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The West Wing Thing

Author: Dave Anthony & Josh Olson

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Each week hosts Dave Anthony and Josh Olson watch and then discuss an episode of The West Wing.

And when you're done, join us on our new podcast, The Audit on The Lever
171 Episodes
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Pilot

Pilot

2019-03-2501:00:404

In the pilot of The West Wing, which is titled "Pilot", we meet the staff of the Josiah Bartlet administration.  Twitter - @TheWestWingThi1
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

2019-04-0101:13:585

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc, in which the left wing gets screwed, the delightful friendship of Sam and the sex worker continues, and a very bad thing happens.
A Proportional Response

A Proportional Response

2019-04-0848:302

In episode 3, "A Proportional Response," the president of the United States wants to kill a lot of people and the White House becomes less white.
Five Votes Down

Five Votes Down

2019-04-1558:312

In episode 4,"Five Votes Down" we get to see the exciting mechanics behind passing a gun bill that no one seems to think is good. And Josh Olson finds the greatest visual in the history of television. 
In Episode 5, "The Crackpots and These Women," Josh melts down over something he shouldn't meltdown over and we experience the worst ending yet.
Mr Wills of Ohio

Mr Wills of Ohio

2019-04-2901:02:194

Dave and Josh discuss Episode 6, "Mr Wills of Ohio."  Awkward moments dealing with race.  Very awkward.
The State Dinner

The State Dinner

2019-05-0654:117

The State Dinner takes a dive into American exceptionalism, Sorkin's take on unions, and the weirdest hurricane ending possible.
Enemies

Enemies

2019-05-1348:331

In episode 8, "Enemies," we experience the joy of the White House trying to pass a banking bill through a Congress that can attach amendments.  It is griping. 
The Short List

The Short List

2019-05-2047:493

Dave and Josh discuss Ep 9, "The Short List." A Supreme Court justice is picked! He's a Federalist! And in West Wing style, the pick seems to have little to do with issues that the left in America would actually care about.     
In Excelsis Deo

In Excelsis Deo

2019-05-2759:432

Dave Anthony and Josh Olson discuss Ep 10, "In Excelsis Deo," in which the show tackles the serious problem of veteran homelessness in the most shallow fashion possible. 
Episode 11  "Lord John Marbury" The West Wing tackles the complex issue of Pakistan and India in the most simplistic way possible.  To discuss the situation, we are joined by our first guest ever - Writer, journalist, and producer of Four Lions, Faisal-Azam Qureshi.
We take a mid-season break with a wrap up.  We've struggled through 11 episodes of The West Wing and are joined by activist Susan Saxe to discuss neoliberalism and how the West Wing infected the politics of the Democratic Party.
It's a brand new season of The West Wing Thing, and Dave and Josh are back! We kick things off with Episode 12, "He Shall, From Time To Time." Everything you ever wanted to know about the State of the Union address! Plus - why CJ has trouble keeping a man. 
Take Out The Trash Day

Take Out The Trash Day

2019-07-2901:02:212

Dave Anthony and Josh Olson discuss Ep 13, "Take Out The Trash Day," in which several men explain homophobia to CJ. 
On Monday - It's a very special West Wing Thing with a very special guest who did a very special thing that we're too chicken to do ourselves. 
Dave and Josh are joined by Chris Wade - Chapo Trap House producer, and co-host of And Introducing to discuss his experience witnessing Aaron Sorkin's version of To Kill A Mockingbird. 
Take This Sabbath Day

Take This Sabbath Day

2019-08-1201:03:574

Episode 14. "Take This Sabbath Day" In which the West Wing kids tackle the death penalty in the most West Wing way imaginable, it is discovered that sometimes women have names for commonly associated with men, everyone enjoys the great Karl Malden's final performance as a priest, and Dave finds his happy sound. 
Celestial Navigation

Celestial Navigation

2019-08-1952:533

Episode 15. "Celestial Navigation" Josh relates the events of a typical day in the West Wing, which includes the introduction of a new West Wing tradition - white people explaining to non-white people the best ways to handle racism. Plus, a shout out to the standard bearers of our industry, Pod Save America. 
20 Hours In LA

20 Hours In LA

2019-08-2652:492

Episode 16. "20 Hours In LA" The gang flies West and finds that California does funny things to ladies and their lady brains. Plus, Bartlett lectures them gays on why pragmatic idealism is more effective than actually doing things. 
The White House Pro-Am

The White House Pro-Am

2019-09-0201:02:413

Episode 17. "The White House Pro-Am" This one's got it all - from NAFTA to child slavery. Listen to find out why Dave considers this "the most vile episode of the West Wing that has ever existed”
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Comments (130)

Venice Lockjaw

did Thomas Frank say he was a Reagan Republican at some point? did I hear that correctly?

Dec 17th
Reply (1)

Xander

Is this just about shitting on the show?

Dec 16th
Reply

Venice Lockjaw

that Lawrence O'Donnell video has been scrubbed from the internet. that idea, that notion was so dangerous in undermining Democrats death grip on the status quo, they have erased it.

Dec 14th
Reply

Venice Lockjaw

now in December 2023 Mary Ann Williams's comments have aged horribly as we are now without a shadow of a doubt witnessing an all-out genocide. how the fuck can she say that??

Nov 20th
Reply

Venice Lockjaw

umm.... who is this person?

Aug 24th
Reply

Will Shogren

Mensch is pretty hot, honestly.

Sep 23rd
Reply

Will Shogren

Super Tuesday 😔

Aug 31st
Reply

Will Shogren

I'm going to miss this shit.

Aug 31st
Reply

Will Shogren

"The thanks of a grateful president." FUUUUUUUUUUCK

Aug 25th
Reply

Will Shogren

Mandy is so damn fine.

Aug 25th
Reply

Will Shogren

"let's hope Biden and Harris are out of the race by next week." 🤣

Aug 24th
Reply

Will Shogren

German reparations were dolled out pretty unscrupulously, in a lot of cases, as detailed by Finkelstein in The Holocaust Industry. The Joshes of the world will always deploy the holocaust as cynically as humanly possible.

Aug 24th
Reply

Will Shogren

A Time to Kill was premium libshit.

Aug 24th
Reply

Will Shogren

Dave's stories are like "I pulled down my pants and beat my dick in front of the library in broad daylight and a white liberal asked a black man why he didn't join in the fun and the black man said 'i'd go to prison, you fool' and then we exchanged a knowing glance chuckle at the white liberal's expense before I busted on a flock of pigeons and hopped away with my pants around my ankles. White liberals are stupid."

Aug 24th
Reply (3)

Will Shogren

Attributing Kasparian's right-wingery to more Bernie adjacent people than Kasparian is wildly irresponsible but it's what you'd expect from an upper class guy with a chinstrap.

Aug 23rd
Reply

Will Shogren

Louise Mensch is an actual crazy person.

Aug 22nd
Reply

Will Shogren

*narrator voice* "but it WASN'T a well-done show."

Aug 22nd
Reply

Will Shogren

Sorkin would have made Ronald Reagan look like Fidel Castro if he'd had the opportunity to snitch on his coworkers to HUAC.

Aug 15th
Reply

Will Shogren

Don't listen to young people, they're uniformly idiotic.

May 24th
Reply

Will Shogren

Good news, if you criticize Joe Biden you're also racist and homophobic.

May 24th
Reply