Frequently Asked Questions

What's with the HOT?
The HOT is really beyond explanation. For those of you unfamiliar with the HOT, it is perhaps best exemplified by the band gazebo speech and the sunglasses of intimidation (TM Jo March). The HOT, however, is also clearly visible during all Athletic!Josh scenes, all scenes with LEANING, and any time the dimples are involved. As for the all-capitals thing, I think Ryo started it.

What about Bruno, Connie, and the other guy? Aren't they on the campaign staff?
Aaron Sorkin doesn't seem too concerned about their visibility, so why should we be?

Does Ryo pronounce her name "Ree-o" or "Reye-o?"
"Ree-o." Like the Duran Duran song. Some of us think she's wrong, but it *is* her name, so we humor her.

You realize you're not actually *on* Bartlet's campaign staff, right?
Certain website staffers have appeared in key campaign scenes in Manchester I, Manchester II, and The Butterball Hotline. We like to think it makes us part of the team.

Yeah, but Bartlet's not real.
Shut the hell up.
We happen to believe that it's better to have delusions about the Bartlet White House than to face up to the reality of the Bush White House. Also, a number of us believe that his claim to the presidency is  illegitimate, but I'm getting away from the point.

Shouldn't this be a nonpartisan site?
Nah. I forked over the money, so I'm more than happy to endorse Bartlet's platforms here. I'll try to present opposing perspectives, but the campaign staff is pretty much a bunch of liberals, so we have no illusions that we'd be unbiased.

The NBC and Warner Brothers' sites both call Season 3's Thanksgiving episode something else. Why does your site list it as "The Butterball Hotline?"

Did the title change?
In short, yes. The Butterball Hotline, however, is the original episode title. Since the final title includes racist terms, we at Bartlet4America feel that it's inappropriate for the site, and will therefore continue to use the original title to refer to it.

I have some great info for your site about an upcoming episode. Where do I send it?
Send it to Morgan.

I want fanfic! Where is it?
Not here. We have included a few fanfic links for site visitors, but the list is by no means comprehensive.

Who's Susannah?
Susannah ran jedbartlet.com for several years. Upon her retirement from managing the site, she passed on her files to us and allowed us to continue with the site. Her hard work is immeasurable, and we are eternally grateful for all that she's done.

Is this web site connected with the show?
No, not in any way, as stated in the disclaimer on the front page. All my information comes from media outlets, NBC press releases, or independent sources. Hence, I cannot pass on messages to cast members or anyone else involved with the show. Nor can I convey your ideas and opinions about story developments.

How can I contact the show or my favorite actors?
You can email NBC at westwing@nbc.com or write to any cast or crew member c/o The West Wing, Warner Bros. Television, 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91522.

I've got a great story idea. How do I submit it to the show?
You don't. From the NBC FAQ: "Our policy is to accept submissions and ideas from accredited agents only. We have had to adopt this policy to avoid legal disputes because unsolicited material may be similar to projects previously submitted to NBC, presently under consideration, or in development by the network. If you send us any material, we will return it to you without having reviewed it. For a list of accredited literary agents, contact The Writers Guild of America."

Where is the show filmed?
The West Wing is filmed on a closed set that occupies two soundstages at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Calif. They also do several location shoots in Washington, D.C., every season. If you are in L.A. you can take the Warner Bros. studio tour, which may or may not include a peek at the West Wing set (more likely not).

Are any of the characters based on real people?
Rumors abound concerning the real-life political figures upon which the characters are based. Common theories include Bartlet as an idealized version of Clinton (with a touch of JFK thrown in for good measure), C.J. as Dee Dee Myers, Josh as Paul Begala, Sam as George Stephanopoulos, and Mandy as Mandy Grunwald. But Aaron Sorkin vehemently denies that any of his characters are based on real political figures. It is probably safe to say, however, that he draws some amount of inspiration from all of these people, as well as many others. And of course, some, like Dee Dee Myers, serve as consultants on the show and directly contribute their experiences to the stories.

Is there any way I can catch up on episodes I’ve missed? Is the show available on video or DVD?
You can order the first through third seasons amazon.com. If you've got Bravo, you can watch the show in syndication. If you live in the UK or Australia, you can purchase the DVDs, however, these will not play on American DVD players. If you would like more information about upcoming DVD releases, please DO NOT EMAIL MORGAN.

Why did Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme leave?
There are many reasons given both by the men above and the studio, so the short answer is that these two men and studio no longer saw things the same way and so Aaron and Tommy left voluntarily.

