The West Wing - President Bartlet - Ephesians

This is one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite episodes of one of my favorite series to have ever aired on television. This is from the West Wing, Season 3, Episode 5, "War Crimes." This video is undoubtedly the product of Universal Studios and belongs to them and every amazingly talented person that worked on it. I couldn't find a video of the scene so I hope I haven't infringed upon anyone's intellectual property by posting it here in hopes of promoting a show that the world should never forget. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[@bchen0709]

You get a little, tiny glimpse of just how soul crushing that job could be. Always constantly, a crisis followed by a tragedy followed by a scandal and then by another crisis. Then lunch. Then all over again.

[@chiroptera626]

Right? He's all chirpy and full of pep and suddenly he gets an emotional uppercut.

[@7srchoed]

Right there in the dialogue, you hear Aaron Sorkin's writing principle: words are music.

[@fromMSUwithlove]

"You said He was sending you to Hell" "For other stuff, not for this" lol...wonderful bickering

[@Starburst9800]

“Because it’s STUPID!” Love Abby in those moments

[@DT-hp8de]

Some of the best scenes in the entire series are between Jed and Abbey. They have such great on-screen chemistry. :)

[@landon5583]

They do have good chemistry, but I really hate Abby as a character. She started out fine and I like that she was engaged and had her own political aspirations, but for the love of god he’s the President and does not need to consult you on matters of national security. Also we get it, you’re a doctor, and supposedly a good one. You don’t have to remind us al the time.

[@halycon404]

@@landon5583 Yeah. I want to see you tell your wife her opinions on your job don't matter. See how well that goes over. Being president doesn't magically change the dynamics in a marriage. First Lady is especially awkward because it is a job tied to the presidency. Duties, responsibilities, and everything. Their duties are often impacted by choices presidents make. Let's say the president has to make a political choice that inconveniences.. India. So now someone has to go to India and assure them it's not a slight, it's simply a political reality they had to make that choice. Now depending on what type of decision it was suddenly the first lady can find herself in India for a week. Medical or humanitarian issues, it's almost always the first lady that The White House sends. Someone close to the president, but is only a quasi-government employee that can be appologetic and concerned. It's a weird thing. A president has more direct control over their relationship than they're going to have at any point during their marriage, but only an idiot would abuse that power to dictate actions to their wife. Which is why among other thing just about every modern president, republican or democrat, has complained that the job of first lady doesn't come with a paycheck. None of them like the position a first lady is in. It puts undo stress on a marriage, which makes their lives hell. At the very least they'd all like a paycheck, something to point the wife at. Unfortunately everytime it comes up the american people don't seem to understand the position. They think it just means sleeping with the president and that's all it is.

[@landon5583]

halycon404 Your point is well taken, though with some major caveats: the information I am privy to on a daily basis does not necessitate the highest level of clearance, nor do my daily activities affect the lives of 300M citizens and the geopolitical posture of the USA. It can be argued that FLOTUS does possess the requisite clearance as it is ultimately up to the President how information is classified and disseminated. She is certainly welcome to her opinions and they as a couple are not expected to agree on every decision, and I have no doubt that there is a significantly higher amount of stress placed on their relationship as a result, due to the nature of his position. My comment was aimed at Abby Bartlet specifically, notably her expectations of being consulted prior to POTUS taking action on sensitive issues; it's certainly within his power to do so if he chooses, but there is a reason he surrendered the presidency when his daughter was kidnapped. Any action taken as a result of the incident should not be affected by the President's personal agenda. In addition to this, she has on several occasions demonstrated an air of superiority and condescension towards senior staff (acetylsalicylic acid, anyone?). She craves validation and often feels the need to inform people of her accolades and education. Her experience as a thoracic surgeon does not grant her the right to barge into ICUs and bark at trauma specialists treating a GSW, or really to speak with them at all beyond informing them of pre-existing conditions, current medications, and allergies. These physicians are specifically trained to handle this scenario, and absent any blatant violations in their treatment should be allowed to do their job with minor interference. Having said all that, I truly believe they make a great couple, and aside from the above observations enjoy her spots on the show. Just don't try to one-up Oliver Babish, as he has never in his life found anything charming.

