The final punch was thrown, not at these fictional candidates, but at the current US administration when Jimmy Smits’ Santos looked straight into the camera and pledged that as president he would never go to war over oil and then demanded Vinick do the same. (After badgering and audience boos, Vinick declined to do so.)
Neither candidate carried the debate enough to win, but viewers were treated to terrific performances by two seasoned veterans of the screen. The hour itself, however, was a mixed bag: It left me feeling like I’d had a salad for dinner instead of a burger and fries — not hungry, but not really satisfied either.
The writers of "The West Wing" are going to have to work overtime to make Matt Santos and Arnie Vinick show even a fraction of the personality they inject into current "President" Jed Bartlett. It will be interesting to see how they find ways to do just that.
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CORRECTIONS:LM
Article comments
1 - Nancy
There weren't any lines & it wasn't actually 'scripted' in the normal sense: the two actors actually did debate, "in character". That was their only "script": that they stay in character & in party. I wish I'd seen it; I'll bet, knowing that this entire thing was unrehearsed, unscripted, & entirely being made up as they went along, that it was a tour de force on the part of both actors.
2 - Erin
Knowing now that it wasn't scripted, which I didn't know last night or this morning, makes me lust after Jimmy Smits' and Alan Alda's improv skills. Now I wish I'd taped it.
3 - Natalie Davis
It was unscripted? Wow. Kudos to the actors (and their coaches). Liberal Alda must have had a ball with this role -- in fact, I'll give him points for playing against type so convincingly.
4 - Dave Nalle
I find that I like Alda even less as a conservative than I do as a liberal. And while it was unscripted, the actors were clearly prepped and given a gameplan as far as what they needed to address and some basic points to make on key issues. I imagine they were prepared much the way that actual candidates are, but it probably worked way better for them because they're more trained and experienced than most real politicians.
I wish the West Wing had really had some balls this past season when they started this campaign and cast retired Tennessee Senator and excellent actor Fred Thompson in the Alda role. Then we would have seen a debate and I don't think it would have been anywhere near as even as what we saw last night.
Dave
5 - Dave Nalle
BTW, if you aren't familiar with Thompson, watch him at work on Law and Order Criminal Intent as DA Arthur Branch. Damn I wish he'd run for president.
Dave
6 - Temple A. Stark
I haven't watched yet, but I find it hard to believe there's wasn't some serious set pieces of a script.
Fred Thompson would be pretty good on the show. Alda just looks weak and tired and that's unfair.
>>The whole “debate,” however, seemed less like a presidential debate and more like an effort by the "West Wing" writers to point out issues that went uncovered in last year's debates ....
Good. The real debates are empty theater manufactured by media and partisan hangers-on into something large. They are 90 percent hot air.
They are terrible as education and are more scripted then this Santos and Vinick. The debates need to have NO rules (except time limits) and, as been argued by many the parties - nevermind just the two main parties - should not be in charge of laying the groundrules for the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Debates are for the citizens and the only thing worse is the money involved in politics which corrupts democracy for citizens something fierce.
I look forward to watching this episode. I taped it. If Santos did looked into the camera with a "no war for oil" pledge - with thise words, that sounds like a big time clunker moment.
A pledge to never again wage war without Congress' approval - there's a thing.
7 - Dave Nalle
>>A pledge to never again wage war without Congress' approval - there's a thing.<<
But how meaningful would it be? We had full-on, enthusiastic congressional approval for Iraq, so such a pledge certainly wouldn't be what the left would wish it to be.
Dave
8 - Temple A. Stark
What's The Left got to do with it?
It's consitutional for Congress to declare war and appropriate funds;. Oct. 2002 efforts were not a declaration of war in many people's minds - even Congressional members. And in fact today is not being thought of as one in a technical sense by anyone in charge, left or right that I have heard.
Anyway. West Wing. - I'm going to miss West Wing when it goes. Or does anyone think alda or smits can carry it out from Cancellation Corner?
To me it seems the creators are trying to go out on a high. ???
9 - Alan Alda
I find that I like Dave Nalle even less as a conservative than I do as a disc golfer.