💯 And for that matter, the speechless acting by Rob Lowe when he gradually “gets” it, and when PB tells him “you’re going to run ...” is masterful. So many nuances in his face. Admiration, understanding, all understated and therefore so much more powerful in its genuineness.
the best bit for me in this scene is when Sam says "I don't know how...I don't know the word...I don't know how you do it." a professional speechwriter, a once in a generation mind, struck completely dumb by Bartlet. all the staff have a huge admiration for the president, obviously, but I think Sam realised in this moment just what a GIANT he had the privilege to be working for
@@rgwak OMG! Trump and Bartlett are not in anyway, anyhow, in the same league! Trump is a fool who is still in the mindset of groping beauty contestents, and tweeting his days away (when not watching Fox News and golfing. History will judge him as the worst president in history.
@@rgwak Oh, and by the way, Trump doesn't know how to play checkers, let alone chess. Must be his chicken bone spurs that kept him on the tennis court and out of VietNam, courtesy of daddy's money to the doctor.
Imagine: "Sam, you're going to run for President one day. Don't be scared, you can do it." And the camera fades from Sam looking at President Bartlet to President-Elect Seaborn taking the oath of office. Roll Opening Credits.
It was never going to happen. This scene was simply fan service. That and an attempt to convince the actor playing Sam Seaborn not to leave the show (he did anyway).
A prelude to a spinoff. They could have a miniseries, were Seaborne is a Governor contemplating running for President. They would have flashbacks from the original series. This here, at the end were Bartlett tells Seaborne to run flashback, would jump to present day Seaborne looking in the mirror, and finally deciding to do it; with the miniseries wrapping up on election day. The spinoff series, The West Wing: Seaborne Administration (TWW:SA); would begin on Inauguration Day.
I love this scene and how you can see Sam clearly being moved by the President's comments. Rob Lowe has said this is one of his favorite scenes in the series.
West Wing remake concept: following the death of former President Bartlet, at the funeral CJ, Toby and Josh agree to convince Sam it's time to run. And, just like that, "the torch is passed to a new generation of Americans"
In an interview Rob Lowe pointed at this scene as being special because he had grown up down the street from the Sheens, and having Martin say those things still felt great to Rob, even though it was only fiction.
The last 50 seconds of this clip should be the first 50 seconds of the reboot. Flash-forward 20 years: Seaborn 2022. A picture of Jed, who has since passed on from complications of MS, sits on President Seaborn's desk next to Leo's picture.
This is all I want! I’ve wanted this for the past year! I always thought sam would make a great president. He had so much the same idealism and gravitas that Bartlett had.
@@michaelhayden725 Josh is absolutely the kind of guy you want as a high level advisor (which is of course right where he is during West Wing). As you say, he's much too brash to be the one completely in charge. He's also, frankly, usually not polished enough (him regularly giving speeches seems like a very, very bad idea). Maybe polished isn't the right word- it's more like he puts his foot in his mouth as much as he talks!
I was an avid fan of the west wing back in the day. This scene is the key to a reboot of the show no matter if it is under the same name or different. It's been almost 20 yrs, imagine Sam being the next president. would love to see it attempted
They lost so much when Rob Lowe left the show. The dynamic was the Bartlett Administration and the education of Sam Seaborn. I never understood why they just started using Rob less and less.
+Yo Yo Rob wanted to be the star, but once Martin came on, it was clear he was the real star. This scene is actually a perfect faceoff between them haha - it's completely clear who wins :P It was Rob's choice to leave.
+Yo Yo The scuttlebutt at the time of his departure was that Rob was sold on the show being about the background and the staff making the office of the President work. Sheen was supposed to be a bit player, coming in for a few episodes a season but after testing well, he became the center. At that point, everyone else got a cut in screen time and Rob Lowe felt that was a blow to his character and his commitment waned accordingly.
Nope it was a salary issue. Rob wanted a heelluva lot more dough -reported in NY times and in the Sydney Morning Herald. Small article! Sorkin and EPs said "f off then" He did. Shame. Though agree with the poster who said that whilst Lowe is good he aint outstanding in anything else. That Brother and SIster thing he's in? It's pretty shit.
Sure the show as a whole was brilliant but Sam was a key player and as much as I love TWW and always will, Rob Lowe going was the beginning of the end. It was magical for 3 and a half seasons.
A masterclass in writing - the intelligence of a great play or novel but acted to perfection on TV. I remember being amazed every week. TWW changed TV, but it has never been equalled in all these years. I hope they do remake with the original cast one day. Sam and Josh in the main roles. It would be equally as beautiful 2nd time around.