[@whatsoperadoc7050]

"He had a captive audience and the way I know that is that I tried to tunnel out of there several times." The definition of hilarity.

[@zZzZzyxel]

Can you explain this joke to me? Not a native speaker. Thanks.

[@whatsoperadoc7050]

zZzZzyxel A “captive” is another word for prisoner. But in this context a “captive audience” is an expression that means the audience is so engrossed in whatever they are watching they can’t look away. However, the tunneling out joke here shows that Bartlett meant the literal definition of “captive” and not the usual expression. Basically he is saying the Priest was so bad at his job he wanted to escape but couldn’t because he was in church and that would be rude.

[@keep788]

Good explanation!

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

Never say that about Bartlet or Sorkin.

[@michaelhayden725]

@@whatsoperadoc7050 - yes it would have been front page news - President walks out of church in the middle of the homoley

[@geraldinemccluskey6231]

I've seen Stockard Channing on stage in London a couple of times. To say she is a presence is an understatement.

[@angelicalicari8355]

Ok, "Voyeristic gluttony" should be a commonly used phrase. So perfect.

[@iandhr1]

Abby "You are an oratorical snob." Jed; "Yes I am and god loves me for it." Abby "You said he was sending you to hell." Jed "For other stuff not for this." Love that exchange.

[@kellykitkat40]

The one will be taken, and the other left behind. So, hate your doppleganger. "It turns out Evil Scott and I have a lot in common." (Scott Pilgrim vs The World, movie).

[@michaelhayden725]

A beautiful delivery by Abbey. As for Jed - there is absolutely no doubt that he loves her,.

[@Bayougirl78]

I always loved their banter. Any time the Bartlets were angry or fighting, it was uncomfortable to watch, like watching my own parents fight, lol.

[@carnivaltym]

What a gorgeous flow of words! Actors must live for a succession of passages like that, that build and build orchestra like only to be punctured and yet humanised all the more by it! Genius! Shakespeare, himself, would have given this a standing ovation.

[@RogueBlackOp]

Charlie watching his White House parents argue about church 😂. Jed and Abby had some amazing chemistry

[@1beartruckr]

So... yall gonna ignore the cleansing with water joke.... that got me

[@annieisapandalover]

I'm turning on Sinatra How does mrs Sinatra feel about that? God I love this show.

[@wheelchairby284]

....This is gonna sound terrible, but I'm not sure which I liked more- his interpretation of Ephesians 5, or the "Turning on Sinatra" joke. The whole scene was brilliant.

[@andreaalcaraz3737]

can u explain the sinatra joke to me pls? 😂

[@lzhu_zhul]

@@andreaalcaraz3737 The first lady said she's turning on Sinatra, meaning she's turning on the music by Sinatra. The president purposely misinterpreted as the first lady was going to make Sinatra sexually excited, hence the joke 'how does Mrs. Sinatra feel about that'.

[@michaelreppenhagen736]

I've watched this scene so many times and that one always flew over my head. Such rapid fire pace

[@davidlamb1107]

There's a few moments in the series with educated, well-considered theology. My favorite is when the Chinese Christian refugee speaks a Shibboleth and describes what it means to be a Christian, and how it's not about a recitation of facts and knowing the Bible, and that Christ, not their pastor, is the head of their church. Whoever wrote (or edited) that bit really knew their stuff; impressive.

[@jimmy2k4o]

@@davidlamb1107 the man who wrote this stuff is called Aaron Sorkin. (In my not so humble opinion) the greatest screenwriter of all time. His other works include: A few good men Malice Studio 60 on the sunset strip The newsroom The social network Moneyball Steve jobs (2015) Charlie Wilson’s war Molly’s Game The trial of the Chicago 7 Shoot me if I’m forgetting anything. I didn’t forget sports night btw, I haven’t watched it so I don’t wanna include it with the things I strongly recommend you watch!

