The West Wing (TV Series)

The Debate (2005)

Alan Alda: Senator Arnold Vinick

Photos 

Quotes 

• Matthew Santos : I know you like to use that word "liberal" as if it were a crime.

  Senator Arnold Vinick : No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have used that word. I know, I know, Democrats think liberal is a bad word. So bad, you had to change it. What do you call yourselves now? Progressives? Is that it?

  Matthew Santos : It's true. Republicans have tried to turn liberal into a bad word. Well, Liberals ended slavery in this country.

  Senator Arnold Vinick : A Republican president ended slavery.

  Matthew Santos : Yes, a liberal Republican. What happened to them? They got run out of your party. What did Liberals do that was so offensive to the Republican Party, Senator? I'll tell you what they did. Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended Segregation, Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, Liberals created Medicare, Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What did the Conservatives do? They opposed every one of those programs. *Every One.* So when you try to hurl that word 'liberal' at my feet as if it were something dirty, something to run away from, something that I should be ashamed of, it won't work, Senator. Because I will pick up that label and I will wear it as a badge of honor.