Martin Sheen Chokes Up Watching ‘West Wing’ Scene That Echoes Joe Biden Passing the Torch to Kamala Harris | Video

“The West Wing” stars Martin Sheen and Mary McCormack joined Jen Psaki on MSNBC Sunday, a visit that resulted in a visibly emotional Sheen overcome by a scene that featured the late John Spencer’s final moments on camera — and echoed elements of Joe Biden passing the torch to Kamala Harris ahead of this week’s Democratic National Convention. “I’ve never seen that before and people have asked me about it,” Sheen explained. “And John Spencer still lives here in our family. I think that was his last scene, if I’m not mistaken.”

“The last time he appeared on camera. And I have never seen that scene ever until just this moment,” the actor added. “I’ve never seen that scene before and I’m just overwhelmed. Forgive me, I just didn’t expect it.”

Psaki set up the clip by drawing the analogy between “The West Wing” and the current Biden-Harris moment. “The story goes like this: The historically successful but aging Democratic president prepares to step aside from public life and throws his support behind a young, impressive, diverse, inspiring successor to carry his mantle forward. And no, I am not talking about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”

Spencer died in 2005 of a heart attack. His character on the series, Leo McGarry, had previously suffered his own heart attack and was forced to retire as White House chief of staff, before ultimately being killed off in the series when he suffered a fatal heart attack on Election Night while running as the Democratic ticket’s vice presidential nominee.

In what could be a moment that strikes “West Wing” fans watching the DNC this week, Biden will speak Monday night as he passes the torch to a new generation himself, much like Sheen’s President Jed Bartlet does in the clip to up-and-comer Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits).

Sheen and McCormack were on Psaki’s show to promote her new book, “What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to the West Wing,” ahead of this week’s DNC. After Psaki assured Sheen he “never has to be forgiven,” she added, “I’m emotional too, watching you and I’m watching that, thinking of how special that show is and how it brought about so much love and patriotism and commitment and connection to public service. It still does.”

“Aaron Sorkin called ‘The West Wing’ ‘a love letter to public service,’ and it is,” McCormack said. “It’s OK to feel aspirational about our government. And it’s nice to feel it again, frankly.”

Psaki agreed. “I’m rewatching ‘The West Wing,’ and our whole team is rewatching ‘The West Wing’ … a remarkable show,” she said. “And I watched that and I was thinking also of Joe Biden. I watched it a little earlier and I got a little emotional watching it earlier because I’m thinking of the speech he’s about to give tomorrow night.”

President Biden is slated to be Monday night’s keynote speaker at the DNC. As he has made clear elsewhere, Biden’s aides told the Chicago Sun-Times that the president plans to fully support Vice President Harris’ bid for the presidency. “The president’s desire is to make a strong case for Harris-Walz and hand off the convention to them, which all week will continue to highlight the Biden-Harris record,” they explained.

Sheen and McCormack spent time with Biden themselves on Saturday, something that the fictional President Bartlet said filled him with “an infinite measure of gratitude and praise.” He added, “And I got tongue-tied. I cannot remember what I said. He said a few things. ‘Mr. President, thanks for helping out’ and so forth. And I just got tongue-tied.”

You can watch the interview with Martin Sheen and Mary McCormack in the video above.

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