Yesterday, a good Facebook friend posted a video of Kate McKinnon (as Hillary Clinton) singing Leonard Cohen’s magical song Hallelujah to open SNL Saturday night. It was a solemn and somber moment, at the end of the long, hard week. Highlighted by a fine actress and singer who held the national audience, for a time, in the palm of her hand.
How can a piece of music fill some of the void caused by these events? I don’t know. I just know that, for me, it helped. I hope it does for you!
More below.
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My Facebook friend went on in the same posting to thank Jane Lynch and Allison Janney, for a video she’d seen earlier in the day, from an old West Wing episode. Jane Lynch, to the best of my knowledge (and according to westwing wiki), only appeared in two West Wing episodes: In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 1) and Two Cathedrals.
She was apparently referring to Allison Janney and Jane Lynch during the press conference of In the Shadow of Two Gunmen. So, I went to the episode, to refresh it in my mind.
And I revisited my personal history with that incredible TV series. It was during the Bush Administration that The West Wing rekindled my political activism and passion as a further-along-in-years person. The candle thereby lit within me has burned brightly ever since. And now it is called upon with greater urgency than it has at any time since those very dark years.
I watched the episode again. Jane Lynch asked questions about the shooters in the assassination attempt. CJ demurred, with no real information on them at that point. I don’t understand why my FB friend referred to that exchange (other than just liking Allison and Jane).
Yet, the episode touched me, all the same. It chronicled the earliest days of the campaign, when Leo approached Josh about leaving the Hoynes campaign to come work for Jed Bartlet. Josh told Leo that he worked for Hoynes, and that Hoynes essentially had the nomination wrapped up. (All show quotations, below, from westwingtranscripts.)
JOSH
Leo, the Democrats aren't gonna nominate another liberal academic former governor from New England. I mean, we're dumb, but we're not that dumb.
LEO
[beat] Nah. I think we're exactly that dumb.
So Josh went to Nashua to hear Jed Bartlet. Bartlet stood before a tiny audience, speaking quietly. A dairy farmer stood to ask him about a decision he made while governor that hurt the dairy farmers. Bartlet sighed, and explained that he made the decision because of the terrible child poverty in the country. He wanted to make it easier for families to buy milk for their school children. And Josh Lyman was sold, just like that.
Leo fired all of the other political advisors except for Toby Ziegler. Bartlet called him to account for that, outside. And demanded an explanation for why Leo recruited Bartlet for this sure-to-be-hopeless campaign. I think that is worth watching, also!
LEO
Because I'm tired of it year after year after year after year having to chose between the lesser of who cares? Of trying to get myself excited about a candidate who can speak in complete sentences. Of setting the bar so low, I can hardly look at it. They say a good man can't get elected President. I don't believe that, do you?
BARTLET
And you think I'm that man.
LEO
Yes.
BARTLET
Does it matter that I'm not as sure?
LEO
Nah. Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you. Put it another way, fake it till you make it. You did good tonight. This is the time of Jed Bartlet, old friend.
Leo believed.
In some ways the story line is more interesting because of recent developments. Bartlet’s competitor, John Hoynes, could be seen as a Democratic Donald Trump. No ethics, no morals, no political positions, no character, no integrity. The day Josh was approached by Leo to see Bartlet, Hoynes had shut Josh down on a social security initiative Josh wanted. Josh said to him:
JOSH
I don't know what we're for, and I don't know what we're against. Except we seem to be for winning and against somebody else winning.
HOYNES
It's a start.
Who does it remind you of? Would it help to know that Hoynes was an inveterate womanizer? He didn’t lie as much as Trump does, I guess we can give him that. Fewer insults. But Josh left his campaign for a candidate with a soul and a heart. That made all the difference.
I turn to the West Wing because it is a refuge of sorts for me, a welcoming place of inspiration and passion. I write about it tonight in Top Comments, another place of refuge for me, with its fine, consistent energy and excellent friends, who inspire and share their passion. And I think of that episode where fate of the entire country turned on one man’s belief.
I don’t yet have MY candidate for 2020. But I have the belief. And I have the belief in the power of an individual to turn the story around. With a vote. With an idea. With a moment of sharing with another human being.
On to tonight’s comments! Formatted by my friend, brillig!
TOP COMMENTS
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Highlighted by i saw an old tree today:
Is this comment by EnvyRiotGirl defending our nominee, who fought so hard for us, and for our nation.
I don’t know that much of the backstory behind this rant comment by glescagal, in today’s CUA diary by Chitown Kev, but I’m damned impressed with her power and her passion, and I want to have her back!
Highlighted by belinda ridgewood:
Is this comment from first-time Daily Kos commenter, dixonganesh, on the journalistic marvel that was Gwen Ifill. She deserves every tribute.
Highlighted by Free Jazz at High Noon:
Is this comment by IamGumby, that consists of a hilarious cartoon! Must see!
TOP MOJO
Top Mojo for yesterday, November 13th, 2016, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on FAQing Top Mojo.
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Bonus Top Mojo from November 12th, thanks to mik the intrepid Mojo-Wrangler!
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TOP PICTURES
Top Pictures for yesterday, November 13th, 2016. Click any picture to be taken to the full comment or picture. Thank you jotter!