The West Wing Quotes
Bartlet: All I have in this situation is influence. Influence and relationships. If you take that away from me, I am powerless!
TV Show: The West Wing
Leo: What? Prime Minister Graty thinks you are an intellectual snob. A Yankee Doodle windbag. Likely as not you would have made things worse.
Bartlet: If an American dies and there is even the slightest suspicion of international intrigue, she's supposed to wake me.
Leo: Since when? If I had used that rule, you'd be dead by now of sleep deprivation.
Bartlet: If an American dies and there is even the slightest suspicion of international intrigue, she's supposed to wake me.
Leo: Since when? If I had used that rule, you'd be dead by now of sleep deprivation.
TV Show: The West Wing
CJ: [about the President's valentine date] You're taking her to the opera?
Bartlet: Verdi's Othello, romantic eh?
CJ: Isn't that the one where the guy kills his wife?
Bartlet: It's in Italian, I'm hoping she won't notice.
Bartlet: Verdi's Othello, romantic eh?
CJ: Isn't that the one where the guy kills his wife?
Bartlet: It's in Italian, I'm hoping she won't notice.
TV Show: The West Wing
Toby: You're not planning on writing a constitution this week?
Lessig: The document is just a beginning. A constitutional democracy succeeds only if the constitution reflects democratic values alive in the citizenry. Which is why our most important job is to instill those values in their leaders through discussion and debate.
Lessig: The document is just a beginning. A constitutional democracy succeeds only if the constitution reflects democratic values alive in the citizenry. Which is why our most important job is to instill those values in their leaders through discussion and debate.
TV Show: The West Wing
Toby: I don't think a strong executive is such a good idea... Half the faculty at Yale Law describes the American Presidential system as one of this country's most dangerous exports... It is a recipe for constitutional breakdown!
Lessig: Well, I can see this is going to be a vibrant discussion.
Lessig: Well, I can see this is going to be a vibrant discussion.
TV Show: The West Wing
Josh: How about our exclusion from the debates. Let's try that.
Ned: So, what do we do? Film chicken coops and say they're too chicken to debate us?
Josh: I want two volunteers. I want them in giant chicken suits. I want them in my office first thing in the morning.
Ned: So, what do we do? Film chicken coops and say they're too chicken to debate us?
Josh: I want two volunteers. I want them in giant chicken suits. I want them in my office first thing in the morning.
TV Show: The West Wing
Josh: We can't afford a huge, glitzy ad buy, so we run something feisty, funny, out-of-the-box. Turns our one minute of prime time into a national sensation.
Aide: Santos on ice skates, wearing a goalie outfit, pledging to defend America?
Josh: [pause] Closer to the box than that.
Aide: Santos on ice skates, wearing a goalie outfit, pledging to defend America?
Josh: [pause] Closer to the box than that.
TV Show: The West Wing
Santos: [in a live TV ad] Good evening. I'm running for President and if you don't know who I am, I wouldn't be surprised. I've been shut out of tomorrow night's debate for suggesting that it actually be a debate and this is the only ad I can afford. I got in this to improve a broken school system, to fix entitlement because they're going bankrupt, to expand health coverage because it will save money if fewer people show up in emergency rooms. What I found is that Presidential campaigns aren't about these things. They're about clawing your opponents' eyes out as long as you don't get tagged for it. So how about this: I will never say anything about my opponents or anything about anything without saying it myself, right into the camera. You might not get to hear much of me but when you do, you'll know I stand by it. I'm Matt Santos and you better believe I approve this ad.
TV Show: The West Wing
CJ: You want me to hire Cliff Calley? No. He's the wrong choice. And he's irritating. And he's obnoxious.
Leo: That's worked for us in the past.
[Josh yells angrily outside door]
Leo: That's worked for us in the past.
[Josh yells angrily outside door]
TV Show: The West Wing
Josh: [after seeing that Margaret is quite pregnant] Am I seeing things? or is she...
C.J.: Very.
Josh: Wow. I didn't know she was pregnant.
Leo: She's pregnant.
Josh: I didn't even know she was married... Right: how is the President doing?
C.J.: Very.
Josh: Wow. I didn't know she was pregnant.
Leo: She's pregnant.
Josh: I didn't even know she was married... Right: how is the President doing?
TV Show: The West Wing
Cliff: I turned you down.
CJ: Nobody turns us down. We're like the Mob, only less violent. Ultimately responsible for more death and destruction.
CJ: Nobody turns us down. We're like the Mob, only less violent. Ultimately responsible for more death and destruction.
TV Show: The West Wing
Toby: Sometimes I think, what if I were at UNICEF or United Way pulling together the AIDS fight, or back in New York turning the public school system around? Would that be a more effective use of my 24 hours? Not this. Not pushing on the ocean.
TV Show: The West Wing
Will: [on the tiff with Canada] The Vice President advocates a hard line.
Kate: Permanent lockout in the NHL? Maple syrup embargo? Turn off Niagara Falls?
Kate: Permanent lockout in the NHL? Maple syrup embargo? Turn off Niagara Falls?
TV Show: The West Wing
Kate: [to the Canadian ambassador] Ambassador, listen carefully. An hour ago I reviewed the United States' contingency plan to invade your country...
Will: Uh...there's a contingency plan...
