to remind you that...
- Bartlet: I mean, what in the name of everything holy could you want right now?
- Charlie: I wanted to remind you that you have a 7:00 a.m. at the Oval Office with senior staff, followed by your security and intelligence briefings, and a meeting with the Chairman of the Fed. Would you like me to have the stewards bring you some coffee and the Washington Post?
- Bartlet: Who the hell is this?
- Charlie: Sir.
- Bartlet: And what could you possibly want?
- Charlie: Sir. I need you to dig in now. It wasn't a nightmare. You really are the President.
- Bartlet: All right.
- Charlie: I'll have the stewards bring the coffee to your room.
- Bartlet: I'll get up now.
