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Martin Sheen's 'West Wing' Fantasy
NPR ^ | Jan. 28, 2003 | Bob Edwards

Posted on 01/29/2003 8:03:40 AM PST by Drango

Martin Sheen's 'West Wing' Fantasy
Actor Says TV Drama Has a Role to Play in Trying Times

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audio icon Listen to an extended version of Bob Edwards' interview with Martin Sheen.

Martin Sheen
Actor Martin Sheen.
Credit: Jim Wildman, NPR News

"I promise you, the republic would be in real trouble if I were in the White House. I could not bring myself to make some of those decisions. It would be a total reversal for me."

Martin Sheen

Jan. 28, 2003 -- Martin Sheen is not the president of the United States, even though he plays one on television. In an interview with NPR's Bob Edwards on the Washington set of The West Wing, the actor discusses how his role can serve the nation in trying times.

"We call ourselves a parallel universe to the real world," says Sheen, who plays President Bartlet on the hit NBC drama series. "We know we're a fantasy. But at the same time, there are sometimes periods of history where a fantasy is not a bad idea to focus on every now and then."

Sheen was in the nation's capital to film Bartlet's second inauguration for an upcoming episode.

Sheen says that when the show began three years ago, he wanted to have the president appear at ceremonies, interacting with the public. But "what our show wanted to do was to show him in private, how he was with his staff, his family. How he organized a particular issue and how he galvanized his forces and his energies to push a bill...

"And now I've come to really, really appreciate that, all the nuances, the deeply personal things, how his moral frame of reference affects his policies and his own personal life."

Though he has been an activist for left-leaning causes -- he's been arrested numerous times for participating in protests -- Sheen insists he has no real-life political ambitions. "I'm not at all interested in politics, personally," he says. "I'm interested in issues and I'm interested in humanity."

Sheen says that at first he found it difficult to order military action in the role of president: "Me personally, it's real hard for me to order someone to get bombed or destroyed, but I'm not the president. Bartlet is the president and a real president has to consider doing these things. I promise you, the republic would be in real trouble if I were in the White House," he says. "I could not bring myself to make some of those decisions. It would be a total reversal for me."


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: liberalmedia; npr; sheen; taxwaste
Your tax dollars at work...
1 posted on 01/29/2003 8:03:40 AM PST by Drango
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To: Drango
I cannot stand Sheen.
2 posted on 01/29/2003 8:09:23 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Drango
Martin Sheen=white-knuckled drunk...

His brain must be rotting.
3 posted on 01/29/2003 8:13:56 AM PST by texasbluebell
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To: Drango
"Sheen says that at first he found it difficult to order military action in the role of president: "Me personally, it's real hard for me to order someone to get bombed or destroyed,"

What a self-involved idiot. He found it hard to "act". He needs to change his name to Martin Queen.

4 posted on 01/29/2003 8:16:45 AM PST by VaBthang4
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To: Drango
Liberals love this show, proving they don't live in reality.
5 posted on 01/29/2003 8:17:46 AM PST by AppyPappy (Will Code COBOL For Food)
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To: Drango
Martin to Saddam:
"Okay Saddam, just follow the script and together we'll make the world a better place....Ready, ACTION!"
6 posted on 01/29/2003 8:20:26 AM PST by BufordP (Martin, get up...Martin, get up! Were those real bullets? [BANG! BANG! BANG!])
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To: Drango
"I'm not at all interested in politics, personally," he says. "I'm interested in issues and I'm interested in humanity."

News to us here in Florida where 'President Bartlet' (is he a pear of a fellow?) was campaigning up a storm for Ms. Reno in her run for the Dem nomination for governor. Just another example of these creative types experiencing cognitive dissonance! Susan Sarandon is not anti-American when she spews forth in Europe, etc.!

7 posted on 01/29/2003 8:20:48 AM PST by SES1066
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To: Drango
"Sheen says that at first he found it difficult to order military action in the role of president."