[@50srefugee]

Great scene, even an honest discussion of Ephesians. This is why I love WW.

[@Kaizou626]

Mom and dad having dirty jokes while the child is in the room, wanting to get out via the windows but hey! they are bulletproof glass!

[@goaway3529]

Even thought Allison Abner is credited as the writer, with Sorkin as the writer of the teleplay, it's obvious this scene is all Sorkin: quick, smart, back and forth between two strong characters. It's Sorkin at his best, and Sheen and Channing at their best. When Sheen says "In this day and age of 24 hour cable crap, devoted to feeding the voyeuristic gluttony of an American public hooked on a bad soap opera that's passing itself off as important...." it could come right out of a script from The Newsroom or Stuidio 60. Best show on TV ever, and it's doubtful that this quality of writing will be seen again on the one of the three big networks.

[@theresechristiansen9769]

Watch 'Rectify' -beautiful and heart breaking. Great TV too.

[@bloodiedporcelain6320]

"I ignore that part." "Why?" "Because it's stupid." "Ok." One of my favorite moments.

[@Firan25]

which is interesting. That seems to be how a lot of religious people interpret passages. "I skip over certain parts because they are stupid and don't fit my personal interpretation of the bible." Not trying to bash the show, scene, or acting. Just ironic how what she said actually happens regularly.

[@monkeymouse]

"You wanted him to sing 'Volare'?" "It couldn't have hurt..." :D

[@rickyd0821]

Words are lovely. It is said that Emily Dickinson treated her dictionary like it was a bible. She chose words very carefully, even noting the abstract way in which they lay on the paper after she would write them.

[@jayazathoth8530]

Fuck Emily Dickinson.

[@rickyd0821]

Probably not, since I was an English major. lol

[@jayazathoth8530]

Bruce Dickinson treated his dictonary like it was a Satanic hymnsheet brought back from a dimension of pure chaos, pure evil, by the Ann Coulter-Cenobite, even noting the non-Euclidean way in which the words all lead inwards to an infinitisemal point of eye-aching black mortal zeroth beyond scale that bends all visible light into itself ever inwards after he would write them. Bitch.

[@Legba85]

Why couldn't we have a president like him?

[@almonious]

+Rudy Juarez Sorkin for president? :) Actually, one of TWW writers went to work for the Obama admin. Clearly, one can write TWW and learn nothing from it.

[@colnag2158]

Wouldn't that be great

[@ChangingTides777]

Rudy Juarez Ummmmm... Because this is a fictional entertainment... Fantasy. Not the real world. Bartlett isn't a real person.

[@emilyrose4859]

Rudy Juarez My dad is a Republican of most things and even he says he would love to vote for Bartlet.

[@demonqueen26]

He would be an awesome president just a shame we have TRump instead.

[@huth1701]

0:59-1:13 this is Aaron Sorkin

[@Gess575]

24 hour cable crap... feeding the voyeuristic gluttony of an American public hooked on a bad soap opera....passing itself off as relevant! I love it. The properties of words & music

[@CourtneyPritchard82]

love Charlie in the background during the part in the Oval...you have to wonder what he's thinking during this

[@MariShepherd]

poor guy always had a front-row seat to the marriage. some things you just don't want to know - he is stuck with knowing anyway. but then again, he is practically family, so...

[@elliebd]

Love this! Great little section there from 1:25 - 1:46

[@jonnnyren6245]

I would be a happy bean of Jed and Abbey Bartlet are my parents. I'd love debates like these.

[@paulhenderson3415]

Sorkin's view no doubt of the many writers and performers without talent and any way with words. thanks god some such as Aaron have it. "what does Mrs. Sinatra feel about that?" classic

[@monkeymouse]

Sorkin's way with words is all through "A Few Good Men"!

