Or lifetime, Paul. I had two to call "Mrs. Morello" at my high school HCI: Mr. Dale Estabrook and Miss Elizabeth Wilson. Mr. Estabrook taught me math - I don't do math but Mr. Estabrook made sure that I COULD do math, that with good teaching anyone could DO math. Miss Wilson taught me Latin - I would later get a Classical Civ. degree. She took me (and members of my class) to Italy and in so doing, showed me the world. RIP Miss Wilson. Felix qui potuit rerum cognescere causas.
I got a text message from a former student I only had for a semester, but she told me she chose her career and major because of me. I hadn't spoken to her since she was in 4th grade, and she wrote me when she was a graduate student.
It is the entire line: Mrs Morello, I am in the Oval Office with the President of the United States, and it is because of you'. Just an amazing line, and Janel delivered it perfectly with the right expression on her face. Just upon watching this for about the 20th time, only now I saw Bartlet give her the signal to come stand behind his desk. He steps away because this is HER moment. Incredible. Just realized that.
@@Dirk-van-den-Berg This is yet another example of the magic that can happen when you get great actors cast in the right roles with an incredible script. The West Wing is one of the finest shows ever put on TV anywhere..
If you watch, in that moment, she turns back into that young student who was a little intimidated by the teacher she looked up to. Donna even starts to bite her fingernails. Perfect acting.
I love the way the President says Donna’s name when she enters. You can hear the affection he has in his voice for her and shows how much he loves his staff, from his senior advisors all the way down to the assistants and more.
"Tell her where you are." "Mrs. Morello, I'm standing in the Oval Office with the President of the United States, and it's because of you." I openly wept.
@@feraxks Yes, what a beautiful gift for someone who gives so much to their students. Thanks Mr. Gordon, you made High School Chemistry unforgettable!!!
I just realised after watching this after so many years that they likely banned Twelfth Night because of the woman dressing as a man storyline. I didn't get it at first.
If a student of mine called and said that they are where they are at in life by working at the WH. That would be end game career high for my teaching career. What a great scene
Because you have a good soul. Its the moment that gets you, because you understand what the characters portray is how you would feel in each of their shoes.
I’m am who I am largely because of one high school teacher. He inspired me in a number of ways but ironically the greatest gift he gave me was to pass me when I did not have the grades to graduate. I am dyslexic and the school was not equipped to address that disability. Their solution was for me to “work harder”. My teacher believed that I would flourish once I was no longer held down by the yoke of the education system, and let me go. I got my first full time job within a week of graduating, taught myself the business, worked my way to the top, and then started my second career when I was still in my 30s. I’ve done extremely well in life because HE believed in my abilities. 30 years later I was in charge of a large fundraiser and invited him to attend as the theme was a quote he gave me when I graduated.
This is one of my favorite scenes in this show. It still brings tears to my eyes. From the look of joy on Donna's face to the fact that the President said "It's Jed Bartlet" instead of President Bartlet, gets me every time
@@seamonster936 And, you are more petty than any other coward hiding behind a fake username. GW is a more honorable man than you or any of your cellmates .
I don't expect EVERY U.S. President to be as highly educated and "book smart" as Pres. Bartlet ...but it sure makes me feel good to see one that is and shows empathy and compassion. Yes, The West Wing is a fictional TV show but we CAN have a President with those qualities. Maybe someday we will again.
I love everything about these scene, but the end where he says now let's talk about twelfth night, it's a perfect example of how simply giving your time can be the best gift.
I had a teacher like that in Colorado springs CO Mr.Mike Mooney, special Ed teacher, I'll never forget how wonderful he was to me. I will always be thankful for him.😁😁😁
I replay this clip just to hear Bartlett say "Tell her where you are." in a way that makes you think he has to remind himself of the same thing every day.
As a soon to be teacher, this scene makes me cry like a baby every single time. Just the love and care Mrs. Morello has for Donna and the fact that Donna truly believes that Morello is the one that got her to the White House is so touching
I remember each of my teachers from elementary to grad school. I'm sure your students will remember you and the contribution you made to their futures.