Some of the best writing ever in television. But this "master class" was spoiled by the over-the-top "that's checkmate" line. The chess game was symbolic enough - even that may have been over-the-top. "Look at the whole board" speaks for itself - no visual cues required. But "that's checkmate"? Yeeesh.
I met Martin Sheen once after a presentation he gave. He claimed to be a pariah of hollywood. but his kindness, love for family and general oratory brillance was special. He took 20 minutes with me to discuss how to help one of my family members with their addiction. I got the distinct impression that he was not only disgusted by hollywood, but was holding something back during the conversation. It all makes a bit more sense 10 years later.
He would also know a thing or two about dealing with addiction. He had his own battles with drugs and alcohol, plus good ole Tiger Blooded Charlie Sheen is his son.
Sam Seaborn is an incredible character in any book. It's damn hard to write a man as idealistic and with a staunch belief that the right thing can and should be done. It's cool to be edgy but tough to be principled.
Yes, it makes you think how well would Sam work for Josh in the Santos administration. One of them would have been gone before the end of the first Santos presidency. Closing scene Donna and Josh driving off to married life. Sam and President Santos planning the next four years and preparing for Sam to take over.
"West Wing: The Next Generation"....... AWESOME concept. I came to this vid because this scene is one of my faves, and I thought somebody might've been COOL enuff to upload it. "Sam, you're gonna run for president one day....."
RJ Spear In the West Wing Universe, Santos's presidency would be coming to an end now assuming he was re-elected in 2010. Maybe now is an opportune time to do that concept. It's a different America to the one the West Wing left behind in 2006, but watching some of the old episodes many of the issues still remain today. I would love nothing more than a Seaborn presidency.
No, it's not. People who say "presidential" are talking about how the guy carries himself in public. Frankly, I think that we place to high a value on this and not enough on getting good results. Put another way, too much value on image and not enough value on results.
The West Wing, a longtime favorite, superb writing, acting, and I do think it shows how complex life is worldwide, and that we are very hard on our presidents. I would so enjoy seeing a new version of this show.
The way the live special transitioned seamlessly into the footage from this scene in the actual episode is one of the most startlingly brilliant things about it.
@@crucisnh i am a hard core ultra conservative. i dont like the politics of this show. i appreciate the theater... the lyrical dance of the script. the unbelievable camera work. the walk & talks. the personal interactions. truly, head & shoulders above e v e r y t h i n g else. have you seen this?.... genius ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zDGip1cvTiI.html
This is it. The perfect justification story for a remake of the West Wing. The first episode starting with a flashback to this scene. Man, I'd love to see Sam running for pres
Everybody wakes up alive in the morning and saves a little face - the art of compromise . You listen to everybody and then you call the play - what a novel concept, listening & being informed.
You know, it must’ve been such a kick for the actors, playing intensely intelligent, driven, smart-as-a-whip people. I mean, come on, what a treat! All of them. PB, Leo, Sam, Toby, CJ, Joey, Josh, Charlie, Danny, Lionel, Abby, Donna, ... Just a collection of actual high-level geniuses. And what a kick for Sorkin, to spend 4 years writing such deeply intelligent, incisive, cool characters.
@CW Donna was smarter than given credit for. Hence why they told her about Bartlett's MS behind Josh's back, as they knew he needed her as much as she needed him ... ... likewise Margaret. She may have been as cookoo as a Swiss Clock, but even C.J couldn't understand how she was able to run the Office of the Chief of Staff like a well-balanced watch ... Hence why Donna became CoS to the First Lady, after President Santos won the election ...
+Dustin Dowd yes let him be like Bernie Sanders a outsider no one belives can win but he has a great hart and want to help the poor.That would be perfect for Sam.
This is the 2nd, 3rd or I don't even know best father and son moment between Jed and his adoptive children in the White House. I love this show for these kinds of motivating scenes.
OK. I think I run every scene of The West Wing over it's 7-year run through my head constantly, because I swear I was JUST thinking of this scene over the past day.
Rob Lowe from Parks and recreation I realize that when Rob Lowe talks about having an awareness of stuff to do with Martin Sheen and I picture him as a 15 year old kid watching Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez deal with Heck on earth and watching Martin Sheen (I am guessing) struggle with alcoholism. :) Sad and sweet all rolled into one.
Rob is so talented! These political roles really shows off his great skills! LOVE him on Brothers and Sisters! I really wanted McCallister for President!!
Its been long enough. I need to see the West Wing return with Sam running for President like Jed said. And I'm not talking about an HBO special but a real return. Talk about foreshadowing and an awesome way to conclude all of our favorite characters.
