Last week, Argentine President Javier Millei addressed world leaders. His speech was moving, inspirational, and extremely eloquent. “We believe that all people should live free from oppression and oppression, whether in the form of political oppression, economic slavery or religious fanaticism,” he said. “This fundamental idea cannot be just words; it must be supported by diplomatic, economic and material actions.”
The speech was well received by everyone. That is, except for those who watched “The West Wing.” Because you may remember the fourth season episode in which President Bartlet said: Economic slavery…or religious fanaticism…its most basic ideas cannot be satisfied with our support alone. We must do everything in our power to deal with it diplomatically, economically, and materially. ”
Almost word-for-word similarities were easy to spot. After all, someone who follows politics for a living is far more likely to be hooked on Aaron Sorkin’s political drama than the average viewer. And given that The West Wing was generally considered one of the most influential and popular shows of its time, perhaps even the average viewer would have been fooled by it. You knew very well that it was.
This gaffe left a scar on Millay’s face, and now no one can take Argentina seriously as a country. At least, it would be if this were an isolated incident. But that’s not the case. Far from it. Because when it comes to public speaking, it’s hard for politicians in any country to resist even a little bit of Sorkin’s brilliance.
Easy to find…Argentine President Javier Millei and Vice President Victoria Villaruel arrive at the Buenos Aires Cathedral in May 2024. Photo: Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images
In 2020, Australian Labor MP Will Fowles addressed Parliament praising health workers as the threat of coronavirus forced leaders to raise the bar on public speaking. “We never expected or invited such a confrontation with a ferocious and reckless enemy,” he said of the disease, adding: Our heroes and we decide that our resolve may be limitless. ”
It’s especially shocking that President Bartlet said something very similar in the season 4 episode “20 Hours in America: Part II.” Here are Bartlett’s words: “We neither expected nor invited a confrontation with evil…but every time we think we have measured our ability to meet a challenge, we look and see that our ability is It reminds me that the possibilities are probably infinite.”
In Fowles’ favor, he had the decency to omit the part of the speech in which Bartlett said that “the streets of heaven are too crowded with angels.” Because even Sorkin, who would probably consider it overkill, would have to agree. But again, it looks very sloppy. Thankfully, we don’t do that here.
Except in 2018, then NUS Chancellor Shakira Martin said in her conference speech: But there is violence in our universities, racism in our universities, bullying in our workplaces, and we can do something about it…we can and must do better. No, and I plan on doing better. ”
Of course, this has an eerie similarity to: But there is violence in our schools, there is too much mayhem in our culture, and there is something we can do about it…we can do better, and we will do better. We have to, and we’re going to do better,” as Bartlet said in the aptly titled West Wing episode “College Kids.”
But when the similarities were pointed out, Martin responded, “I’ve never seen ‘The West Wing’…I’m me, there’s only one Shakira, and you can’t compare me to anyone else.” ” he tweeted. At least this seems to be the original, since there doesn’t seem to be any record of President Bartlet ever using the word “bloop” with two exclamation points.
Rip-off… Theresa May at the 2017 Conservative Party Conference. Photo: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA
But this is fine. The NUS presidency is a work in progress and no one can be expected to do everything right all the time. Granted, no one in actual high office in this country would be naive enough to think they could steal something as culturally significant as The West Wing. That’s unless you count the time Theresa May did it.
In her 2017 Conservative Party conference speech, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “It is in the moments when we are most tested that we reach deep within ourselves and realize that our capacity to meet the challenges before us is limitless.” ” he said. This is an exact quote from Fowles’ exact speech from 20 Hours in America: Part II, which he stole. Once again, May loses her voice during this speech, interrupted by a P45-wielding prankster, who looks appalled at the slogan “Building a country that works for everyone” in the background. At the time, few people noticed the similarities because they had watched it. ” gradually decreased and eventually came to be read as “Building a functioning country, or all people.”
Obviously, it makes sense for politicians to make occasional appearances from The West Wing. The show remains one of the most brilliantly written television shows of all time, thanks to Sorkin’s ability to elevate the mundane administrative role of politics to the level of high art. But this is already ridiculous. Perhaps it’s time to move on to less well-worn Sorkin material. After all, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is just around the corner.
