18 "The West Wing" Moments That Will Give You Hope

Because there's no such thing as watching just one clip from The West Wing.

1. When Leo told Josh about the guy in the hole, after Josh was diagnosed with PTSD.

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2. When President Bartlet helped Donna thank her favorite teacher.

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3. When Bartlet spoke of everyday heroes who "ran into the fire" after pipe bomb explosions killed and wounded dozens of people at a college swim meet.

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4. When the entire staff rallied to help a senator — whose grandson was autistic — filibuster so he could to bring more attention to autism.

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And Donna learned you don't need to raise your hand in the Oval Office.

5. When Bartlet tells Sam he'll run for president one day.

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6. When Charlie met Bartlet for the first time.

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7. When Bartlet gave Charlie a very special knife.

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😭

8. When Mrs. Landingham gave Bartlet a piece of her mind, twice.

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Yes, the second time was as a figment of Bartlet's imagination, but it was still damn effective.

9. When Bartlet hired Will.

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10. When Bartlet met with a Chinese evangelical Christian who had fled persecution, in order to be certain that his oppression was genuine.

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11. When Leo helped break Bartlet from a months-long rut of making safe and cautious decisions that never change anything.

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12. When Santos successfully fielded a question about teaching evolution and intelligent design in public schools without patronizing anyone.

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13. When Santos managed to talk about the shooting of a black child by a Latino police officer in a way that touched on everyone's grief, rage, and need for compassion.

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14. When Vinick refused to leverage his faith for political gain…

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…and he’s a Republican.

15. When Toby took the time to relish hearing the vote from a high school social studies teacher (who assumed his late wife's congressional seat).

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16. When, during a government shut down, President Bartlet and Josh decide the best way to get things done is to literally walk to Congress.

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17. When Josh, Toby, C.J., Sam, and Donna marvel at the resilience of the American democratic experiment.

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18. And that time C.J. did "The Jackal."

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Because it's C.J. doing the Jackal.