Can I get Bartlet campaign materials or bumper stickers?
Please visit the B4A Merchandise and West Wing Merchandise pages.

Don’t the West Wing offices look kind of different than they did the first season?
During the summer hiatus between seasons one and two, The West Wing set was expanded and moved to new soundstages on the Warner Bros. lot. The biggest change is that now, instead of being split between two stages, almost all of the West Wing offices are on one large stage, making it much easier to shoot those infamous "walk and talk" scenes. The press briefing room, situation room, and new sets for the White House mess, Ainsley’s basement office, and the rooms of the White House residence are on another soundstage. The most noticeable change is that C.J.’s office has been moved closer to the press room so she’s no longer next door to Josh’s office. You may also notice differences in Josh’s bullpen and Sam’s office, plus additional porticos and exteriors outside the Oval Office and Leo’s office. I've got sketches of both versions of the floorplan so you can compare them, plus a map of the real West Wing.

When does TWW diverge from American History?
Sorkin claims he doesn't mention any president after Truman so as not to confuse viewers, except that Josh has mentioned LBJ, so, you know, whatever. American history in the West Wing universe appears to have unspooled just like our history, with the exception of the presidential succession and the makeup of Congress, right up until 09.11.01, which didn't happen (at least not explicitly) in their world. However, the anti-Arab, pro-military, terrorism-saturated season three suggests a 09.11.01-type event did happen "offscreen" in Bartlet's world. Other events in our world are faithfully mirrored onscreen. (see, e.g., the Clinton page)

Bartlet's predecessor in the Oval has never been named, but implications from the show suggest that the last guy was a Republican (Justice Crouch: "I wanted a Democrat, instead I got you").

Why are Rob and Martin considered lead actors, while Allison, Richard, Brad, and John are only supporting?
For major awards shows like the Emmys and the Golden Globes, the actors, along with their agents and publicists, choose which category to submit themselves for consideration. Usually they pick the one for which they think they have the best shot at winning.

What is that flag hanging in Sam's office?
It's known as the First Navy Jack, a flag consisting of 13 horizontal alternating red and white stripes bearing diagonally across them a rattlesnake in a moving position with the motto "Don't Tread On Me." Conceived in 1775 by Commodore Esek Hopkins of the Continental Navy, the flag was first used during the American Revolution as a signal between ships to engage the enemy. In 1980, the Secretary of the Navy directed that the ship in an active status with the longest total period of active service shall display the First Navy Jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive service, at which time the flag shall be passed to the next ship in line with appropriate honors. The display of this Jack by the oldest ship in the fleet is an appropriate form of recognition and promotes pride of service, enhances morale, and contributes to the tradition of naval service. 

Okay, then what about that poster with the pyramid in Toby's office?
It's an Amnesty International poster designed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Why is Mallory’s last name O’Brien and not McGarry?
There has been no explanation offered for the different names. Obviously, Mallory had to have a name other than McGarry so Sam wouldn’t realize who she was in the Pilot. It’s likely Sorkin has given it no more thought than that, but a good hypothesis might be that she changed her name (possibly to her mother’s maiden name) to avoid association with her famous father. Feel better?

How could Bartlet be elected in 1998 when it wasn’t a presidential election year? Very simply, Sorkin wanted to start the show in the first year of a presidency so he created a fictional universe in which elections are held in different years. (He’s a writer. He can do that.) And this way an election on the show won’t have to compete with the real presidential election.

Okay, I found a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and while it really was signed by a guy named Josiah Bartlett, he spelled his name differently. What’s up with that? Who knows? It’s not uncommon for names to change slightly over several generations. Maybe Aaron Sorkin got it wrong. Maybe he liked it better with only one T on the end. For more info on the real Josiah Bartlett, see this article.

I heard Martin Sheen’s daughter is on the show. Who does she play?
Renée Estevez has a small, recurring role as the elusive Nancy, Mrs. Landingham’s assistant. She can often be spotted greeting President Bartlet in and around the Oval Office.

Why does Toby wear a wedding ring?
Richard Schiff decided of his own initiative that Toby should wear a wedding ring, as part of the back-story he imagined for the character (which probably involved him being a widower). This was completely unbeknownst to writer/executive producer Aaron Sorkin, who was very surprised halfway through the first season to realize that Toby had been sporting a wedding ring all along. At that point Sorkin had already decided to introduce Toby’s ex-wife, so we’re now left with the somewhat bizarre scenario of a man who’s been divorced for quite some time but still wears his ring.

If President Bartlet’s ancestors were among the original families of New Hampshire, how come he’s Catholic?
It’s true that the Founding Fathers were overwhelmingly Protestant. This is another case of an actor bringing his own perspective to a character. When Aaron Sorkin originally conceived President Bartlet he was not Catholic (in one early script he is described as the son of a minister). But Martin Sheen campaigned hard to have the character share his Catholicism and Sorkin eventually consented. The result is Bartlet’s moving crisis of conscience in “Take This Sabbath Day.” Sorkin eventually explained Bartlet's faith in the season two finale, "Two Cathedrals," where Jed's father, shown in flashbacks, disdainfully refers to his wife's Catholicism.

What ever happened to Mandy?
This, along with "What does Josh carry in his backpack?" is one of life's great mysteries. We prefer to just enjoy her absence and not question it. Moira Kelly, the actress who played Mandy, left the show after it was mutually agreed that her character wasn’t working. In November of last year, Aaron Sorkin was quoted in Entertainment Weekly, saying that Mandy’s as-yet unexplained disappearance would be resolved, but it never happened. He was quoted again in January, saying "We've waited so long at this point that I'm not even sure how we can do it right," put still promised to keep his word. Frankly, at this point most of us have just given up on it.

What ever happened to Sam?
He allegedly lost his bid for the California 47th seat, yet he did not return to his job at the White House. He still keeps in contact with his old colleages, occasionally calling to offer support when one of them does something extraordinarily stupid.

What’s with all the duplicate character names?
Yes, both the Secretary of Agriculture and the former White House counsel share the name Tribbey. And yes, both of the therapists that Josh has seen on the show have been named Stanley. And there have been three (yes, three) adorable African-American boys named Jeffrey in the White House. Why? I don’t know. Aaron Sorkin seems to favor certain names that he recycles in all of his projects. Maybe they have some deep, symbolic significance that we’re missing. Maybe some of them are private jokes. Or maybe it’s just coincidence.

Can you run that post hoc, ergo propter hoc stuff by me again?
Sure. It’s a Latin phrase meaning “after this, therefore because of this.” It refers to the logical fallacy committed when it is assumed that because one thing follows another that the one thing was caused by the other. For example, “I took Nyquil and two days later my cold disappeared, so the Nyquil must have cured my cold.” Well, no, not necessarily. Correlation is not causation. Get it?

In “In Excelsis Deo” it sounds like Toby said he was in Panmunjom (Korea). Does that mean he was in the military?
No. No. A thousand times no! This issue has been debated to death in various West Wing discussion forums. Yes, it does sound like that’s what he said. And yes, the closed captioning concurs (although I must point out that closed captioning is often full of typos and mistakes). But Aaron Sorkin finally weighed in on this issue himself: “No, Toby wouldn’t have been born yet. The line was: ‘The guy got better treatment in Pan Moon Jong.’”

What was that word they kept talking about in “The Midterms”?
Acalculia, (a´´kal-ku´le-ah) an inability to solve mathematical calculations (Miller-Keane Medical Dictionary, 2000).

The stuff Bartlet says to Dr. Jenna Jacobs sounds awfully familiar. Where have I heard it before?
According to Entertainment Weekly: “Refreshingly candid exec producer Aaron Sorkin admits he lifted the diatribe from a much forwarded anonymous email. Sorkin, who hoped to give credit, says they ‘cast a fairly wide net, but we didn’t find the author.’” To read a version of the original Open Letter to Dr. Laura go to http://westwing.bewarne.com/second/25letter.html.

Now, what does shibboleth mean again?
A shibboleth is a kind of linguistic password or way of speaking (a pronunciation, or the use of a particular expression) that identifies one as a member of an in group. The story behind the word is recorded in the biblical Book of Judges. In the story, two Semitic tribes, the Ephraimites and the Gileadites, have a great battle. The Gileadites defeat the Ephraimites, and set up a blockade to catch the fleeing Ephraimites. The sentries asked each person to say the word shibboleth. The Ephraimites, who had no sh sound in their language, pronounced the word with an s and were thereby unmasked as the enemy and slaughtered.

What was the music that Yo-Yo Ma was playing in “Noël”?
What was the song used at the beginning and end of “Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail”?
What was that song C.J. was lip-synching to? Where can I find the lyrics?
These and all other musical questions are answered on our West Wing: The Musical page.

What is the translation of the Latin that President Bartlet was speaking in the cathedral scene of "Two Cathedrals"?
The translation provided in the episode's shooting script is: "Am I really to believe that these are the acts of a loving God? A just God? A wise God? To hell with your punishments. I was your servant here on Earth. And I spread your word and I did your work. To hell with your punishments. To hell with you."