The West Wing (TV Series)

In This White House (2000)

Rob Lowe: Sam Seaborn

Quotes 

• Sam Seaborn : But for a brilliant surgical team and two centimeters of a miracle, this guy

  [meaning Josh] 

  Sam Seaborn : is dead right now. From bullets fired from a gun bought legally. They bought guns. They loaded them. They drove from Wheeling to Rosslyn. And until they pulled the trigger, they had yet to commit a crime. I am so off the charts tired of the gun lobby tossing around terms like "personal freedom" and nobody calling them on it. It's not about personal freedom. And it certainly has nothing to do with public safety. It's just that some people like guns.

• Sam Seaborn : No, man, why participate in the process when you can get a job commenting on it?

  Ainsley Hayes : You think because I don't want to work here it's because I can get a better gig on Geraldo? Gosh, let's see if there could possibly be any other reason why I wouldn't want to work in this White House? This White House that feels that government is better for children than parents are. That looks at forty years of degrading and humiliating free lunches handed out in a spectacularly failed effort to level the playing field and says, 'Let's try forty more.' This White House that says of anyone that points that out to them, that they are cold and mean and racist, and then accuses Republicans of using the politics of fear. This White House that loves the Bill of Rights, all of them - except the second one.

  Sam Seaborn : This is the wrong place to talk about guns right now. I thought your column was idiotic.

  Ainsley Hayes : Imagine my surprise.

• Sam Seaborn : It's not about personal freedom, and it certainly has nothing to do with public safety. It's just that some people like guns.

  Ainsley Hayes : Yes, they do. But you know what's more insidious than that? Your gun control position doesn't have anything to do with public safety, and it's certainly not about personal freedom. It's about you don't like people who *do* like guns. You don't like the people. Think about that, the next time you make a joke about the South.

• Sam Seaborn : A young, blond, leggy Republican.

  Mark Gottfried : Yeah.

  Sam Seaborn : I thought it turned out they don't know anything.

  Mark Gottfried : They don't.

• C.J. Cregg : What can I bring into the room about the conference?

  Sam Seaborn : The sessions are productive. Progress is being made. These kind of things take time. All the parties are optimistic.

  C.J. Cregg : Are any of the parties optimistic?

  Sam Seaborn : No.

• Josh Lyman : You look familiar to me. You're Aimsley Hayes.

  Ainsley Hayes : Ainsley. With an "n".

  Sam Seaborn : She works here now.

  Josh Lyman : What?

  Sam Seaborn : Leo hired her.

  Josh Lyman : What are you talking about?

  Sam Seaborn : Leo hired her. He told me and C.J., he was waiting to tell you and Toby.

  Josh Lyman : What was he waiting for?