I haven't watched The West Wing for a long time, but I was curious about the "live debate" episode last night, so I tuned in. It was interesting yet a little bizarre. Nonetheless, I found the cross over into our current political climate amusing. "I'll never go to war for oil" and "I voted for it before I voted against it" for example.
But there was one exchange that impressed me. I have been scouring the Internet since last night trying to find the script so I could quote it verbatim for you, but to no avail (anyone who finds it, let me know!), so I'm going by memory here.
Democratic candidate Santos (Jimmy Smits) had an exchange with Republican candidate, Vinick (played by Alan Alda) about his negative connotations in leveling the term "liberal". Vinick retaliated by accusing liberals of being the ones ashamed by the title, as evidenced by their changing it to "progressive".
Santos responded by pointing out liberals were the ones who pioneered and brought about the end of segregation, won the right to vote for women and African-Americans, created Social Security in an effort to help offset poverty among the elderly, and brought about Medicare, the Voting Rights Act and the Clean Water Act. Then, he drove it home the pointing out conservatives opposed every single one of those things. And finally if Vinick wanted to throw the term liberal derogatorily at his feet, he'd pick it up and wear it like a badge of honor.
Okay it was a tad melodramatic but it did impress me. And I'm not pointing this out to knock conservatives, but it's about damn time someone more vocal than just a gal with a laptop in Virginia made this point - regardless of the Rovian-inspired smear campaigns,
Liberal is not a dirty word!