A live debate between Santos and Vinick, performed once for the east coast and once for the west.A live debate between Santos and Vinick, performed once for the east coast and once for the west.A live debate between Santos and Vinick, performed once for the east coast and once for the west.
- Annabeth Schott
- (credit only)
- C.J. Cregg
- (credit only)
- Kate Harper
- (credit only)
- Leo McGarry
- (credit only)
- Josh Lyman
- (credit only)
- President Josiah Bartlet
- (credit only)
- Secret Service Agent
- (uncredited)
- Debate Audience Member
- (uncredited)
- Santos Secret Service
- (uncredited)
- Debate Heckler
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe Debate was advertised as a "live presidential debate" and was actually telecast live twice, once for the East and West coasts, with limited commercial interruption. It was also one of the few times actors were allowed to go "off script."
- GoofsWhen Vinick says: "The same people who told you we were gonna run out of oil by the end of the twentieth century are now trying to scare us with global warming", he forgets to say theories at the end, but Santos still responds "Theories?!".
- Quotes
Matthew Santos: This is not a law enforcement problem. This is an economic problem. If Mexico's economy was as strong as Canada's, there wouldn't be a problem. The President cannot solve this problem. You cannot seal a 2,000-mile border. Mexico has to solve it. Mexico has to grow its own economy. It has to provide enough jobs so that it's not worth it to try to cross into our borders illegally. There is no other real solution to this. And Senator Vinick is smart enough to know that, and I think you are, too.
This episode is not like conventional episodes. It is literally a passionate debate between two sides. While watching the debate, I felt very engaged, it reminded of the first debate between President Obama and Senator McCain in the sense that an underdog is able to stand toe-to-toe with his competitor and debate with authority.
I highly recommend this episode because it felt like the old West Wing episodes that only Aaron Sorkin could deliver. Like many people that love the West Wing, I will agree that the show took a turn towards dull and uninspiring after Aaron Sorkin stopped writing, but this episode restored itself confirming that it is the best political show television has ever seen.
- General_420
- Mar 15, 2011