The Virtue of a “Proportional Response”

Zbigniew Brzezinski “socks it to” Joe Scarborough in this segment from MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” the other day. That has created a flurry of blog posts, as you can imagine.

But Dr. Brzezinski mentions a term that is important to me because it relates to a key question that the fictional president, Josiah Bartlet, asks in Season One of The West Wing.

In the situation room (“SitRoom”), President Bartlet asks the assembled military and intelligence leaders, “What is the virtue of a proportional response?” It’s obvious, in the scene, that his Chief of Staff Leo McGarry is taken aback somewhat by his boss’s question. However, the president is profoundly upset, and with good reason. (More below about that.)

Here is the scene in the “SitRoom” from The West Wing in which President Bartlet asks the question about “proportional response.” Keep in mind that this is the president’s first year in office. This is the third episode of the first of seven seasons.

Also please factor in that the Syrians had shot down a U.S. military plane, killing all on board, including his own personal physician who was on a humanitarian mission. President Bartlet had become very fond of this bright young doctor, and had made arrangements for him to become his permanent personal physician.

Then, I ask you to imagine how President Obama will react, and what HE will ask, if he is faced with devising an appropriate response to an attack that killed Americans.) What occurs in the rest of the episode is described below the fold. (And, if you have a DVR or a TIVO, set it to record this episode on Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, at 3:00 AM ET on BRAVO.)

Thanks to the always thorough IMDb.com, we have a summary of the entire episode:

Season 1, Episode 3: A Proportional Response
Original Air Date—6 October 1999

After being offered “a proportional response” to the Syrian military’s downing of a U.S. military plane on a medical mission (and carrying his newly named personal physician), the president demands an option that will have greater impact. Leo gradually must talk him down, while Bartlet snipes at everyone, including Abby. The president ultimately agrees to the initial option, but is not happy about it. Charlie Young is introduced as an applicant for a messenger job whom Josh decides to hire as Bartler’s personal aide (note: he mentions being sent to Josh by Mrs. De La Guardia, who is later introduced in season four as Debbie Fiderer (Lily Tomlin), who becomes Mrs. Landingham’s replacement).
Next US airings:
Fri. Jan. 9 3:00 AM BRAVO

In other words, President Bartlet finally agrees to the “proportional response.”

AND GOD DAMN IT, I AM PISSED OFF AT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR ELECTING AN IGNORAMUS to whom such a question would never occur, never matter, and who will just say, “Uh, do what you think is best, guys.”

Let’s hope he can even remember their names, and what they do. And let’s PRAY that they give him SOUND proposals…. well, I’m sure they will do their very best. But if there IS a danger to any of their proposals, Obama will not have the experience, the knowledge, or the inclination to give it a second’s thought. Hell, it’ll never occur to him.

He’ll be most anxious to get back to his hoops game with the Secret Service.

And to hide from Michelle. Heh.

Another NBC news video on how President Obama is likely to respond:

HERE is the scene