Aaron Sorkin has said that the biggest regret he had was not getting Emily/Ainsley as a permanent star. But with the show only in its second season and already having a large main cast all they could offer was a recurring guest role. When CSI Miami was in the works she was approached by the writers and offered a permanent leading role for that show. And with a lead role comes more job security and more money. Realistically, at the time, she made the right decision and still came back throughout the series as a guest star. But I think the show would have benefited greatly having her as a lead. Her chemistry with the cast, Rob Lowe especially, was astounding. My favourite scene between the two of them will always be Blame It On The BossaNova. But there are brilliant scenes thrown in there too. Emily herself has even said that she would have loved to stay on The West Wing but she needed something with more security so she ended up going with CSI.
It was nice to see her in 'Requiem' at Leo's funeral and maybe an opportunity to work for the Santos administration. Leo was the first to welcome her into the White House, so it made more of impact she was there to say goodbye to him 🇺🇲
Back when she was on the West Wing Weekly podcast, Procter told a very telling story about CSI: Miami's creative process where they didn't have read-throughs which West Wing did for all their episodes. At least to me, you can still hear there's a tinge of regret she chased the money.
You cut out the best part, that great pan around the office and back to Ainsley and her face with that "holy shit, I work at the White House" look on her face.
I agree!! That scene summed this whole thing up perfectly....her..."Wait, let me get this straight....I expressed an idea, that guy liked it, the next guy liked it, and now the President likes it....HOLY SHIT!! I WORK AT THE FREAKING WHITE HOUSE!!"
Bayougirl78 Precisely! That moment when she realizes that, by being the smartest kid in the room on a specifically-delineated issue, she has just framed national policy . . . What must that feel like? How many people get the chance to feel that, in some small way, "Wow! I just changed the world."
Sam's working relationship with Ainsley Hayes is the closest TWW ever came to justifying the original premise of Rob Lowe being the show's lead, for me personally. The way he defended her when she was wronged, the way he listened to her in this scene, and the way he generally respected her all model for us the conduct we ought to aspire to in our treatment of political adversaries. I'd like to have seen a lot more of Ainsley on TWW.
And all this after she (with lots of help from Sam) made a fool out of Sam on TV the first time they met. On a series that is hard to point to only one best scene, this is in the top ten as far as I'm concerned.
@@bristolrugby08 Emily Proctor actually turned down the opportunity to continue as Ainsley on TWW, much to her later chagrin! And I totally agree that we should have had a lot more Ainsley!
Jonathan Cheung Sorkin said one of his biggest regrets on the show was not signing her to a FT casting contract. There were already 8 contract players and he wasn't going to use her every episode, so they didn't sign her. And CSI snatched her up.
+Maureen Collins It's a shame because Emily Proctor's performance on CSI was kinda mediocre. The specificity of Ainsley worked incredibly well with the rest of the ensemble.
What I love about this scene is, sam changes his entire point of view based on facts and persuasion by Ainsley. That humility, respect is more important to an argument than who is right. That two people can have different views on how country should be run but come together to exchange ideas for the betterment of the country. Idealistic? Yes, but we should always shoot for the stars and only then may we reach the moon.
I think this is fine but also shows the smugness of the democrats pretending to care about black and brown people. Some Harvard mouth like seaborn with the “color if their skin talk” because when losing bring it up. She hit em with the 80% are white real quick. Both parties are wretched for working people in general regardless of race.
@@moegreene7940 How do you figure? Sam was saying "No" because he thought the legislation would hurt minorities. Ainsley brought numbers that showed it was mostly white male managers committing the fraud. Sam changed his mind. So he *was* trying to protect them, and when someone convinced him that what he was doing wouldn't accomplish that he changed his position. This is only TV, so it doesn't prove anything about actual Democrats, but if it did, it seems to prove the opposite of what you're saying.