Kate: 1789, amended in 1815, the calligraphy is beautiful. And if one more "deal" is floated in this room, I'm gonna ask DOD to reactivate it. [walks out]
Will: Uh...there's a contingency plan...
Kate: 1789, amended in 1815, the calligraphy is beautiful. And if one more "deal" is floated in this room, I'm gonna ask DOD to reactivate it. [walks out]
TV Show: The West Wing
Santos: The Governor has already endorsed Hoynes... Nothing I say tomorrow is going to make a difference. We need to focus on electing a Progressive candidate. Then we can take on all the tough causes.
La Palabra Rep: Now all we need is a progessive candidate.
La Palabra Rep: Now all we need is a progessive candidate.
TV Show: The West Wing
Vinick: I don't see how we can have a separation of church and state in this government if you have to pass a religious test to get in this government. And I want to warn everyone in the press and all the voters out there, if you demand expressions of religious faith from politicians, you are just begging to be lied to. They won't all lie to you but a lot of them will. And it will be the easiest lie they ever had to tell to get your votes. So, every day until the end of this campaign, I'll answer any question anyone has on government, But if you have a question on religion, please go to church.
TV Show: The West Wing
Bartlet: It's not up to us to decide what the voters get to use in evaluating us.
Vinick: A little odd coming from someone who wasn't completely open about his health.
Bartlet: That was a big mistake.
Vinick: Was it? What did we know about Lincoln's health when he was running: nothing. Washington? Jefferson? What about FDR's health? And when he died in office, did people say, "Gee, why didn't he tell us he was sick?" No. Did they say, "I wish I didn't vote for him"? No.
Vinick: A little odd coming from someone who wasn't completely open about his health.
Bartlet: That was a big mistake.
Vinick: Was it? What did we know about Lincoln's health when he was running: nothing. Washington? Jefferson? What about FDR's health? And when he died in office, did people say, "Gee, why didn't he tell us he was sick?" No. Did they say, "I wish I didn't vote for him"? No.
TV Show: The West Wing
Vinick: You think a voter really needs to know if I go to church?
Bartlet: I don't need to know, but then I'm not going to vote for you anyway.
Bartlet: I don't need to know, but then I'm not going to vote for you anyway.
TV Show: The West Wing
Vinick: Whatever happened to the separation of church and state?
Bartlet: It's hanging in there, but I'm afraid the constitution doesn't say anything about the separation of church and politics.
Bartlet: It's hanging in there, but I'm afraid the constitution doesn't say anything about the separation of church and politics.
TV Show: The West Wing
Bartlet: The only thing you can pray for in this job is the strength to get through the day. You can try coffee if you want but prayer works better for me.
TV Show: The West Wing
Vinick: (watching Bob Russell and Matt Santos on TV) If either one of these guys had the political instincts of Jed Bartlet, I'd be 20 points behind right now.
TV Show: The West Wing
Leo: How are you feeling, Sir.
Bartlet: Vexed, riled, irked.
Leo: The Republican Convention.
Bartlet: Ticked, honked, pissed.
Leo: You can't take it personally.
Bartlet: Vexed, riled, irked.
Leo: The Republican Convention.
Bartlet: Ticked, honked, pissed.
Leo: You can't take it personally.
TV Show: The West Wing
Vinick: 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.
TV Show: The West Wing
Toby: Arnold Vinick just positioned himself as Jed Bartlet's natural successor.
Annabeth: How'd he do that?
Toby: 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.
Annabeth: How'd he do that?
Toby: 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.
TV Show: The West Wing
Bartlet: Werner Von Braun's autobiography was titled 'I Aim for the Stars.' Mort Sahl joked, he should have added 'Only Sometimes I Hit London.'
TV Show: The West Wing
Will: [as Santos enters] Quick, hide the ouija board.
Santos: See, they can afford ouija boards. Josh still has us reading chicken entrails.
Santos: See, they can afford ouija boards. Josh still has us reading chicken entrails.
TV Show: The West Wing
Bartlet: A national security leak during the Democratic convention! Are we working for the Republicans now? They're going to whack us for the security leak and then whack us again for dithering over saving the lives of brave astronauts.
TV Show: The West Wing
Abbey: [about the Democratic convention] What are they doing?
Bartlet: Eating their young.... It's a free-for-all. I think Aaron Burr's got 20 votes.
Bartlet: Eating their young.... It's a free-for-all. I think Aaron Burr's got 20 votes.
TV Show: The West Wing
Leo: You have to quit, Congressman. We have to unite behind a candidate.... We need these last days to put our message before the American people.
Santos: You think either of them can beat Vinick in the Fall?
Leo: Who knows? But you step aside for the good of the party; people won't forget. The President and I won't let them.
Santos: Will I have a chance to address the convention again?
Leo: Of course.
Santos: You think either of them can beat Vinick in the Fall?
Leo: Who knows? But you step aside for the good of the party; people won't forget. The President and I won't let them.
Santos: Will I have a chance to address the convention again?
Leo: Of course.
TV Show: The West Wing
Vinick: I've always won the Latino vote in California. Why should I give up on that now?
Bruno: Well, I don't know. Let me think. Well, maybe because you're running against a Latino candidate who's going to get about... 2,000 percent of the Latino vote.
Bruno: Well, I don't know. Let me think. Well, maybe because you're running against a Latino candidate who's going to get about... 2,000 percent of the Latino vote.
TV Show: The West Wing