100,000 Airplanes - TWW S3E12

Original airdate: January 16, 2002

Written by: Aaron Sorkin (55)

Directed by: David Nutter (1)

Synopsis

• It's State of the Union night, and as Sam is interviewed for a magazine profile (by his ex-fiancee, no less), we get to see the behind-the-scenes process of developing the speech. In particular, this year includes a late push by President Bartlet to include an ambitious promise to defeat cancer in the next decade. Josh ticks off Amy by criticizing her boyfriend's motives in dating her, but it turns out he might be right.

"I think government should be optimistic."

Big ideas. Bold strokes. Taking chances. The audacity of hope. (Yes, I'm stealing that phrase from Barack Obama, but this episode aired some four years before his book with that title hit the shelves, so ... consider it time-travel?). We get oh-so-close to watching a President turn an offhand remark at dinner into a total commitment of the might of the American government towards a crowning achievement. We see the excitement of the idea itself grow (at least in Sam and Jed), as well as the crashing disappointment when reality and sober common sense sink in. It's a real West Wing moment (as the pharmacist in the recent commercial starring Martin Sheen says), showing us an administration and a President that really do have the best interests of the people at heart. He really does want to use the power of the government to do bold things, to make great leaps, to cure cancer - and while most entertainment programs would have a hard time convincing us that this comes from a true and real motivation, Martin Sheen and Rob Lowe (in particular) make you believe it here.

Now, is part of the President's motive in grabbing hold of this massive undertaking a reaction to his still-fresh censure at the hands of Congress, and the stinging rebuke of his coverup of his health issues? Absolutely ... but that moment when the remark by the medical experts sinks in for Jed, as he realizes this could really be a turning point in human history:

And then you can feel the energy and drive as the President brings his staff in for a late-night call to action, directly comparing his thinking to the bold statement by President Kennedy back in 1962:

President: "A President stood up. He said we would land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. You know what we knew when he said that? Nothing. We didn't know anything. We didn't know about the lunar surface. We didn't know how to land one of those things. All we'd ever done is crash it into the ocean. And God knows we could figure out how to land soft. We didn't know how to blast off again, but a President said we're gonna do it, and we did it. So I ask you, why shouldn't I stand up and say we are going to cure cancer in ten years?"

The responses are not enthusiastic: We don't know where to start, we don't know what it's going to take, it's going to look like a self-serving political ploy to divert voters from the censure ... but then the President turns to Sam:

President: "Why shouldn't I do it?"

Sam: "I think you should. I think ambition is good. I think overreaching is good. I think giving people a vision of government that's more than Social Security checks and debt reduction is good. I think government should be optimistic." 

In many ways, Sam shares Jed's idealism. It's been a while since Sam has really had a solid storyline in the series (his character's increasing lack of purpose will play a big role in Rob Lowe's eventual departure from the show), but this episode gets Sam Seaborn a real starring role.

There's another angle to the episode. Aaron Sorkin, like most writers, tends to gravitate towards topics he knows. So it's really no surprise that in 100,000 Airplanes, he's using the State of the Union address (and its journey from genesis into final draft) as a mirror of his own writing process. I mean, I assume that, anyway ... while much of the episode is kind of a behind-the-scenes primer of how a big speech gets written, I can't help but think Sorkin is, at least in part, showing us some of his process as well. By using the gimmick of Sam telling his story to a reporter, we get an illustration of the speechwriters going from nowhere, with just a blank, white piece of paper, to getting ideas from the President, to being nowhere again, constantly struggling for a visionary theme and a soaring speech that will engage the spirits and souls of the electorate. I really do think Sorkin is trying to show us some of his writing process in this story. And for President Bartlet, in this particular case, the stakes are high - this SOTU needs to connect on enough levels to reverse the recent blows against Bartlet's leadership, trustworthiness, and strength:

Charlie: "How high are the stakes for the speech?"

Joey (through Kenny): "They're high. But a magic trick isn't going to help."

Charlie: "How high?"

Joey: "High."

Charlie: "How high?"

Joey (through Kenny): "Well, you don't win anything in January. You only lose. If he doesn't park the State of the Union, and I mean deep, it'll be his last one."

Well, he ends up parking the State of the Union. The staff is anxiously awaiting news about the polling numbers from Joey Lucas throughout the evening, but when the final numbers come in, she tells them that after a rough first half-hour the viewers came to realize why they liked President Bartlet in the first place, and his numbers for leadership and strength are through the roof. Which causes Josh to celebrate in his own, unique way:

Sorkin isn't done, as he gives us yet another off-the-wall angle. Not only is Sam relating the speechwriting process to us through a reporter, the reporter just happens to be Sam's former fiancee, Lisa Sherborne. Yes, in a plot point that probably would never had made it past real-life Vanity Fair editors, or any real-life White House press secretary, Sam has to deal with a former flame writing a profile about him and his job. There's really no plot-required necessary reason for this to be so - all we really get is some snide passive-aggressive remarks from both Sam and Lisa - but I must admit it makes Sam's final scene a bit more bittersweet. As he reads the "cure for cancer" draft he put together for the President aloud to Lisa, you can tell she really does respect his talent and his gift for writing, and that she really is proud of him for where he's landed.

