President Bartlet's finest moments

In these uncertain times, where faith in the incoming American President is shaky at best, it is perhaps inevitable that we turn our gaze longingly to the greatest President nobody ever actually had, Josiah Edward Bartlet. For the uninitiated, “Jed” is the fictional Commander-in-Chief on the legendary TV show The West Wing as played by Martin Sheen. An honest, compassionate, witty and fiercely intelligent man, President Bartlet works tirelessly towards changing the world for the better. Here are some of his finest moments:

Nobody Sits : “The Midterms” S2 E3

President Bartlet’s Catholicism guides a great deal of his politics with his devoutly religious nature often coming in to play. However far from being stuck in his ways, he is also an understanding and compassionate person who doesn’t tolerate intolerance of any sort. When Dr Jenna Jacobs, a homophobic talk radio personality, attends a White House function, Bartlet uses his encyclopaedic knowledge of the bible to take her and her repugnant views to task. He closes with the immortal line, “One last thing. While you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tight-Ass Club, in this building when the President stands, nobody sits.”

Giving Charlie the Knife : “Shibboleth” S2 E8

A particularly kind gesture here from the President in which the affection he had for his staff shone through once more. In this instance, it’s with regards to his loyal aide Charlie. After Charlie spends the episode trying to find the right carving knife for the President, it’s revealed later on that the reason the President needs a new one is that he is handing his old one on to Charlie. It’s no ordinary knife however; this one belonged to famous American patriot, Paul Revere. It’s a touching moment that showed how appreciative he was of everything Charlie did for him.

You Feckless Thug : “Two Cathedrals” S2 E22

Two Cathedrals is genuinely a masterpiece of TV drama. Following the death of his loyal secretary Mrs Landingham and frustrated with repeated questions over his political future, President Bartlet decides to have a timely discussion with God. The sight of Martin Sheen slowly walking towards the altar dwarfed by the cavernous Cathedral is a striking image in itself, but it’s his angry berating of God that renders the scene unforgettable. In this powerful sequence, he even calls the almighty a “feckless thug” before stubbing out a cigarette on the Cathedral’s floor.

“That was awfully nice of you” : “Bartlet for America” S3 E9

The close friendship between President Bartlet and his Chief of Staff Leo McGarry is well documented. We see the pair bicker on occasion, and in later seasons they even suffer a more serious rift, but for the most part they remain extremely close. After Leo faces a grilling from a congressional committee which brings up demons from his past and threatens to make them public, he returns to the White House. Bartlet is waiting for him there and presents his loyal colleague with a framed note that Leo gave him years previously when convincing him to run for office. He’d kept it all those years and presents it to Leo as a thank you for all his hard work with a heartfelt and simple “that was awfully nice of you”.

“Crime…boy, I don’t know” : “Posse Comitatus” S3 E21

President Bartlet comes alive on the campaign trail; it gives him the chance to show what a powerful orator and fierce debater he can be. Intelligent and insightful, he stands in contrast to Republican Nominee Bob Ritchie. In this episode, the two candidates find themselves alone in a room and share in a prickly conversation where at one stage the President lets his rival know of Special Agent Donovan’s untimely shooting. His weak response is simply, “Crime. Boy. I don’t know.” Bartlet looks on unimpressed and later on delivers the scathing burn, “In the future, if you’re wondering. ‘Crime. Boy. I don’t know’ is when I decided to kick your ass”. Game on.

The Walk to the Hill : “Shutdown” S5 E8

When Republican Speaker Haffley decides to play hardball over budget cuts, Bartlet refuses to acquiesce and instead orders the government to be shut down. After negotiations flounder, Josh advises the President to physically walk to Capitol Hill in a public show of his determination and willingness to compromise. This is not only a typically rousing moment, with Bartlet and his team marching purposefully through Washington, but also one that highlights Bartlet’s common touch as he explains his position to the tourists he passes along the way.
(Image Credit : West Wing Wiki)