The West Wing (TV Series)

N.S.F. Thurmont (2004)

Martin Sheen: President Josiah Bartlet

Photos 

Quotes 

• Leo McGarry : Mr President, please; Congress, the Joint Chiefs, the American Public, your own staff, everyone disagrees with your assessment of the situation.

  President Josiah Bartlet : Killing Palestinians isn't going to make us feel safer. They'll kill more of us and we'll have to kill more of them. It's Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun.

  Leo McGarry : We can't allow terrorists to murder our citizens without...

  President Josiah Bartlet : -Why would Palestinians murder American government officials? They never have before. They're deliberately provoking us, Leo. They know that we have to retaliate. They've studied us, they want us to overreact.

  Leo McGarry : This isn't overreacting, this is the appropriate, balanced...

  President Josiah Bartlet : [shouting]  Tell me how this ends, Leo! You want me to start something that may have serious repercussions on American foreign policy for decades, but you don't know how this ends!

  Leo McGarry : [shouting]  We don't always know how it ends!

  [pause] 

  Leo McGarry : The Lincoln will be in position in a few hours, and then you're going to have to give the go ahead for the bombings.

  President Josiah Bartlet : Or what?