That is a nice moment, for Lowe especially. As he's reading the words, he can't help but get truly excited about the prospect of government going beyond what's expected, what's necessary, and the idea that a leader could force the levers of power to pursue a goal that seems impossible. And then ... as he gets to the final words ... the look on his face as the disappointment hits home, as he recalls the stolid common sense that pulled this audacious concept back to the banality of earth:

It's worth putting those words down right here:

Sam: "Over the past half-century, we've split the atom, we've spliced the gene, and we've roamed Tranquility Base. We've reached for the stars, and never have we been closer to having them in our grasp. New science, new technology is making the difference between life and death, and so we need a national commitment equal to this unparalleled moment of possibility. And so, I announce to you tonight, that I will bring the full resources of the federal government and the full reach of my office to this fundamental goal: we will cure cancer by the end of this decade."

Lowe is just so great in this little scene, reading that draft, as his face covers such a range of emotion and feelings in just a few words. And then, in a note of real finality, he deletes the draft entirely:

The other thing going on in this episode is Josh and his continued ensorcellment by Amy. In the previous episode, H. CON-172, Josh made up a flimsy political excuse to see Amy again, instead of just asking her out. She saw right through it, of course, but still ended up waiting outside his apartment and giving him a kiss. Here, Josh has made plans to meet her for a drink (the very next night, as it turns out) - but he just can't help himself. He ends up denigrating the congressman she's currently dating, giving her multiple reasons as to why he's only dating her in order to shore up his support with women in his district. Amy, naturally, is having none of it:

Amy: "Don't talk to me."

Josh: "Look -"

Amy: "Don't talk to me."

Josh: "We're changing the sub-"

Amy: "You're talking to me."

Josh: "Perhaps ..."

Amy: "Don't talk to me."

Josh: "I should just sit here?"

Amy: "Yes."

Josh: "And?"

Amy: "Not talk to me."

Josh: "Amy -"

Amy: "I have wit, I have charm, I have brains, I have legs that go all the way down to the floor, my friend."

Josh: "You don't have to -"

Amy: "Don't talk to me."

It's hard to figure out why Josh is still single, right? I mean, Donna's throwing clues at him, Joey was certainly a viable option that he dilly-dallied too long about back in 20 Hours In L.A., Amy almost literally smacked him over the head in The Women Of Qumar ... but his go-to response is to lie about a reason to see her again, then when he does set up a date, he tells her she's too dense to realize she's being used as a pawn by her current boyfriend. Sheesh.

But why in the world do the women here keep pining for Josh, in one way or another? And how can he end up being right most of the time? At the post-SOTU party, Amy actually does literally smack Josh on the head as she walks by, demanding they talk again (why?) - and this time, the congressman boyfriend shows up, and he does make Josh's point for him by firmly requesting Amy to join him for a photo op. Amy's last look back towards Josh is a combination "You are a real jerk, you know that?" plus an "Oh my god, I can't believe you were really right all along."

Bold moves and audacious decisions - they're made and they're dropped in this episode, and the decisions reveal a lot behind these characters and what makes them tick, what gives them direction, what keeps them driving in this administration. And the ability to disregard the limitations of common sense and caution, to promise to land on the moon within just eight years, or to build double the amount of aircraft thought possible in a time of crisis, or to make the commitment to end cancer with only a whisper of a pathway to get there, turns out to be a one of truly American traits.


Tales Of Interest!

- Timeline: at one point we discover the State of the Union is coming two weeks after the congressional censure of the President (that was finally agreed upon at the end of the previous episode, H. CON-172). Also, the flashback scene of Josh's disastrous date with Amy at Wilson's happens the night after she gave him a kiss on his apartment stoop at the end of that episode.

Josh: "I'm seeing Amy again tonight."

Donna: "Second date?"

Josh: "First date, really. Last night was more of a, you know ..."

Donna: "Scheme?"

- The dial-testing we see happening during the SOTU address is a polling technique that started to gain ground in political polling in the early 1990s. In the mid-2000s, it became so ubiquitous that some TV networks actually aired those dialed-in graphic reactions of focus groups live during debates or big political speeches. I have to say, I haven't seen those on TV that much in the past six or eight years, though.