[@PHOTOGRAPHYBYDEREK1]

Perfect description of today's media there @1:32

[@pleappleappleap]

You make me egg fu young! LOL

[@asterix7842]

Way to kill a mood, CJ.

[@willmpet]

"Be subject to one another!"

[@WDKimball]

Still the best President we never had. 🙂

[@ReaverLordTonus]

"Oh like I'm not already going to Hell." 🤣🤣🤣

[@greggseager4632]

Bartlett into "water games"....who knew

[@DemonsSister]

Anyone else see "Rizzo" mannerisms in this scene?

[@cevq6126]

omigosh I love this show ...

[@villainouschrisk2709]

there was no church when Christ was allegedly alive. he certainly did not sacrifice himself for any institution. he sacrificed himself so the faithful could be redeemed.

[@justinczech1489]

"you said you were going to hell!" "Well yes but not for this!"

[@lazycrockett6605]

The thing is Bartlett would have seen through Paul and what a shuckster he was and not used his passages as way to win a disagreement.

[@chickenitza8]

No human beings have or will ever speak that way

[@breeanaflannery]

“For other stuff, not for this”

[@EvanMurphyCapstone]

This is painfully , perfectly human....they are actually flirting with one another .....it's real love foreplay ...."I will show you my intellect/power, you show me true humanity (DR) and later..after your bath.....he is delighted with the repartee and leading into his musical "come on" she is amused and so in tune with him.....and then.....the real world turns power into defeat and humanity into commiseration ......it is remarkably beautiful and true romance that begins and ends with true alliance and understanding.....utterly perfect and beautiful albeit sad

[@RandallHallKaizenReiki]

You cut the scene just as Abbey was going to step in and do that special part of their relationship. She explains how her injuries were too severe and there was no real chance of survival. So Jed wouldn't blame himself.

[@jd-zr3vk]

Who were the writers. They came up with esoteric information.

[@aristotle736]

Funny to see Stockard Channing ,a magnificent singer argue about singing to a no singer.

[@dannytheman1313]

"A bad soap opera thats passing its self off as important..." The show is slowly becoming meta like it's almost aware of its self.

[@cartman4885]

I always loved this show but as a former Marine I dislike their in actuate use of Marine Guards at The White House also their Marines are overweight............just saying

[@leonkernan]

Larry king... good work KZbin algorithm

[@therealocgamer9701]

A bad soap opera passing itself off as important is actually a pretty good description of this show 😂

[@Magmoormaster]

Bartlett's mispronunciation of "timbre" bugs me a bit. A guy so educated wouldn't make such a mistake.

[@rasjeff1]

But he would, why? because nobody's perfect.

[@thephantomeagle2]

@Courtney- "Why did I take this crazy job. I love it, I love being in the middle of it all. But I just wish I could tell the President to Shut UP!"

[@andreaalcaraz3737]

where is this said?

[@TimothyOBrien1958]

Rarely a bad moment in the WW.

[@willmpet]

She lost so much blood! Because idiots keep thinking they're a good guy!

[@zakbraverman]

Ironic that he mispronounced "timbre."

[@ClassicalTheist]

this show is like a reddit user’s political fan fiction

[@hectorcornejo1468]

Great scene, you get a thumbs down for uploading at 240p. Its freaking 2021; we can do better.

[@s.p.8803]

And you, sir, CAN'T READ: this was uploaded 9 years ago. Now tell us again, WHO can do better?

[@hectorcornejo1468]

@@s.p.8803 KZbin had options for 480 in 2008. 720 was available in 2010, more than 11 years ago. They could have done better then but chose not to. Sit down, child. You are out of your element.

[@s.p.8803]

@@hectorcornejo1468 Child? Someone was kind enough to upload this for everyone to enjoy it for free and you give them a thumb down because it's not enough for your high standards? Because you demand more? Who's the child? Oh, and by the way, I can watch and hear it perfectly fine.

