The Debate
- Episode aired Nov 6, 2005
- TV-14
- 51m
A live debate between Santos and Vinick, performed once for the east coast and once for the west.A live debate between Santos and Vinick, performed once for the east coast and once for the west.A live debate between Santos and Vinick, performed once for the east coast and once for the west.
- Annabeth Schott
- (credit only)
- C.J. Cregg
- (credit only)
- Kate Harper
- (credit only)
- Leo McGarry
- (credit only)
- Josh Lyman
- (credit only)
- President Josiah Bartlet
- (credit only)
- Secret Service Agent
- (uncredited)
- Debate Audience Member
- (uncredited)
- Santos Secret Service
- (uncredited)
- Debate Heckler
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe heckler in the audience who calls Vinick a liar is executive producer Christopher Misiano.
- GoofsWhen Vinick says: "The same people who told you we were gonna run out of oil by the end of the twentieth century are now trying to scare us with global warming", he forgets to say theories at the end, but Santos still responds "Theories?!".
- Quotes
Matthew Santos: This is not a law enforcement problem. This is an economic problem. If Mexico's economy was as strong as Canada's, there wouldn't be a problem. The President cannot solve this problem. You cannot seal a 2,000-mile border. Mexico has to solve it. Mexico has to grow its own economy. It has to provide enough jobs so that it's not worth it to try to cross into our borders illegally. There is no other real solution to this. And Senator Vinick is smart enough to know that, and I think you are, too.
It's impressive and sad at the same time as it implies not much progress has been made in real life.
The same issues are still being tackled but I am sure this episode brought us all closer to lasting solutions - or much deeper understandings of many of the global problems.
Production-wise it was really easy to forget you were still watching a work of fiction ...both the main actors were excellent in grabbing your attention and hold it till the end.
Only reason I didn't give it a 10 is I would've liked to see some shots of nervous aides freaking out at off-book points.