Love how nonchalant Leo is when he asks "You got turned around?" and Sam affirms, he just says "OK, good." Really illustrates how much faith he has in Sam's judgement. Leo seemed perfectly willing to go either way on the issue. When Sam says "we're going this way", Leo didn't give it a second thought. It's great to have lieutenants/deputies like Sam/Josh.
I love that Ainsley knows exactly what she´s doing when she hands Sam the summary. If Sam´s reaction would come as a surprise to her, she would have given it to him and walked back to her office. Instead she calmly sits down and waits for Sam to come back to get answers.
"we play with live ammo around here" . . . man there was fuckin' alchemy in this show. Sorkin has done other good things. I really like Money Ball & Social Network & Newsroom. . . . but the MAGIC of this show is uncanny.
Sorkin's earlier project before TWW was a cute movie called "The American President", played by Michael Douglas. His Chief of Staff was played by ..... wait for it ..... Martin Sheen (a.k.a. Pres. Bartlett in TWW). If you've not seen it, I recommend it.
She is a wonderfull actress. Too bad the last bit of the scene was not shown. Ainsley watches all the staff being busy with work and realizes she is part of it as well.
I love that she is so puzzled and shook. She was arguing her point like always and to her it was normal. She was almost used to being so passionate about her points but no one (especially Democrats) not taking her seriously or listening. Yet, when she humorously argued her point to Sam, she was a critical reason to a change by the president. She probably never imagined having impact on that large of a scale.
You aren't/weren't alone! I've been retired from the USG (DOD) for 13 years, and I can testify that TWW was water-cooler conversation thanks to scenes like this.
"The West Wing" was often criticised for it's liberal outlook, however the series also showed conservative characters who were intelligent, thoughtful and fair minded (ie: Ainsley Hayes)....... Despite the potshots that the Republicians took during the run of the series, the show's writers were smart enough not to group them all into the same category.... The series could also demonstrate from time to time just how stupid some Democrats could be as well....
woohooboy Yep agreed I thought one of the best episodes for this was The Supremes where they needed to get a Supreme Justice nominated. I thought it showed beautifully how good democrats and republicans could be when they came together to TALK about the issues not just sit entrenched in their .....trenches I suppose lol.
In my view this was a well balanced show when it came to politics. When Goodman took the presidency they could have made his character try to force every republican idea through the system, but they didn't. You got to meet liberal and republican weenies along side ones that just want to do the best for their country.
When the show was written, Clinton was the model. Despite the impeachment stuff, he had a good working relationship with many of the real economic-minded Republicans like Kasich. Remember, they balanced the budget and did a massive, reasonable welfare reform bill. Things were different back then. Clinton, Bush1, and Reagan all worked across the aisle, it was only with Bush2 where things became ' i won the election, we do everything my way'..
It's hilarious that a show about a Democratic administration is criticized for having a liberal outlook. What were people expecting? A bunch of ultra right wing democrats? Lol.
@@AH-te5gs Preceded by Toby's *HILARIOUS* line: "Come quick! Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl!", which is also one of the funniest scenes of the series. 🤣😏
I love how Ainsley hand Sam his two-page summary, watches him walk into his office, walks over to a nearby desk, perches on it, and just waits. She knows what’s coming and doesn’t bother to hide or explain or defend herself, she just waits.
There are many West Wing performers who have Rob Lowe to thank. Even the other obviously great West Wing actors looked even better when they shared a scene with him. His contributions to the show were vastly undervalued.
Well, originally, Sorkin envisioned Sam as the main character in TWW. So I guess he’d written a lot of material where Sam was central in some way or other, or moved the plot. It’s only after the pilot, when the reactions to Sheen’s Bartlet were so enthusiastic, that they switched it to Bartlet as the main character. Which in turn is why Rob Lowe left after a few seasons, he’d joined the cast with the expectation that he’d be the lead.
