2.07: The Portland Trip (with Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning, Congressman Brendan Boyle, and Fmr. Congressman Steve Gunderson)

For "The Portland Trip," we try to slip the surly bonds of Earth. We are, in turns, lifted and dragged down by our feelings. In honor of Josh Lyman's conversation with Congressman Matt Skinner, we ask real-life former Wisconsin congressman Steve Gunderson what it was like to be the first openly gay Republican in Congress. And we're joined later by Pennsylvania Congressman Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle), as well as the Secretary of the Army, Eric Fanning (@SecArmy) — the first openly gay person to head any service in the U.S. Military.

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2.05: And It's Surely to Their Credit

Loosen your tie. Loosen whatever you'd like. But don't get it twisted: leaf peeping is totally a thing.

footnotes —
The "Stolen Valor" episode of the Reply All podcast. 
"Leaf It to Kris," the official leaf peeping blog of New Hampshire, written by Kris Neilsen.
Sideshow Bob singing selections from H.M.S. Pinafore, on The Simpsons.
Topsy-Turvy, a film by Mike Leigh that does not star Kevin Kline

Just one week left to get the West Wing Weekly t-shirt!

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2.04: In This White House (with Emily Procter and Ambassador Deborah Birx)

Ginger, get the popcorn, because we're joined by Emily Procter (@emilyprocter) to talk about her first appearance on the West Wing as Ainsley Hayes. Plus, for some context and perspective on the storyline about AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, we speak to Ambassador-at-Large Deborah L. Birx, the US Global Coordinator to Combat HIV/AIDS (@PEPFAR).

And introducing The West Wing Weekly t-shirt!

footnotes —
PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: pepfar.gov
Brad's lip thingy (a crumb?) [ photo ] 
Emily Procter doing a handstand in the set of the Oval Office [ photo ]
Emily's up-do and brown dress (courtesy of Lyn Paolo) [ photo ]

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2.03: The Midterms

While you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tight-Ass Club, it's in fact the weekly meeting of the West Wing TV Book Club. (The Ignorant Tight-Ass Club meets down the hall, on the right.)

footnotes —
Hrishi here: I now understand how the math at the end of the episode could make sense, if the Democrats had taken two seats from the Republicans outside of those last twelve races, so it balanced out in the end. Derp. #acalculia

Yankee Doodle Coffee Shop (RIP) in New Haven, CT, purveyor of vanilla egg creams.

As requested by Josh Malina, here's a GIF of Josh Lyman hitting his head against the headboard. [ GIF ]

Dr Jenna Jacobs and her crab brooch. [ photo ]

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