(From “The West Wing”, Season 2, Episode 17: The Stackhouse Fillibuster. The West Wing senior leadership realizes that a 78 year old Senator, in the ninth hour of a fillibuster to oppose a children’s healthcare bill because it doesn’t provide for autism care, has an autistic grandchild. President Bartlett responds to his press secretary’s question, “How long can he go on?”)
President Bartlett (animatedly): Don’t ever, EVER, underestimate the will of a grandfather. We’re madmen. We don’t give a damn. We got here before you and they’ll be here after. We’ll make enemies, we’ll break laws, we’ll break bones, but you WILL not mess with the grandchildren.
(I’ve only been a grandfather for a couple of weeks now, but I can definitely feel where he’s coming from. Watch out! Better nobody mess with Rider!)
