path: Home / Continuity  Necessary & Deliberate (though disconcerting) Changes
- How Could the Presidential Election Have Been Held in November of 1998?
- We know the date due to an argument about the millennium [#110], which mentions the new century and many references to how long they've been in office. Plus the days of the week are the same [#110]. (However, Sorkin has also recently been at pains to make the date more uncertain. See So what Year is it in the Series?.)
- Yet many past presidents would only have been president if their terms of office were the years that history in our world says they were in office: Truman (who is mentioned) and the combination of John F. Kennedy and LBJ (both mentioned).
- This may suggest that somewhere along the way there was a six year term: did we finally try that idea and go back? There is no six year term any more cause Bartlet may be writing his memoirs three years from November of 1999 [#9]
Who Was In the White House Up Until 1999?
- The Republicans held the White House for much of the 90s since a Supreme Court Justice wanted to retire around 1994 but "waited for a Democrat" Administration [#9]
- On the other hand, that means that Republicans came up with the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy (which Sam claims the Bartlet Administration inherited from the previous administration.
- And it means that Leo served as Secretary of Labor in a Republican Administration since he was Secretary of Labor around 1993, until about 1996 or 1997, since in 1997, Josh is still calling him "Mr. Secretary" [#23-24]
- As for previous to 1992, we think that world had the same Presidential history as this one does.
What Theory Did Dr. Josiah Bartlet Come Up With Which Was Significant Enough to Merit a Nobel Prize for its Conception?
Was Alan Greespan not necessary for the improved economy in this world?
- Their world credited the great economy to an entirely different person.
Who is the Same in the Two Worlds?
- What World Leaders Are The Same and Which Ones Are Different?
- What other real people exist in that world as well as this one?
- Are any members of Congress the same in both worlds?
- Are there any Supreme Court Justices who are the same in both worlds?
- We saw all the members of the Supreme Court [#14] and all were different. Since then Justice Mendosa replaced Justice Crouch.
What Differences Are There In That World Than This One?
After We Heard Sam Had Worked for Dewey Ballatine, Why Did We Find Out He Worked Instead for Gage Whitney Page?
- For the real answer we have to go outside their world:
- Dewey Ballatine is a real law firm (Michael Singer tells us it is one of the best law firms in the country ("12th according to one listing I saw"). So when Sorkin needed to represent a firm that was helping people buy and use substandard oil tankers, Sorkin needed it to be a fictional firm and he invented Gage Whitney Page and claimed it was the second largest firm in Manhattan.
- For an answer within that world, we have seven years from the time Sam got out of law school. He could have been working with Dewey during law school and right after he graduated. Then Gage Whitney Page could have seen how good he was and lured him away with a promise of an unbelievable quick acceptance as a partner. Still, the early reference to Dewey doesn't mention Sam having worked for, well enough almost made partner in, any other firm.
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