The American President.

When I was eighteen, I lived in Providence, in my own apartment. I'm not going to lie, it was a hard year. I was on my own for the first time, and working a lot. It was also one of my favorite years, because I made awesome friends (Jamie, Lesley, Lori) and learned that I could stand up and be an independent person.

An independent person who watched one movie way, way, WAY too much.

I was cleaning out my closets this weekend, and I found my dvd, and popped it into the dvd player in my laptop. The comforting patter of the pre-West Wing Aaron Sorkin writing came on, and I was transported back to Providence, still saying the words in my head before they were said on the screen. If I had Jamie laying out on my air mattress, an order of papa john's breadsticks on my dining room table and a game of JT's blocks on the computer, you would have re-created a large majority of saturdays that I spent in providence.

In that spirit, I share with you my favorite The American President quotes (in no particular order)

Lewis Rothschild: Who're we calling, sir?
President Andrew Shepherd: I'm calling the organization of the United Brotherhood of It's None of Your Damn Business, Lewis. I'll be with you in a minute


Lewis Rothschild: Yeah, just vote your conscience, you chicken-shit lame-ass! [hangs up] We lost Jarrett.
Leon Kodak: Well, I hope so, because, you know, if that was an "undecided", then we need to work on our people skills.

Sydney Ellen Wade: Oh, Andy, a C minus in Women's Studies.
President Andrew Shepherd: Yeah, well, that class wasn't about what I thought it was about.

President Shepherd: America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've got to want it bad, because it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil who is standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the 'land of the free'? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the 'land of the free.'"

Robin: I think the important thing is not to make it look like we're panicking.
Shepherd: See, and I think the important thing is actually not to BE panicking.

Lewis: I tell any girl I'm going out with to assume that all plans are soft until she receives confirmation from me thirty minutes beforehand.
Robin: And they find this romantic?
Lewis: Well, I say it with a great deal of charm

Lucy: My Dad told me to tell you that he's on the phone with his dentist, and that I should behave myself and entertain you until he gets back.
Sydney Ellen Wade: Oh. Your father's on the phone with his dentist?
Lucy: No, he told me to tell you he's on the phone with his dentist. He wants you to think he's a regular guy.
Sydney Ellen Wade: Oh. Well, who's he on the phone with?
Lucy: The prime minister of Israel.