@@hexistenzsadly he believed he was a lead as well and that's why he ended up. Leaving the show is because he didn't like being part of the ensemble. He wanted to be the lead
I like this idea for a show but I'd change it a bit. Emily Procter as The First Lady and Nathan Fillion as president. Actors from West Wing and other programs could guest star but this would be a series unrelated to West Wing. It would have its own continuity. Procter's First Lady is a modern day Lady Freaking MacBeth manipulating everybody like puppets and Fillion's First Dude has been dutifully letting her call the shots up until they get into the Presidency, but at a crucial point early on, Fillion's character realizes his wife's intentions are not to stop with the presidency, and he begins to grow a conscience if not a spine. The series would be about how they both do love each other, but she wants to use him as a battering ram to bring down the entire worldwide system, and he's not so sure that's a great idea. Maybe Rob Lowe could play the Vice President.
"I don't understand what just happened. I don't understand. I was just TALKING, Sam. I was just TALKING to you. So because I said this in here, the President in there is going to ... You've got to tell me when that's going to happen."
I found that part annoying, to be honest. Does she not know where she's working? Sorkin tends to overword things, which can work a lot of the time, but sometimes it just comes off self-indulgent and sloppy.
I think that it's a case of the difference between intellectually knowing it and having it really hit home. It didn't hit home until the end of this clip that she really, really worked in the WH and could have an effect on policy. It wouldn't shock me if a lot of younger staffers have this kind of feeling when they start working in the WH.
Oh man, this clip leaves off the ending, the best part, the denouement! FTR, after this clip ends, the camera pans 360 degrees around the office, then back to Ainsley, who then walks away with a small, proud, appreciative smile that says "Holy shit, I work in the fucking White House."
Ainsley and Sam were the best. I loved their initial scenes, on the TV show debating an issue. Josh ran through the offices to yell at Toby "Hurry! Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl!" Emily Proctor was brilliant. Then Matthew Perry got to be the smart Republican in the group. I loved this show!!
I was so disappointed we did not get more of Matthew Perry on The West Wing. I think he only had three episodes? The one where Josh does his interview, the one where he finds out VP is having affairs that leak confidential info and the one where Supreme Judge needs to step down due to health reasons. Matthew Perry is a great serious actor and I enjoyed seeing him in Studio 60 with Bradley Withford.
Isaac Jaffe, Sports Night: "It's taken me a lot of years, but I've come around to this: If you're dumb, surround yourself with smart people. And if you're smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you."
You cut off the video too soon! Watching Ainsley look around the office is a powerful moment where we realize that anyone can make a difference. I love this show!
I also liked Leo’s “ok” after Sam said he got turned around on the issue. No question about why he changed his mind... instead, just trusting Sam’s opinion.
This is governing: choosing the right option for the people. It should have nothing to do with republican of democrate. It;s a pitty the last bit was cut where Ainsley looks around and feels she is part of the team that runs the country.
"In fact, I can't believe I'm listening to a Republican" I love that line! hey, I'm a Republican and I love Sam, even though he's a Democrat! Wish all democrats were like him in real life.
Lol and all Democrats wish Republicans were like Ainsley. I don't mean female and blonde but intelligent and willing to debate unlike what you have today in the GOP.
@@paulcrawford5437 As opposed to the DNC that relies on feelings rather than facts and rails against Free Speech when it calls them out for having an unsubstantiated, at best, stance on any given topic?
If you want a "Sam Searborn" Democrat, check out Andrew Yang (e.g. his 160+ well reasoned policies @ yang2020.com/policies and extensive policy whitepapers @ yang2020.com/blog/category/policy and his podcast @ yangspeaks.com ). If you want someone more raw / younger / even more idealistic, there's a guy running for Congress in CA-34 (i.e. Los Angeles) named David Kim who is also really interesting. And Jen Perelman is a little rough around the edges in FL-23 but has a good mindset as well.
@@mybaseexchangeonline3572 As opposed to the GOP that relies on nothing instead of facts and actively hates facts and education in general, uses free speech as a crutch to say whatever they want, and often cooks up ideas out of thin air to back themselves, case in point; apparently people storming the Capitol Building was just them on a tourist trip. Maybe wake up from the brainwashing.