Well, Martin, then stick to playing a communist like you did in Wall Street and you will feel right at home.

8 posted on 01/29/2003 8:23:52 AM PST by Commiewatcher
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To: Drango
Sheen insists he has no real-life political ambitions. "I'm not at all interested in politics, personally," he says. "I'm interested in issues and I'm interested in humanity."

Translation: "I'm a pontificating butt wipe who's too cowardly to actually submit myself and my moronic ideas to the electorate for near-certain rejection, therefore, I'll pretend that I actually have something significant to say by portraying an idiot politician on a third-rate TV show."

9 posted on 01/29/2003 8:26:24 AM PST by Cincinatus
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To: Drango
"I promise you, the republic would be in real trouble if I were in the White House," he says.

Actors always seem to state the painfully obvious....

10 posted on 01/29/2003 8:28:17 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe (I drank what?)
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To: Drango
Sheen=Hollyweird=PUTZ
11 posted on 01/29/2003 8:29:01 AM PST by duckman (all ducked up with no place to go..)
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To: Drango
" I promise you, the republic would be in real trouble if I were in the White House," he says. "I could not bring myself to make some of those decisions. "

This is precisely Clintons line of thinking unless he was being investigated then he couldnt care less.
12 posted on 01/29/2003 8:36:02 AM PST by smith288 (the tag that itches the back of your neck)
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To: Drango
Who does he think the President is? Hello Marty; his name is Bush! You really need to learn to separate your fantisies from reality! In other words, get a grip you moron!


MARK A SITY
http://www.logic101.net/
13 posted on 01/29/2003 9:29:52 AM PST by logic101.net
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To: Drango
Oh, and BTW, Marty; we are all also glad that you aren't the president!


MARK A SITY
http://www.logic101.net/
14 posted on 01/29/2003 9:30:27 AM PST by logic101.net
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To: Drango
Sheen says that at first he found it difficult to order military action in the role of president: "Me personally, it's real hard for me to order someone to get bombed or destroyed, but I'm not the president. Bartlet is the president and a real president has to consider doing these things. I promise you, the republic would be in real trouble if I were in the White House," he says. "I could not bring myself to make some of those decisions. It would be a total reversal for me."

This is an stunning admission for a liberal activist.

The thing that makes me the craziest when observing them in action is that 99.64% of the time, when they are marching, picketing, starving, or even undressing for "peace," they don't say what the dickens it is they would actually do -- only what they wouldn't do. In the end, they who don't have power other than to voice their fierce disapproval do nothing. The President doesn't have the luxury of doing nothing. He has to act -- but not the kind of acting that is done in front of a camera.

Sheen, in a rare moment of candor, is admitting that in the real world, superpowers can't run on "flower power."

15 posted on 01/29/2003 11:54:46 AM PST by L.N. Smithee ("OK, everybody! Look Polish!" -- T. Servo)
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To: Drango
I've never seen this show but, knowing the networks' bent toward the left, isn't it somewhat of a vehicle for legitimizing the policies of the Clinton years, taking potshots at the right, and just choc-full of emotion and void of logic?

Just a guess.

16 posted on 01/29/2003 12:04:48 PM PST by wayoverontheright
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To: Drango
I wish Sheen would just piss off to that emerald isle of his mother’s birthplace that keeps on calling him back.
17 posted on 01/29/2003 12:09:56 PM PST by Flashman_at_the_charge
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To: Drango
I promise you, the republic would be in real trouble if I were in the White House," he says.

Well, he's not completely irrational.
18 posted on 01/29/2003 1:02:38 PM PST by George W. Bush
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To: texasbluebell
His brain must be rotting

Be careful in what you assume. I doubt he had one to start with. Rotting shouldn't be an issue.

19 posted on 01/29/2003 1:33:53 PM PST by RGrizzle
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To: RGrizzle
Ha! Good point!
20 posted on 01/29/2003 2:32:00 PM PST by texasbluebell
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