@@shaunig6716 the world is better now than it was before trump took power. Isis Syria North Korea Iran Economics Unemployment Bosnia Israel. Focus on the actions of the man and not what he or the cnn talking heads say about him.
I love that Bartlett's always saw Sam's potential in the political realm! SEABORN FOR PRESIDENT!! SEABORN FOR AMERICA!!!! Martin Sheen and Rob Lowe have amazing chemistry! Guess Rob didn't waste all that time at Martin's house for nothing! LOL!
All these years later I still want a West Wing "reboot" which is more of a sequel, focusing on Sam eventually running for office and getting it. It'd be a West Wing style show but updated to the more recent modern era, with Sam as president and a whole new staff to navigate the trials and tribulations of the executive.
My favorite quote in television history! "Sam you're going to run for president one day... Don't be scared...I believe in you"... Written dialogue doesn't get better than that!
One of the best episodes iconic endings ever in the west wing. I didn’t like that they slightly changed it for the 2020 special as much as I loved the when we all vote version he didn’t say I believe in you and it didn’t land so well without that line. Hope Aaron Sorkin writes more with Sam as president
Eisenhower couldn't get past the primaries today. He'd be immediately labeled a "socialist" by the most ignorant of the conservitards, and that label would kill his chances. If he ran as a Democrat, he'd be shunned by the party elite because he's not "corporate" enough, and that would kill his chances. The closest thing we've had in recent years was Bernie Sanders, who is a lot closer to what Eisenhower was than he is to any real progressive Liberal. Sanders' economic policies are almost straight out of Ike's playbook in many respects, with a little bit of JFK and FDR thrown in for leavening. The last one of those to hold the office was FDR, and even he was constantly denigrated by the conservitards of his day. The political spectrum has been dragged so far to the right by the xtian evangelicals and teabaggers, that left is actually center now, and right is just past John Birch. In order for this country to not self-destruct within the next 25 years, a true progressive liberal like FDR, Wilson, or Sanders needs to be elected. Unfortunately, the anti-intellectual dumbing-down of the electorate is standing in the way of any progress.
That's a fascinating narrative. It would be more fascinating if it was close to being correct."Eisenhower couldn't get past the primaries today".Neither could JFK.I'm not sure where you get the idea that Sanders and Eisenhower are that close, politically. Just one example: Eisenhower didn't think it was the Federal government's place to get involved in local education. Nevertheless, he sent Federal troops to Little Rock to ensure that the provisions of Brown were carried out, because it was the law.Do you think for one moment that a President Sanders would take action against a "sanctuary city" that was defying the nation's immigration laws.BTW, I'm one of those people who think that as soon as someone throws out "conservitard" or "libtard", they understand that they have a weak or poorly thought out position, and have to try and bolster it with name-calling.
I am still wishing one day we will have West Wing 2.0 with Sam as sitting president, working with staff consists of old gang members and new blood from younger generation.
Leadership 101; believe in your people and trust them. Develop their confidence in themselves and expect them to deliver, especially in a crises. Don't lecture; lead, and always expect them to reach higher.
Now if we could have a Sorkin Series with Sam making good on Bartlett's comment, and he runs and wins the Presidency. Chief of Staff is Josh. Communications Director is CJ. Will Bailey is Deputy Communications (and speechwriter). It wouldn't be another West Wing, given all we've been through since this series. But it would be brilliant.
"Sam, you're gonna run for president one day ..." Dear Aaron Sorkin, On the off-chance you're browsing the internet and come across this: How about bringing back The West Wing with Rob Lowe's character Sam Seaborn as president? I think we need The West Wing more than ever.
At 2:34, my wife and I have talked about this since that episode aired, but we both can still easily imagine a reboot of West Wing with Sam as President. It's a travesty that this concept was never put on TV!
lol. i know right! thats why they work so great together i think is because Martin's like a father figure for Rob and the fact that they have known each other so long.
This scene illustrates one of the biggest problems with the Bartlett administration as well as other administrations: complete cluelessness on the part of senior staff (except the COS and the president) when it comes to foreign affairs and the military
This is why Sam would be a brilliant president. They needed more scenes like this; Bartlett teaching him to really think. They need to bring this back with Sam running.
