Jeff Daniels Revisits 'The Newsroom'
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Jeff Daniels Revisits 'The Newsroom'

Will McAvoy is back with his opinion of the current presidential campaign.

92
Jeff Daniels Revisits 'The Newsroom'
asset1.net

Last week, Mark Halperin and John Heilemann of Bloomberg Politics interviewed actor Jeff Daniels and had him recreate his infamous scene from HBO's "The Newsroom."

The 25-episode show, which aired for three seasons, showed a behind-the-scenes view of the happenings at Atlantis Cable News, a fictitious news channel. Daniels' character, Will McAvoy, is the anchor of "News Night," a segment which could be compared to the likes of "NBC Nightly News" or "ABC World News Tonight." In the pilot episode, McAvoy is asked to answer a seemingly simple question, "Can you say why America is the greatest country in the world?" His response was this:

"It’s not the greatest country in the world. That’s my answer… With a straight face, you’re gonna tell students that America is so star-spangled awesome that we’re the only ones in the world who have freedom? Canada has freedom. Japan has freedom. The UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Australia, Belgium has freedom! So, 207 sovereign states in the world, like 180 of them have freedom... There’s absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we’re the greatest country in the world. We’re 7th in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, 3rd in median household income, number 4 in labor force and number 4 in exports. We lead the world in only three categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real and defense spending, where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined, 25 of whom are allies."

Though his response was far less positive and patriotic than his fellow panelists, Will McAvoy tried to make the point that America is not the greatest country in the world anymore, "but it used to be." Here, in a few short minutes, "The Newsroom" captured the world as a political drama. In Jeff Daniels' recent interview, shown below, he channeled his inner McAvoy and once again went on a rant about American politics. This time, however, he discussed Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.


Jeff Daniels' real interview, found here, blames the American political system for the situation we are currently in. He originally stated that "we branded a Clinton and we branded a Bush" and that helped shaped Hillary and Jeb's political situations. In a sense, that's true. Career politicians have led many to judge a book by its cover. Jeb didn't even have a chance to prove himself before people began to doubt him and ignore his platform. As for Hillary, however, voters are less inclined to focus on her husband's campaign and are more interested in her gender, her attitude, and her lies.

In terms of Trump, Daniels is not impressed, calling him a manipulator. He then refers back to the current system, stating that "he's done a masterful job of taking how we market a president." This refers to what Americans love most about Trump — he's thrown political correctness out the window! But in its place, he seems to be filling the gaps with buzzwords, grandiose statements, and a lack of platform. He's appealing to the fear in America, thriving via social media, and preaching to, as Daniels calls it, the "Kardashian world."

As for Bernie Sanders, Daniels finds him to be great, saying, "I love the ideas that he's got. To me, it's like somebody who went to Woodstock now is running for president." He continues to praise Sanders' great ideas and tenacity, but reminds his hosts that there is a thing called Congress... Maybe the Sanders' campaign, and its followers, need to be realistic. Who knows?

All in all, it's clear that Jeff Daniels favors Hillary Clinton. He doesn't want the American people to allow Trump in office because "he's not the best-case scenario." But the spoof interview, which has received over 300,000 views since it was published on May 11, proves that though Trump is a problematic candidate, Clinton has many electability and favorability issues of her own. So at this point, who really is the best-case scenario for president?

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

93055
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments