Bartlet4America News Archive

‘West Wing’ Throws Hat Into Ring

By Rick Porter
Zap2it

LOS ANGELES — Aaron Sorkin is taking "The West Wing" on the campaign trail.

Sorkin told reporters Friday (July 20) that the cast is preparing to film an episode in New Hampshire, the fictional President Bartlet's home state, in which Bartlet makes his "big, formal campaign announcement."

Based on Sorkin's comments, as well as clues in last season's finale, it appears Bartlet (Martin Sheen) will run for a second term. Last season ended on that very question from a reporter at a news conference after Bartlet revealed he has multiple sclerosis.

The episode will jump ahead three months from the news conference as the White House staff gathers in New Hampshire the weekend before the announcement to hash out the speech. The story will also flash back to the fallout from the disclosure of Bartlet's condition.

The campaign also will bring two new characters into Bartlet's circle — campaign handlers played by Ron Silver and Connie Britton.

While the campaign storyline will be crucial, Sorkin says it won't take over the show. "I don't want to give the impression that we've shifted gears entirely and this is now a show about a campaign," he says. "One of the reasons for [introducing the new characters] is to allow our guys, the White House staff, to still be involved in the kinds of stories we've been telling for two years. The heart of the show stays in the West Wing."

Sorkin also says that the rumored walkout by four of the show's actors — Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer and Bradley Whitford — over pay issues hasn't been as big a distraction as reported.

"If it's had any effect, it sort of had the effect that on Monday morning when the cameras started rolling, everybody kind of falling on the ground and kissing it, [saying], 'Something we understand finally.'" Sorkin adds that, although he's "way out of the loop," he understands that the actors and Warner Bros. are close to working out a deal.