- Naturally and understandably, Sorkin can't keep the realities of the world from intruding into his writing. Even though the 9/11 attacks didn't take place in The West Wing universe (and the one episode reflecting the fallout of some kind of similar event, Isaac And Ishmael, is specifically referred to as a standalone one-off that is not a part of the actual timeline of the series), bits of President Bartlet's speech are extremely bellicose calls against terrorism. Hearing Bartlet declare "There is no corner of this earth so remote, no cave so dark, that you will not be found and brought to light, and ended" is an odd sentiment to hear in The West Wing, but it's fitting for a real-life America just three months after being attacked.

- Look, we know Toby is a brilliant writer and communicator, but are we really supposed to think he can instantly come up with the number of words in the Gettysburg Address and the Ten Commandments? Donna just accepts his quick answers as the truth, but come on ... in Pilot we saw that Toby doesn't even know the order the Ten Commandments are in, so how is he supposed to know how many words they contain? He tells Donna there are 266 words in the Gettysburg Address (I found references to 272 or 271 words, depending on who's counting) and that there are 173 words in the Ten Commandments. A BBC reference I found claims there are just 79, while another source puts the total at 297. That's not even accounting for the fact that the translation and Bible version you're using will have wildly varying word counts.

- The slogans we are able to see on posters as the writers brainstorm SOTU content include "New Prosperity," "For A New Millennium," and " A Frontier of Progress."

Quotes    

Sam: "Postponing or cancelling's an admission of defeat."

CJ: "He's accepting a censure. That is defeat. And you don't ask the school bully out to lunch the day after he stole your lunch money." 

-----

Josh: "How does he deliver the State of the Union in two weeks? He's the President of the United States. When he walks into the House chamber, they're all gonna stand up. Anyone here not believe this President can take it from there?"

-----

CJ: "In the past, you tell me, did it help or hurt that the campaign had a youthful and energetic energy?"

Sam: "I'm not sure you can say 'energetic energy.'" 

-----

Sam: "It's got to be Lisa Sherborne?"

CJ: "Hey, is the reason you guys didn't get married is cause her name would have been Lisa Sherborne Seaborn?"

Sam (flatly): "Yeah. That's the reason." 

-----

Donna: "See, I think this is what it's designed to do. I think it's designed to break a person's spirit."

Josh: "And damn it, that's my job."

Donna: "We're getting beat by the system."

Josh: "We are the system."

Donna: "We suck."

-----

Toby: "I need some pie."

-----

Josh (to Ed and Larry): "Do the two of you ever go anywhere separately?"

Ed: "It's weird, isn't it?"

Josh: "A little weird, yeah."

-----

CJ (excitedly looking over the SOTU poll numbers as Sam enters): "Sam, Sam, the sunshine man! Get on the couch, I'm gonna do you right now."

Sam: "Ummm, okay."

CJ: "Sorry, I was still talking to Carol." 

Story threads, callbacks, and familiar faces (Hey, it's that guy!)

• Sam's former fiancee and current Vanity Fair reporter, Lisa Sherborne, is played by Traylor Howard (Monk, Boston Common, and Two Guys, A Girl And A Pizza Place).

• I love seeing Joey Lucas again, this time with a fresh new look (the glasses are great) but the same fiesty attitude!

Josh: "Listen - when the hell are we getting numbers?"

Joey (through Kenny): "You are a pleasure to work for."

Josh: "I hear that a lot. When are we getting numbers?"

Joey: "When I say so."

(Joey and Kenny walk away. Donna comes up behind Josh)

Donna: "So many women, so little charm."

• It's the third time we've seen President Bartlet at SOTU time (although the second time we saw it was the episode Bartlet's Third State Of The Union, so, weird), and Sam is of course one of the main architects of those speeches. The episode He Shall, From Time To Time ... actually showed the lead-up to the SOTU, with Sam getting smooched by Mallory and praised by the President for his work; in Bartlet's Third State Of The Union a party guest calls out "Hey! Sam Seaborn, everybody!" as he enters after the speech; and here, once again, perhaps that very same fellow hollers "Sam Seaborn!" as he comes into this year's post-SOTU party.

• We learned back in In The Shadow Of Two Gunmen Part I that Sam was engaged to a "Lisa" prior to joining the Bartlet campaign, with a marriage planned for September of 1998. 

• That Florida Gators mug (that appeared consistently in the background of Season 2 since about last year's SOTU) continues to find its way into camera shots! Here it is on the table as the staff works on the President's address:

• And the President is back to using a Notre Dame mug, which we haven't seen much of in a while (one of the conditions Martin Sheen gave the producers when he agreed to do the show was that President Bartlet be a Catholic and a Notre Dame alum):

DC location shots    

• None, although the establishing shot of Wilson's, the place where Josh meets Amy, is actually the Occidental Grill at the Willard Hotel. This is the establishing shot:

And here's a picture of the Occidental Grill entrance from their website:

That's obviously the same place. Interestingly enough, those steps were also seen in the movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier, in the scene where Senator Stern (played by Garry Shandling) whispers "Hail Hydra" into the ear of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jasper Sitwell.