I don't think mrs Morello had anything to do with Donna winding up at the White House. As we can recall from season 2, Donna needed a job when she was dumped by her boyfriend, so she made a choice of being involved with a political campaign. Turned out to be Bartlets campaign before the convention.
@@Dirk-van-den-Berg Wrong. If it wasn't for Mrs. Morello, Donna would not have had the education to enable her to succeed at her job during the campaign and subsequently get a job at the White House.
@@Dirk-van-den-Berg I think you are rather ignorant. One great teacher opens a student's mind to possibilities. I have muted/blocked you and this conversation. Best of luck having a fulfilling life with your head buried in the sand.
Indeed. I'm particularly fascinated at the way Donna's face lights up when she realizes who's on the phone, and how she falters searching for words. Those are little details in the acting, but as you so astutely pointed out, little things matter. President Bartlet did more for both those women by arranging this conversation than a proclamation could ever have. It's a fantastic scene from a fantastic TV show.
This was absolutely the most heartwarming scene in the entire show's 7-season run, and one of the most emotionally satisfying moments in television history.
That was one of my most favorite scenes. Teachers that name such an impact so vital as they do oft times don’t get a day of proclamation it’s through their students that their legacy lives on.
For me, that teacher is Penelope Stahl. My junior and senior English teacher wasn't only an inspiring and enthusiastic educator, she was also a good friend when I desperately needed one.
One of the many examples of why this show was and remains monumental. I'm sure almost everyone has had at least one teacher that taught them things beyond the books. For me it was Mr. Horn at Bishop McDevitt H.S. in Wyncote, PA. He actually spent his last few years at McDevitt teaching Pro-Bono, because he loved teaching so much.
For me It was Mrs. King, Junior year English at Coe-Brown Academy in Northwood New Hampshire. Aside from being absolutely bonkers and a lot of fun one day she stopped me after class and asked if I had ever been diagnosed with dyslexia. Now I had been pegged with ADD early in my life but she noticed how I would reverse swap letters in my writing. I never forgot that because she was the first teacher I had to pick up on it. Showed she was actually reading what I wrote.
@@seamonster936 I remember being forced to read passages of the thing when I was 14. It looked a lot like German mixed with English to me. As I understand it, that was what Middle English looked like.
capnskiddies Middle English developed after the Norman Conquest and was influenced by the langues d’öil (chiefly Norman French) that England’s new ruling class spoke. Beowulf is the most famous work in Old English/Anglo-Saxon. It is therefore unsurprising that you perceived it as ‘more Germanic’, since it predates the influence of Romance language(s).
Ok I love this scene so much, BUT just to clarify - Beowulf was written in Old English, not Middle English, and there's no choice about using a translation - it's completely unreadable in the original. Old English is more like German than Modern English. Jed Bartlett would've known that. Now, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales - that was written in Middle English. And it's worth the effort to read it in the original, and not the "James Bond" version.
Favorite Donna scene ?? Last episode of the series, when they're touring their new offices, and the guy says "Oh no, the First Lady's office is next door. As her Chief of Staff, this would be your office" !
Imagine there being a president who could say "Let's talk about 12th Night" and be fully prepared and able to have a conversation on the subject with someone who taught English Literature for decades. I'm honestly not sure there's been such a man in the Oval Office in my lifetime.
@@joemckim1183 I don't doubt that he's bright enough, but I know Obama is no fan of the English, so I can't see him taking a keen interest in Shakespeare.
What a beautiful scene! This show was so well written and the cast was extraordinarily gifted… The West Wing reruns are worth watching, not all series can make that claim!
The potential of the show to reach a broader audience and give them hope was, and is tremendous. I'll pick apart the politics it breezed over, the messages some of the episodes send, but I loved it and still do. This is where 'We The People' aught to be by now. This is where we were heading before the 2016 hijacking of the oval office. "The problem is not that we reach too high and fail. It is that we achieve mediocrity and get comfortable." -Bukowski (a rough translation but he's right) Now, hell, we've allowed the stagnation of education to meet the greed of the 1% and capitalize upon the misery of the poor.
