The West Wing: 10 Greatest Ever Moments
2. Jed Vs Religious Bigotry - The Midterms
A true fist-pump moment here, which sticks long in the memory thanks to Sorkin’s pitch-perfect writing and Sheen’s masterful acting. President Bartlet has never hidden the fact that he is a man of faith, but here he shows how he has reconciled that with a progressive and thoroughly modern approach to social issues.
The event occurs as a reception for talk radio hosts which is attended by Dr Jenna Jacobs, a bigoted homophobe who claims that homosexuality is an abomination and that it must be true as he Bible says so.
Jed then proceeds to masterfully tear her argument apart thanks to his photographic knowledge of the Bible, providing countless other examples of things the book technically say are justifiable including the likes of slavery and stoning. The look on Jacobs' face as the President questions her on the validity of these arguments is priceless.
The passion and eloquence with which Bartlet speaks is stirring as ever and shows what a compassionate individual he is. He also shows just how cutting he can be when he closes his indefatigable argument with the killer line, “One last thing. While you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the ignorant tight-ass club, in this building, when the President stands, nobody sits.” Vintage Bartlet.