The West Wing (TV Series)

Shibboleth (2000)

Bradley Whitford: Josh Lyman

Quotes 

• Claudia Jean 'C.J.' Cregg : That's 'cause every time we come up on a holiday you guys check out like seniors who are done with finals.

  Toby Ziegler : We are writing a very important Thanksgiving proclamation.

  Sam Seaborn : And possibly a new action-adventure series.

  Toby Ziegler : Nobody here has checked out.

  Josh Lyman : Hey, I was just flipping a nickel in my office. Sixteen times in a row it came up tails.

• Josh Lyman : [Josh and Sam enter the oval office]  You've heard?

  President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet : About the Chinese refugees?

  Josh Lyman : They escaped.

  President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet : I know, can you believe it?

  Josh Lyman : No. As a matter of fact neither one of us can believe it, sir.

  President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet : That detention center was being guarded by the 22nd Division of the California National Guard. Now what does it say about our reserve army?

  Sam Seaborn : That 83 men, women, and children, who haven't eaten in two months, staged a prison break?

• Josh Lyman : Leo, do me a favor: Don't tell the President we're just watching football. He'll wanna invite us for dinner.

  Leo McGarry : Oh yes, I'm sure upon hearing the news that you're free, the President of the United States will insist that you join him for dinner.

  Josh Lyman : I'm just saying, we've been working hard, and we'd prefer to watch football rather than listen to a history of the yam in Latin.

• Josh Lyman : Excuse me, Mr. President, what are you going to ask the Chinese refugee?

  President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet : I'm going to ask him to say "Shibboleth."

• Mary Marsh : And the scores of millions of American Christians and Christians around the world will not stand blithely by while religious freedom is threatened.

  Sam Seaborn : Sure you will.

  Josh Lyman : [warning tone]  Sam...

  Sam Seaborn : No. They will stand blithely by while religious freedom is threatened. They're just not doing it this time.

  Josh Lyman : Okay.

  Mary Marsh : This is about the play?

  Sam Seaborn : A guy writes a play called "Apostles," in which Jesus Christ is gay, and you protest. Fine. But when a guy threatens to blow up the theatre, you guys are nowhere to be heard from.

  Mary Marsh : That play was disgusting.

  Sam Seaborn : So you're committed to religious freedom for all people unless you don't like what they have to say?

  Mary Marsh : That's not what I...

  Sam Seaborn : Don't look now but I think the playwright's headed to China.

• Josh Lyman : This is a whole new thing.