There was nothing that wasn’t great about WW. The writing, the actors, storylines were legendary. I fail to understand why they never continued the show with Jimmy Smits and the cast, whoever wanted to stay. Issues talked about on the show are still relevant today. Bring back West Wing!!! Ok
So glad this show didn't have a laugh track added. I can't even watch Sports Night and it probably has some great moments in it. Just imagine this scene that after Bartlett tells Charlie he missed the secret sign there are 50 people laughing. UGH.
Michael Muldowney she represented the WH on a CODEL, served as spokesperson for one presidential campaign and deputy campaign manager for another and finished as chief of staff to the First Lady. That's a heck of a career arc after Sorkin left.
floridjazzfan97 Yeah... but not sure Sorkin would ever have her working for Bingo Bob in any capacity. And Chief of staff for floutus ? In charge of hiring the catering staff and picking the floral arrangements .. wow
Sure it's been pointed out in other places, but Beowulf was not in middle English; it was written in old English (and my high school teacher made us read the intro in the old English!).
They do. But most people are ignorant of it, because they are self-brainwashed too much to know or understand which one of the parties remotely gives a flying flip about the American people. It's all that self-imposed drug-like addiction to things like Faux News that does it.
As much as I enjoy this clip and the sentiment it portrays so very eloquently, it still chaps me a bit that Sheen observes that Pulaski commanded the "Calvary." Yes, I'm grouch and picky, however I observe that Pulaski commanded "cavalry", which was mounted soldiers, while "Calvary" is the location of the crucifixion of Christ. I know it's narrow thinking, I can't help it.
For what it's worth, Martin Sheen is a devout Roman Catholic(not the asshole conservative type, but rather the get arrested protesting US government support for dictatorships type) and I am quite certain that he is aware of the distinction between the two. That he slightly muffed the line is more likely the product of fatigue than anything else. Cheers, Alan Tomlinson
In the late seventies in high school I had a English literature teacher that had us read Romeo and Juliet. Each day a student was given a part and read it from our school book. At one point sometimes I would see her cover her face and shake her head. So one night I actually took my time and read Romeo and Juliet. What an eye opener. I went to her after class and asked about some lines I read and if they meant what I thought. She said yes and not to tell the others. At first I thought was being old fashioned but realized she was hoping others caught on. About 7 of us did. She then gave us other books to read that weren't allowed in the school library. What's sad is that after 40 years they still ban books in schools. But fortunately what the " administrators" fail to realize is when they ban of book of questionable content. The first thing kids do is go to the public library just to read it. Bless I was for getting Mrs Ferguson for literature.
True, and Martin Sheen is an actor. President Carter always mispronounced it "Nu-cu-lar" in spite of the fact he held a Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering, and is one of the very few humans ever to go into an active reactor to manually shut it down. Chalk River, Canada in 1952. Other than self-important pedantry, what's your point?
Great scene. Although every time I find it again "Did you make the kids read [Beowulf] in the original Middle [sic] English?" gets on my nerves. But there aren't many shows I'd consider a puny, trivial error like that even noteworthy.
As a general manager of 100 or so employees of a chain of restaurants I've made it very clear that I don't care for their friends if they every introduce them to me, no offence but I simply have too much to do and worry about. However if they every bring their parents or grand parents I will always make an effort to say hello and say kind words about their them.
Every time I see this scene, it makes me want to track down my 7th grade English teacher and tell her how much her class meant to me, how much she meant to me. But I can't ever find her.
I've always voted and supported causes left of center, and I saw this series when it was out, but this liberal "romance novel" of a series had Bartlett straight-up calling a black man "Tonto." Dude. Put down the heaping bowl of mushrooms while you're working, Sorkin.
Oh man, The West Wing takes us back to a simpler time when democrats were motivated by a desire to do good and not out of bitterness and hatred like they are today. Sad.
Bartlett is an economist, not an English major. He probably just confused it with The Canterbury Tales, which was in Middle English. Mrs. Morello didn't correct him because she was star-struck at the time, actually talking to Donna.
I've always loved this scene, and just now picked up on a glitch: President Bartlet, with his vast vocabulary and esoteric knowledge, gets ' "nuclear" right, but "cavalry" is "Calvary". Was that on Martin?