They Do Exist! It's The Real Person, or Thing    

• Vanity Fair magazine exists here, as Sam's ex-fiancee is writing an article for them. 

• "Outside notables" mentioned by Sam that are consulted about the SOTU include Henry Kissinger, Bill Gates, Jesse Jackson, and Mr. Rogers.

• The books that come out when Sam is telling Lisa about getting started with the "white piece of paper" include the Bible (King James version, large print edition), Writings of Abraham Lincoln (what appears to be Volume 6), and Cicero.

• Sam orders a Jack Daniel's (I've just realized the apostrophe is part of the trademarked name, thanks to the company's Twitter posts. You keep learning things!). Later he mentions Lisa might be distracted by the Absolut cosmopolitans at the party.

• Sam tries to dismiss Lisa' interview preparation as she presses for information on her story:

Lisa: "How does that work?"

Sam: "How does what work?"

Lisa: "Deciding what you're going to say."

Sam: "You mean writing the State of the Union?"

Lisa: "Yeah."

Sam: "It's a long story."

Lisa: "I'm writing a long story."

Sam: "Do you do any kind of preparation before you come to report -"

Lisa: "I prefer to -"

Sam: "Hang out at Moomba?"

Moomba is an annual festival held in Melbourne, Australia, each March. What that has to do with Sam and Lisa's relationship, or her preparation for writing articles, is kinda left unsaid.

• There's a box of Sweet'N Low in the background when someone dumps files on Ginger's desk.

• On the table in the Roosevelt Room where the writing staff is working we can see takeout cups from Panda Express, a can of Diet Coke (with the "Coke" appearing to be changed to read "Cola") and a can of Coca-Cola (turned so only the word "Cola" is visible). Plus that ubiquitous Florida Gators mug:

• The "signal transduction inhibitor" that the doctors discuss at dinner and get the President all wound up about curing cancer is a real drug, effective against some types of cancers. 

• We've noticed Josh keeps coming up with musical theatre references, more than once (in 17 People he compared Donna to Oklahoma!s Ado Annie, and in Bad Moon Rising he sang a snippet of "The Wells Fargo Wagon" from The Music Man). When he complains about the musician at Wilson's, it's Donna who comes up with the title of the song from Oklahoma!:

Josh: "Well, for one thing, the piano player only seems to know one song."

Donna: "Which song?"

Josh: "Little things with fur better hurry ..."

Donna: "Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry."

Josh: "Okay."

Donna: "Surrey With The Fringe On Top."

Josh: "Whatever. It's like I'm on a hayride."

(Of course, we later get the punch line of the pianist at the bar actually playing "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top." That gentleman playing the piano, by the way, is Ray Dewey, a Grammy-nominated composer who was also NBC's West Coast director of broadcast standards. Source: an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 10, 2002.)  

• We see the CNN logo on a TV screen here behind Josh (as seen above, we saw C-SPAN coverage of the SOTU behind the dial-polling displays as well):

Later, CNN anchor Bernard Shaw is seen on a TV in Sam's office:

• Josh brings up Mahatma Gandhi in his mansplaining to Amy about why Congressman Tandy is interested in dating her. 

• Joey mentions oncologist and medical researcher Samuel Broder in arguing against the government steering the direction of medical research. As Joey says, he actually was the director of the National Cancer Institute from 1989 to 1995.

• Actual cancer research clinics discussed when Sam gives his draft to the President include Sloan-Kettering, Dana-Farber, the Cleveland Clinic, and UCLA.

• As Sam tells Lisa why he was never cool enough for her, he says he never knew where the Tommy Hilfiger party was, and didn't care anyway.

• And Sam brings up President Franklin Roosevelt in his discussion with Lisa where the title of the episode finally is said:

Sam: "Here's something interesting. In 1940 our armed forces weren't among the 12 most formidable in the world, but obviously we were going to fight a big war. And Roosevelt said the U.S. would produce 50,000 planes in the next four years. Everyone thought it was a joke, and it was. Cause it turned out we produced 100,000 planes. Gave the air force an armada that would block the sun."

End credits freeze frame: President Bartlet hugging Sam and Toby as word comes in on the post-SOTU polling. This scene is quite reminiscent of the "I say thee, yea, Toby Ziegler, and I say thee, yea, Sam Seaborn!" prior to the SOTU in He Shall, From Time To Time ...