‘Veep’ And ‘The West Wing’ Reunions Raise Almost $700,000 For Wisconsin Democrats As Cast Members Warn That Democracy Is On The Line In Midterms
10.10.2022 - 06:51
/ deadline.com
Cast members from Veep and The West Wing reunited for a virtual fundraiser for the Wisconsin Democratic Party on Sunday, an event that was a mix of amusing memories, their own brushes with fame and warnings about what was at stake in the upcoming midterms.
During the event, actors re-enacted an abortion-themed scenes from each of their shows. They also played a quiz in which contestants had to guess if lines came from Veep, The West Wing or the real world, with an eye toward highlight some of the statements made by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI). Democrats see a pickup opportunity with their candidate, Mandela Barnes.
By the end of the two-hour event, about $686,000 had been raised.
“I’m doing this because I am a concerned citizen. I am a patriot. And I believe that democracy is, without hyperbole, is on the line right now, and I know that Wisconsin is a pivotal state, and so much hangs in the balance,” said Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who played vice president then president Selina Meyer on Veep.
“There is an anxiety, a great fear in the country, from coast to coast, in all levels of our society about what we are faced with and how much responsibility each one of us is meant to carry,” said Martin Sheen, who played President Jed Barlett on The West Wing. “Unfortunately, this lie that has permeated all levels of our society, and it has caused a great many of the, I should say, public servants in the Republican party, to hide any sense of their humanity or sense of purpose or even real patriotism. They seem to have [been] frozen in spineless fear about the consequences of speaking the truth, of exposing the lie.”
Also participating were West Wing cast members Bradley Whitford, who served as co-host along with Louis-Dreyfus; Melissa