In honor of a real President, Josiah Bartlett,
joining the team in Iowa, I remember an opening to an episode of the
West Wing.
I think that thise really sums up the spirit of the Dean campaign, as we write letter to voters and elected officials and fight for what we believe in.
I hope that you guys like it.
THE WEST WING
"FIVE VOTES DOWN"
TELEPLAY BY: AARON SORKIN
STORY BY: LAWRENCE 0'DONNELL & PATRICK CADDELL
DIRECTED BY: MICHAEL LEHMANN
TEASER
FADE IN: INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT
MONDAY NIGHT
Bartlet is speaking at a dinner. He stands behind the podium while important people in fancy clothes listen to him. Hanging behind him is a banner that says "Practical Idealism".
BARTLET
One night he went in and set the briefcase down and said, "Bess, why do you suppose it is that only sons-of-bitches know how to lick a stamp?" [laughter and applause] The point is, friends, you've got to write the letter, you've got to send a fax, you've got to pick up the phone and call Western Union. You've got to contact your Congressional representative...
...
BARTLET
You've got to say "Mister, I've got a friend who's neighbor is dead...
...
BARTLET
"...Madam, I've got a neighbor whose friend is dead, whose husband is dead, whose
mother is dead, kids are dead! Kids are dead!
...
BARTLET
"...and I wanna know, mister. I wanna know, madam...
...
BARTLET
...how you intend to vote on Wednesday, so that I'll know how to vote next election..."
...
BARTLET
You gotta ask `em. You gotta ask `em! [Applause]
...
BARTLET
You know, I had a civil procedure professor who said once...
...
BARTLET
He said, "When the law is on your side, argue the law; and when the facts are on
your side, argue the facts...
..
BARTLET
...When you don't have the law on your side, when you don't have the facts on your
side, bang your fist on the defense table as loud as you can." Well, we've got the
law on our side now, and we've got the facts on our side now...
..
BARTLET
...bang our fist on the defense table, but we're not listening any more. We're not
having that any more. We're gonna win on Wednesday. We're gonna win on Wednesday!
Thank you all. [The crowd stands up and applauds.] God bless you, and God bless America!