I have always been fascinated by the filibuster.
What is it? And how does it work? And why is it so marvelously disruptive? “Of all the Senate’s conventions,” writes Michelle Cottle in The Atlantic, “none sparks quite the same curiosity, or fury, as the filibuster. The practice is, after all, what imbues individual senators with the power to hold the rest of their colleagues hostage…in theory, the filibuster provides for extended debate of an issue until at least 60 members call for ‘cloture.’ ’’
With that, I double-featured it last Friday night, with a viewing of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, with James Stewart and the brilliant Jean Arthur, and “The Stackhouse Filibuster,” (Season 2, Episode 17) of The West Wing.
In addition to watching Democracy go to work, one of the most delightful aspects of watching Mr. Smith and The Stackhouse Filibuster is seeing the parade of character actors wandering through – referred to as the Mighty Sorkin Players, in the case of The West Wing. Seeing It’s A Wonderful Life’s Thomas Smith and Beulah Bondi in Mr. Smith, I realized there could be another troupe, as well – the Mighty Capra Players.
What can one say about great writing, marvelous casting, and superb directing? Oh, I forgot, the subject matter: Democracy and its never-ending quest to live up to its own expectations.