Hartsfield's Landing (27 Feb. 2002)

A fictitious small town in N.H. is the site of the first presidential primary vote, and the results from Hartsfield's Landing, announced at 12:07 a.m., will dominate the news all day until ... See full summary »

Director:

Vincent Misiano

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (creator), Aaron Sorkin

Stars:

Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Rob Lowe	...	Sam Seaborn
Dulé Hill	...	Charlie Young
Allison Janney	...	C.J. Cregg
Janel Moloney	...	Donna Moss
Richard Schiff	...	Toby Ziegler
John Spencer	...	Leo McGarry
Bradley Whitford	...	Josh Lyman
Martin Sheen	...	President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet
Anna Deavere Smith	...	Nancy McNally
James Hong	...	Chinese Ambassador
NiCole Robinson	...	Margaret Hooper
James Keane	...	Hartsfield's Landing Registrar of Voters
Gregory Alan Williams	...	Robbie Mosley (as Gregalan Williams)
Thomas Kopache	...	Assistant Secretary of State Bob Slatterly
Dennis Cockrum

Storyline

A fictitious small town in N.H. is the site of the first presidential primary vote, and the results from Hartsfield's Landing, announced at 12:07 a.m., will dominate the news all day until the final tally, so Josh wants favorable press for the president, prompting to ask Donna to persuade a local couple she knows to reconsider their vote. Elsewhere, Bartlet has just returned from India with a collection of antique chess sets he gives as gifts to the staff. He plays Toby while they discuss their recent blow-up, Bartlet's insomnia and Toby's fervent belief that the president's enormous intellectual gravitas is an asset, not a liability, to the campaign. He also plays Sam as they discuss a critical detente standoff between China and Taiwan. And Charlie and C.J. stand off in a series of pranks over a missing copy of the president's private schedule.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 February 2002 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 23, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Wells Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The fictional town in the episode is based on Dixville Notch, an unincorporated small village in the Dixville township of Coos County, New Hampshire, USA. Dixville Notch is best known in connection with its longstanding middle-of-the-night vote in the U.S. Presidential Election, including during the New Hampshire primary. Since 1960, voters cast their ballots at midnight and polls officially close one minute later. Ever since 1968, the candidate who comes out on top in Republican Primary has been the eventual Republican nominee for President. Twenty-six voters took part in the 2004 elections.

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Goofs

In the opening scene, Bartlet tells the reporters, "Chess was invented in India, around 600 A.D., a giant chessboard was constructed at Fatehpur Sikri, which was the capital at the time." It is not clear whether Bartlet is saying that chess was invented in India in 600 A.D. or that the chessboard was constructed at Fatehpur Sikri in 600 A.D., but in either case he's wrong. Chess was indeed invented in India, but it is believed to have been several centuries earlier, around the 3rd century A.D. Also, Fatehpur Sikri was not around in 600 A.D.; it was built as the capital for the Mughal Empire by the emperor Akbar in the 16th century.

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Quotes

Sam Seaborn: I don't know how you do it.
President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet: You have a lot of help. You listen to everybody and then you call the play.
[beat]
President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet: Sam, you're going to run for President one day. Don't be scared. You can do it. I believe in you.
[moves chess piece]
President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet: That's checkmate.

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Soundtracks

"West Wing Main Title"
(uncredited)
Written by W.G. Snuffy Walden
Performed by Pete Anthony

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