Even if you know every single scene in every episode, you're compelled to go back and binge watch this series again and again. I think I've gone through the whole series at least 7 times since it was closed out. And I don't consider it time wasted. Sorkin was magnificent!
+Waltham1892 Sorry to tell you (although I suspect you already know) that all the incentives are for government not to ever work this way. Pass the buck, never say yes, don't speak up. _West Wing_ was a paean to the urge for liberals to use government to order people's lives on the assumption that they are too stupid to do it themselves.
James King I'm a Progressive Republican, and I have to say that after this primary season, my confidence is government has finally exceeded by confidence in the individual.
Not fer nuttin' ... but you cut off the best little bit of that scene ... The 360˚ pan around the room and the look on Ainsley's face when it comes back around to her.
My favorite part about Sam was that he unlike other people like Toby for example took the time to listen to people like ainsley. We need more people like him in politics today. If both sides took the time to listen to each other life would be very different.
@@ChangedMyNameFinally69 I mean, we need to listen to different ideas. The problem is that pretty much every idea from the right nowadays is a fat load of bullshit either spewed to gain votes or spewed because someone got brainwashed by Fox or some underground right wing media site.
@@ChangedMyNameFinally69 Maybe this is me being optimistic (that'd be rare for me on this subject) but American politics has always been _very_ cyclical. It would be hard for young voters of today to believe but, for most of the country's history - even its recent history - bipartisanship was seen not just as their patriotic duty by representatives at all levels and on both sides of the aisle but as a vote-winner as well. It's arguably one of the key factors that made the US the most successful and powerful country in the world for such a long time. I'll grant you, it's hard to see how we get back to that from here but it's been hard to see happening in the past and it's still happened. I won't pretend I've got answers for anyone given where we are but I've not run out of hope just yet.
I love this scene, but you cut it short. The cap of the scene is her watching the dozens of ordinary people going about their work to run the country, and the expression on her face of how proud she is of them, and the realization that she's one of them. Thanks for reminding me though.
that girl has the biggest sweet-tooth of any character on tv, she's always eating something sweet (Peach, cupcake, donut) seriously, half of her scenes have her eating something tasty
Ainsley was a great mixture of confidence and insecurity, or maybe it was more that she had clear ideas about her own abilities. It was very enjoyable to see her come to want a place in the WW, and then proceed to earn that place.
And the next few seconds actually finished that scene properly. Showed a bustling white house all going about their busy schedules like ants. But anyhow, a great few scenes, glad somebody shared these. Thanks
I love this show so very much, right up to the moment when Aaron Sorkin left. This is an example of what didn't happen once Mr. Sorkin was no longer writing for the show. Would that there was a Sorkin show on now... I'll take more West Wing, more Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and or more Newsroom, yes, please, thank you. OR something new, as long as writing God Aaron Sorkin is writing.
Dating a co-worker who outranks you is almost always a big mistake. Besides, it's a nice change to watch fiction where men and women can have a relationship based on mutual respect instead of hormones. ;-)
Ainsley Hayes, is yet another West Wing character that was criminally underused. I understand their is only so much dialogue to go around, but I felt she was potential lost.
I'm convinced this show is not just set in a alternate timeline of this universe, but a different one altogether, where people are just a little more honorable.
I so love the running joke that she is always wanting a donut or pastry, etc. Does the poor girl not eat? lol. Great character, not enough episodes for her imo. Great foil for Sam and the rest of the staff.
White House gigs don't actually pay that much, and DC is an expensive place to live if you want to live in a good neighborhood. Saving money on food by eating what the WH provides is important. Have you seen how often Toby was eating something?
Seemed like eating was a nervous habit for her. When we finally see her again at Leo's funeral, I think we have to assume Ainsley left the White House or else she would have gained like 50 pounds.
Instead of the "can somebody get her a cupcake or something" line, I would have liked to have seen Sam say to her something like "go home, call your father and tell him how you got a law written."
