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Score: 9.0 Superb 80 votes

Bartlet's Third State of the Union

Episode Number: 35    Season Num: 2    First Aired: Wednesday February 7, 2001    Prod Code: 226213
The President delivers his 3rd State of the Union address, what critics call "the speech of his political career" and ends up angering Abbey by what he does and doesn't say; Josh must work the polling center with Joey Lucas, but a power outage delays the reults; Sam attempts to introduce Ainsley to the President with disastrous results; CJ must juggle a live recording of the show "Capitol Beat" being broadcast within the White House and run damage control when a cop has a (possibly undeserved) black mark on his record; Leo and Bartlet must handle the matter of five DEA officals who are taken hostage by Colombian terrorists.

Cast and Crew

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Writer: Aaron Sorkin
Story: Allison Abner, Dee Dee Myers
Director: Christopher Misiano
Star: Martin Sheen (President Jed Bartlet),  Dulé Hill (Charlie Young),  Allison Janney (Claudia Jean "C.J." Cregg),  Rob Lowe (Sam Seaborn (Episodes 1-84)),  Richard Schiff (Toby Ziegler),  John Spencer (Leo McGarry),  Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman),  Janel Moloney (Donna Moss (Episodes 23-, recurring previously))
Recurring Role: Stockard Channing (Abbey Bartlet),  Melissa Fitzgerald (Carol Fitzpatrick),  Kathryn Joosten (Delores Landingham),  Marlee Matlin (Joey Lucas),  Nicole Robinson (Margaret),  Bill O'Brien (Kenny Thurman),  Glenn Morshower (Mike Chrysler),  Ralph Meyering Jr. (Tom),  Emily Procter (Ainsley Hayes),  J.P. Stevenson (Jonathan),  Bradley James (Donnie),  Gregalan Williams (Robbie Mosley),  Thomas Spencer (Jeff),  William Duffy (Larry),  Devika Parikh (Bonnie),  Kim Webster (Ginger),  Peter James Smith (Ed),  Mindy Seeger (Chris)
Guest Star: Ted McGinley (Mark Gottfried),  Susan Krebs (Gail Schumer),  Sean Patrick Murphy (Floor Manager),  Keith Mills (Edgar Finney),  Jon Hershfield (Pollster #2),  Kelly McNair (Pollster #1),  Barbara Eve Harris (Gretchen Tyler),  Richard Riehle (Jack Sloan),  Tony Plana (Mickey Troop),  Corbin Bernsen (Henry Shallick),  Larry Carroll (Newscaster #2),  Doris McMillon (Sandy),  Michael Francis Clarke (David Satch),  Marvin Krueger (Officer #2),  Molly Schaffer (Staffer)

Notes

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Awards and Nominations:
Stockard Channing received a nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the 2001 Emmys for her performance in this episode and in "The War at Home" (edit)
Music: Ainsley sings "Blame It on the Bossa Nova" by Annette Funicello. (edit)

Quotes

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Josh: Joey... can I ask you what may be a silly question?
Joey (Kenny): Sure.
Josh:It’s not possible is it for us to just open one of these computers with a screwdriver and get the numbers that are in there, right?
Joey (Kenny) : Why would you think that would be a silly question? (edit)
Sam: Okay, can I talk to you about adrenaline for a second?
Ainsley: Adrenaline?
Sam: Yeah. You’re feeling it right now and it’s gonna get even more cause it’s a big night, and you were a hit and you’ve never experienced anything like this.
Ainsley: And you think I’m going to have a nutty.
Sam: I’m saying don’t drink until you’re off television.
Ainsley: God! Thanks Sam for that debating tip. You have a feel for nuances. You say I shouldn’t be drunk when I’m representing the White House.
Sam: Yeah. And remember you’re a blond, Republican girl and that nobody likes you. (edit)
Josh: Where the hell have you been?
Joey: My plane had mechanical difficulties.
Josh: This is the State of the Union. There was nothing you could do about it?
Joey: No, because as a child I never paid attention during airplane mechanics class. (edit)
Bartlet: What's up? I never even knew we had a nightclub down here! (edit)

Trivia

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Toby opens by telling his staff to "delete 'vigorously' from the first sentence," so they are not "going to vigorously pursue campaign finance reform" because 'vigorously' feels inflammatory.

Since Toby is a speech writer, he should have been more concerned with removing 'vigorously' because it splits the infinitive of 'to pursue.' Infinitive verbs cannot have adverbs inside them, only before or after. (edit)

Allusions

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The theme tune of 'Capitol Beat' is the ITN News at Ten theme, used on the British channel ITV since 1955. (edit)
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Community Reviews (2)

 
9.7
Superb
Bartlet's Third State of the Union
"A very special episode"
The promises three years ago do not count anymore - they want to run again.
Continue » Posted Dec 6, 2007 1:24 pm PST
10.0
Perfect
Bartlet's Third State of the Union
"A very special episode"
State of the Union Number 3, and no one's wearing any pants!
Continue » Posted Sep 9, 2006 5:15 am PST
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Episode: Bartlet's Third State of the Union
Season Number: 2
Episode Reviews: 2
Episode
Score:
9.0 Superb 80 votes
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