Then Shut It Down

[woundupuy]

all my life i've only had ideological cohesion with republicans, yet sometimes i wish they had the stones to hold firm on their beliefs and shut down the government. I mean can you imagine boehnor or cantor having the courage to pull the trigger like bartlet did and risk EVERYTHING?

[templar19]

See that Obama? THAT'S how you be President.

[Misstaylor441]

Boy does this have relevancy with present circumstances.

[QaranTV]

Obama is such a weakling, it makes me sick.

[jordinho13]

@QaranTV Brave comment.

[Jimpich]

Has Obama ever negotiated anything in his career? Has he ever run anything? Has he ever been an executive before he became President? He's a nice man and all that. But he seems to play the victim all the time. Nothing is ever his fault, which is a way of saying that nothing is ever his responsibility. He should have stuck to writing books. He just doesn't know how and when to play hardball. His supporters are just as wimpy as he is. Oh well as the US crumbles, they can keep praying to him.

[Datajlzone]

People who watch this show and says that is how Pres Obama should do is NOT living in reality. You people are CLUELESS to what happens when gov shut down. No ss checks, interest rates rises for EVERYONE and so on and so on...

So stop living in fantasy. You watch too much television and get educated of how government works and don't work.

[DoubleTwistingDouble]

@Datajlzone funny how this episode was modeled of of the republican government shutdown under President Clinton, and he emerged as the victor in that fight and the republicans looked like the childish, schoolyard bullies that they were being...

[mouseinthehouse09]

I have a genuine Bartlett for President bumper sticker given to me by a member of the crew. What do you think it's worth?

[bluesboy25000]

Hopefully President Obama watches this before negotiating with Speaker Boehner.

[Sharoney]

Love how he stands up before delivering his answer, forcing the craven and dishonest Republicans to stand as well and acknowledge his authority in a very overt way.

[jacenskylo]

gee this doesn't seem familar

[PT109Boat]

@jacenskylo You stole my line... Now, the only thing we have to do, is show this clip to Obama

[goodie23]

A great scene, but I found this storyline very frustrating. The speaker pulls a bait and switch, but it's the president's fault that the government is shut down?

[j1legend]

Sooo....who did fumble the ball?

[soarvideoNYC]

@j1legend it was about an equitable agreement. the president shut down the government because the republicans were not negotiating in good faith. at some point you have to call bullshit and let the chips fall where they may.

[oreilly817]

The best president we never had.

[freelancewhore]

@oreilly817 no, this is the best president we never had:

/watch?v=Genl242_ZU8

[VforVendetta07]

Great episode! I always loved how Pres. Bartlet always stood by his principles.

[jazonanderson]

"The anti-abortion measure would actually have zero impact on the federal budget as the tax dollars are raised locally."

Yet they refuse to remove it.

[applby2]

Way to renege on a deal, Jeff. #dickbag

[gmr911]

So appropriate now. Will Obama have the balls.

[awake4life]

do any of you realize this is make believe?

[gcalvanetten]

@awake4life Come friday, it may not be...

[gmr911]

@awake4life Not any more it's not. Read the news.

[OolTube02]

@awake4life Indeed, it is all made up. I could never bring myself to watch this idyllic view of the White House while the real thing was ruining the country under Bush.

When Obama became president I thought I could finally catch up on the whole series, but then he turned out to be nothing but a Manchurian Candidate corporate patsy wimp himself. So I simply can't immerse myself in this kind of fiction, being reminded all the time that reality is the exact opposite of what I'd see...

[Ecreale]

@OolTube02 Wait... the West Wing is the version of politics you *want* to see? It's an amazing show... but I don't drive through baltimore being glad it's like the wire. Drama is beautiful on screen, but If I could opt out of politics as a sporting match I would.

[leomaxfrank]

@OolTube02 Absolutely valid point, but with all of the wasteful television out there, not only does this entertain, it also informs.. incredibly so. I miss this show desperately. Idealism or not, its craft is immeasurable.. And it can still certainly teach us a whole lot.

[tobiojo10]

what's with the last 20 seconds???

[leftofcollegestation]

Does President Obama have the guts to do this now?

[SgnfyngMnky]

@leftofcollegestation even as someone who generally supports Obama, I don't think he does... he seems to have pansied out on most everything else so he is more than likely to continue letting the Republicans beat him up over the budget until they finally get what they want.

[YNot1989]

@SgnfyngMnky Except today when he did this and said no more extensions.

[basilray]

@SgnfyngMnky Because what the Republicans want is what the country needs. The entitlement train needs to end here and now, once and for all.

[ACTINGDRAMA]

@basilray hahaha..

[Sushiexplosion88]

@basilray I'm all for cutting spending, but failing to fund the government over something so small as planned parenthood and sesame street is a travesty, especially because federal money cannot go to abortions anyway.

[pattbateman]

@Sushiexplosion88 those are just headlines that the media uses to demonize the republicans. im sure there is more to it than just that

[Rocks21]

@pattbateman Except they have confirmed it themselves buddy. Media is also corporate bias, demonizing repubs isn't its MO.

[Rocks21]

@basilray The entitlement train is corporate welfare, dumbass, which they don't even want to touch. Quit falling for fascist lies.

[Rocks21]

@SgnfyngMnky Obama isn't "letting Repubs beat him up", they simply work for the same corporate puppet master. The idea that there is still a legit 2 party system working on the federal level is a farce.

[zapopaul]

Does anyone know it the scene where Bartlet goes to negotiate with these guys again and waits outside then leaves?

[grunditgnome]

one of my favorite scenes of the show

[KevC2010]

BRING IT!!!

[jiveturkey25]

Michael Hyatt , the black lady in this clip, happened to have more of her. She was good in The Wire.

[Stonymypony]

This guy always bothered me. When Bartlet says "Shut it down" i am so happy. And even happier when people turned on that jerk and realized that she was the one being unfair.

[Gessful]

Where's the follow up clip when Josh and prez go to the Hill, then leave?

[billbman]

@Gessful - Yeah, I've been looking for that other clip too. I watch these and I really miss that show. Moreover, I really wish art was imitating life, not showing us how life should be.

[ImperatorDominus]

President Obama, I hope you were taking notes, Sir....

[PeterFormaini]

Here's hoping Obama has seen this episode - and keeps it in mind next month when the GOP tries this same tactic - with the same potential consequences.

[bmillsistheman]

@PeterFormaini doubt it...obama doesnt have anything close to the political skill, brain power, honesty of a jed bartlett....of course the republicans dont have a speaker that is as smart and politically savy as the republican speaker character on the show either...so maybe its a draw

[rileykernaghan]

Which episode is this?

[jhillacre]

@rileykernaghan Season 5, Episode 7

[grunditgnome]

I think is this one of the most powerful moments in television history.

[martinithegr8]

Hey look it's Michigan... lol

[matipriegue]

"Then shut it down"

Bravo!!!

[iybutt]

God bless you, Jed Bartlet.

[tmca19]

Indeed - the one and only ! - What a guy & What a show.