CNN/AP: 'West Wing' candidates clash in live debate

[DeepModem Mom]

Please see video posted by liveoaktx for a thrilling, righteous rant from Jimmy Smits as Congressman Santos, Democrat of Texas, owning with pride the label "liberal."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5284391


'West Wing' candidates clash in live debate
Monday, November 7, 2005


Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) and Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) faced off in a debate on Sunday's "West Wing."


NEW YORK (AP) -- Who won the debate? That was up to each viewer of "The West Wing" to decide. No pundits came on afterward to spin the results.

But this fictional faceoff Sunday night had everything else, including a wishful vision of what a presidential debate might look like if its participants were willing to take off the gloves.

In this live episode of NBC's "The West Wing," make-believe Republican candidate Arnold Vinick startled his pretend Democratic rival, Matt Santos, by suggesting at the outset that their carefully negotiated rules of engagement be thrown out.

"When the greatest hero in the history of my party, Abraham Lincoln, debated, he didn't need any rules," declared Vinick (played by Alan Alda). "We could junk the rules."

"OK, let's have a real debate," said Santos (Jimmy Smits)....


http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/07/west.wing.debate.ap/index.html

[William769]

1. Made great tv

Someday it will be reality.

P.S. Santos Kicked his but!

[jazzjunkysue]

2. I thought Alda was unbelievable. Like in his 20's.Sharp and tough.

Lots of fun telling the whole world that the answer to everything is to cut taxes. Hysterical. He was fabulous.

I think Smits wanted to give him his tour de force final act of his career. No way will he have a high moment like this again. It was great.

Of course we liked all the liberal issues Smits outlined. Too bad these two couldn't name real names in the senate and cabinet, or real votes. Now, that would have been fun!

It was interesting watching life become art and art become life.

[MindPilot]

3. So I saw this awesome presidential debate on teevee last night

It was incredible! The Democrat aggressively defended his position and was proud of being a "liberal". And the Republican! Wow! He could actually articulate complete sentences in his first language something more than bumpersticker platitudes.

Then I woke up. Shit.

[MissMillie]

4. I missed the other characters

I would have like to have seen Josh's reaction to Santos agreeing to the "no rules" rule... and the Vinnick campaign panicking over Santos repeatedly asking Vinnick to take a "no war for oil" pledge....

[demigoddess]

5. I thought West Wing showed how it should really be done.

Great show. I think they very much told the parties how the american people would like to see their candidates behave. Like gentlemen with ideas and facts.

[Radio_Lady]

6. I watched the show on the West Coast last night! Good work!

I don't watch the West Wing -- but I'd read about the live segment and thought it was well scripted.

Lawrence O'Donnell is the man!

Question -- Does Alda really lean towards the right? If so, you could have fooled me!

[fleabert]

12. alda is a huge leftie...nt

[Radio_Lady]

15. ... and a great actor! He had me believing he was a fundie!

(...at least, for that hour last night.)

[Radio_Lady]

7. Here's a link to a good article about the debate -- drew 9 million +

Who Won the 'West Wing' Live Debate?
By FRAZIER MOORE, AP Television Writer

Monday, November 7, 2005

(11-07) 08:37 PST New York (AP) --


Who won the debate? That was up to each viewer of "The West Wing" to decide. No pundits came on afterward to spin the results.

But this fictional faceoff Sunday night had everything else, including a wishful vision of what a presidential debate might look like if its participants were willing to take off the gloves.

The ratings sweeps month stunt pulled in an estimated 9.6 million viewers, up from the 8.2 million "The West Wing" had been averaging this season, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research figures. The NBC drama has lost about a third of its viewers this season with the move to Sunday nights.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/11/07/entertainment/e010359S71.DTL

[0rganism]

13. What did the real presidential debates pull in?

I bet 9 million is within an order of magnitude, for sure.

[Radio_Lady]

14. Not sure. Perhaps someone else has access to those ratings?

[ghostsofgiants]

8. What was the purpose of the debate airing live?

Was it scripted or improv?

[Radio_Lady]

9. It was scripted, clearly. Maybe some small things were improvised.

But it was quite interesting and attracted one million more viewers than the West Wing usually gets -- including me.

Plus, I love both Alan Alda and Jimmy Smits.

[sleipnir]

11. One word: Ratings.

It brought the show ratings up by about 25% according to the early numbers.

[doc03]

10. self delete