3.17: Stirred (with Eli Attie and Fmr Deputy Labor Secretary Chris Lu)

This week we're joined by Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44), who served as the White House Cabinet Secretary during the first term of the Obama administration and the Deputy Secretary of Labor during the second term. He gives us some real-world insight into Presidential Proclamations. Plus, we use the special West Wing Weekly Hotline to call Eli Attie (@EliAttie) to get the inside scoop on the writing of this episode.

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footnotes —
‘Vice Presidential Swaps Throughout History’ (ABC News)
Mr. Moto
Word by Word
Parks and Recreation

3.16: The U.S. Poet Laureate (with Television Without Pity and David Wade)

We’re joined by two of the co-founders of the website Television Without Pity, Tara Ariano (@TaraAriano) and Sarah D. Bunting (@TomatoNation), to discuss the lemonlyman.com plotline—inspired by Aaron Sorkin’s own posts on TWoP. We’re also joined by David Wade (@davideckelswade) who was national spokesman for then-Senator John Kerry’s presidential campaign and who later served as Secretary Kerry’s chief of staff. We compare President Bartlet’s hot mic moment in this episode with a famous one from John Kerry when he was a candidate.

[ download ] [ transcript ]

footnotes —
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previously.tv
“The Schuyler Sisters” from Hamilton
“Somebody Blew Up America” by Amiri Baraka
Hrishi’s new dog Watson:

3.15: Dead Irish Writers (With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau)

In light of Donna's brief time as a Canadian in “Dead Irish Writers,” we’re honored to be joined this week by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau). (We know. We can't believe it either.) The PM discusses political idealism – both on- and off-screen – and gives us his thoughts on what The West Wing got right, his father's tenure as Prime Minister, how he feels about President Bartlet, and more. Plus, Josh and Hrishi talk about the parallels between the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and The Troubles, and the value of overcoming your fear of public failure.

[ download ] [ transcript ]

footnotes —
Gerald the Gorilla
Badinage
Superconducting Super Collider
Encounter (Israeli-Palestinian educational organization)
Background artist sings ‘O Canada,’ then apparently loses interest
This episode’s outro music

3,511 Likes, 178 Comments - The West Wing Weekly (@thewestwingweekly) on Instagram: "On the next West Wing Weekly, we discuss the episode where Donna briefly becomes a Canadian. For..."

3.14: Hartsfield’s Landing

This week, our discussion ranges from chess and poker games, to code switching, to West Wing Weekly themed fart machines. All this, plus Josh, the master prankster, ranks the pranks in CJ and Charlie’s prank war.

[ download ] [ transcript ]

footnotes —
A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East
Brinkmanship
Slack
Nate Silver Article
Fart Machine
Game of Thrones 
Tuvan Throat Singing

The socks that Hrishi gave to Josh —

The West Wing Weekly (@thewestwingweekly) on