[@hectorcornejo1468]

​@@s.p.8803 Still you. This show is worthy of real quality, Im glad for you that you can handle trash quality for yourself. Its worthy of more, kid.

[@s.p.8803]

@@hectorcornejo1468 KZbinrs are not professionals. You want good quality, buy the DVDs.

[@mgmartin51]

"Because it's stupid..."

[@rudyjuarez4535]

The best example of speech porn. LOL.

[@YDNTK-ui4uc]

The biggest Issue I have with this scene is, every gun holder is taught practically from birth is Not To Open Fire until/unless you have a clear an unobstructed view of the target.

[@TanmaiKhanna]

And usually when people fire weapons (civilians), they forget principles - just spray and pray.

[@denisemartel3352]

That’s sure no Donald Trash

[@50srefugee]

Great scene, yes, but--"Wives, be subject to your husbands." "I do skip over it, because it's stupid." I can easily see 13-year-old Abby stamping her foot, frowning, crossing her arms, and making this argument. She wants cake and ice cream every day, but won't eat her vegetables. It's a package deal, almost a quid pro quo.

[@kellykitkat40]

...... 0:58 ..... " I sacked you like a b- , Kato " - Green Hornet (Seth Rogen) ... yes, but that is not how one should read aloud verses from the Bible, kjv. It is the Word of God, wherefore, can you discern the proper voice, pronunciation, to use ? Can you hear His Voice when you look upon His Word ? What is the appropriate font to use ? Do you see a similarity between Hebrew characters and Times New Romans? Who was born again before the other ? Which is the child, and which the adult ? Who is the younger, and who the elder ? See, 1 Peter 5:5, kjv. Most females, women and girls, are not Christian, not True Believers, in my opinion. But ignorance, darkness, the absence of light anounds. Truth is a light - by hearing, one sees. When a jew cannot determine which is the correct interpretation, how different is he from a muslim, or a hindu ? Well, at least he knows that the Tanakh contains (is) His Word, though the correct interpretation allude him. ... Be subject to... recognize the authority of ... be willing to obey... which is not the same as saying, Be a robot, and obey every command, disobeying none. ... And there is a distinction between a married man (one who has had sex with his wife) and an unmarried man (one who has not had sex with his wife). For they who have married have become one flesh. The married man is a woman - that is to say that the married couple is A she, though they appear , visually, to be two distinct individuals.. Unmarried men abhor singing, and are as lawyers and mathematicians, careful with their words. It is not a coincidence then that mass media and pop culture attempt to equate proficiency in mathematics with the culture of sodom. For the desire of satan is to destroy the priests lest they receive power to perform exorcisms and other miracles. Singing, is emotion space. Stay in logic space, as much as possible. After the Fall, the Lord said to the woman that her desire would be to her husband, and he would rule over her. So, who did she choose ? : The man, the serpent, or His Word ?

[@kellykitkat40]

Subject to one another ? And will you chase after her when she walks away refusing to hear you ? Will you be inclined to be subject to her the next time ? Growing up, how many females did you encounter, did you hear, speaking with concern about "living conditions for males" or "men's rights" ? PROTESTANTS (audio-oriented persons) should take note of the words, THEY HAVE NO WINE. And so, given their lack of concern for the other gender, do you trust a woman in a position of authority ? She would have to be exceptional, unique really. Or do you wish to promote on the basis of "fashion" ? Captain Janeway (Star Trek : Voyager) - mere fiction ? I remember in high school, this girl, the daughter of a physician, native-born, speaking English well, had never heard of the Shoah. How is that possible ? My guess, because most females are not interested in government or social justice being self-centered. Or maybe her parents raised her "sheltered" from "the monsters" ? kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqm0m3SaYpagldU

[@1212sweetgirl]

He said it right, He is going to hell!

[@markhatton7126]

God I forgot how tiresome this show was