Ridiculous. Sam's character on this show was a SENIOR ADVISOR to the President; if he hadn't learned how to think, and "see the whole board" by then - he probably never would. If I'd been in Sam's office when the President told him he'd run for office one day, both men would have turned to me....cause I would have been snickering at that moment. Sam Seaborn is, no question, a great character (and a deep thinker). But, President of the United States? NO. I would have told Sam, "I'd never vote for you, man....you're too much of an intellectual (and too liberal) to effectively lead this country. Just remember; Bartlett himself was only elected President with 48% of the vote; not exactly a mandate to govern! And THAT was partly because people were distracted by his Nobel Prize in Economics. And, Sam.....YOU don't have a Nobel Prize to dazzle people with!" Liberals sure do love the sound of their own voices, and the power they get when they win office. To them, it's because they DESERVE it, as the "rightful leaders" of this country. Nothing could be further from the truth, and reality! In the real world, a Jed Bartlett would NEVER be elected President. He was too pompous, too enamored with his education and intellect; that guy was about as far from being a "man of the people" as you could imagine. No wonder that show featured a Democratic President, in a Democratic White House. It would be utterly silly otherwise.
Sam was also only in his mid-late thirties when he BECAME a senior advisor to the president. Bartlet was almost 20 years his senior, with 30 years in Congress and multiple terms as a state governor to learn the game...He also had moments of extreme political and tactical immaturity throughout the series, which is why Leo was there to help him. Calling Sam an intellectual next to Bartlet is a joke. Not because he isn't extremely intelligent but because he isn't defined by it in the same way. While Bartlett might not have made for the best president in the real world, as much of what he tried to do failed miserably, I have a hard time imagining the same show with Santos as President for any length of time. Not because he wasn't capable in his own way, but because so much of the show revolved around wit and philosophy. When I say Sam would be a brilliant president, I mean within the context of the show, because he more than most would be able to duplicate Bartlet's intellectual charm while perhaps being less stagnant in his policies. Anyone who defines themselves as the rightful leaders of this country because of their specific beliefs or agenda doesn't understand it.
Josh was Leo's "son", Leo having one daughter. Charlie was Barlett's "son", Bartlett having 3 daughters. Toby was nobody's kid clearly! Sam was sort of on the fence, but this is a beautiful scene where he stepped into the son role.
Toby was like Bartlet’s little brother, always able to get under the president’s skin when he knew he was falling short of his ideals, and Toby in turn saw Sam as his own little brother (he explicitly says this in Season 1 when Sam is in trouble over the prostitute). Even besides this scene, where he almost spells it out by saying Sam will run for POTUS one day, Sam always felt like Bartlet’s chosen “political heir”. Separate from a personal son figure like Charlie, and none of his daughters intend to start a Bartlet dynasty (especially after the eldest’s husband’s run for Congress fell apart) so Sam is the WH staffer that a retired Bartlet will be most interested in shepherding along and mentoring. Which makes some sense, given how in sync Sam is with Jed’s brain when it comes to speechwriting and finding his “voice” when writing.
@jiveturkey25 I personally prefer this scene, Bartlett always had an eye that Sam can be President, and their relationship, whenever they had them in scenes together, was made even more special that Rob Lowe and Martin Sheen knew each other since Rob was a kid. There's always this air of mentor-ship and father/son.
My favorite part about this scene was how Sam was SO far away from running for president at this time. He wasn't even close to running for Congress yet, just a mere speechwriter with zero national profile in politics. Bartlet was seeing the whole board in more ways than one here. Great scene.
That's what they should do..! A movie-length reunion where Sam runs for President and they all get back together, and Toby can chime in with suggestions from Cell Block D..! :-D
You can tell the character of Sam Seaborn has read a lot of books. One way to become a successful President is by reading. Truman's biography, Carter's, Reagan's..read books by former Secretaries of State... Congressmen and women. They give you an idea of how things work. They list their experiences, downfalls, success. Perhaps there are no training manuals for the job as President but books are a certain first step. What Donald doesn't get is Twitter doesn't make you a great President and he gets everything wrong. He called for Senator Romney to be impeached...but Donald doesn't know is you can't impeach a United States Senator. Reading is not only fundamental reading is also Presidential.
Interestingly POTUS says he believes in him, but never said he believes he should be President. In other words, he never says to Sam he can or should win, only the vague "I believe in you." And then he busts a checkmate. This seems like a positive scene for Sam, but I think he just got sent back to the JV.
Jonathan Evans Yeah he believes in Seaborn. And what does Seaborn believe in. Sam is the idealist and it's often told not to be so. So Potus telling him that is an acknowledgement that his idealism has a place in the White House. Josh is the enforcer, he will figure in the mudfights; but Sam and his belief, his ideals and faith in the Constitution has the potential to be the leader. That's what it means when Potus says "I believe in you."
