Argentine president delivered modified 'West Wing' monologue at UN General Assembly

Argentine President Javier Milei delivered a United Nations General Assembly address last month with remarkable similarities to a monologue recited by fictional U.S. President Jed Bartlet from “The West Wing."

Toward the end of Milei’s Sept. 24 remarks before the world body, he declaimed a statement of principles whose similarities to the former NBC drama went unnoticed for days.

“We believe in a defense of life for all, we believe in a defense of property for all, we believe in freedom of expression for all, we believe in freedom of worship for all, we believe in freedom of trade for all and we believe in limited government for all,” Milei said, according to the U.N. simultaneous translation.

“We're for freedom of speech everywhere. We're for freedom to worship everywhere. We're for freedom to learn for everybody,” Martin Sheen, playing Bartlet, said in 2003.

Columnist Carlos Pagni wrote Thursday in local daily La Nacion, pointing out the similarities between the two speeches.

The U.N.’s translation is true to Milei’s Spanish-language delivery, which varies from “The West Wing” version both in adding some of his libertarian principles and in certain wording choices.

But Milei’s speech is eerily similar in basic structure to the Bartlet monologue.

“And in these times, what happens in one country has a swift impact on others and we believe that people should be able to live free of tyranny and oppression, be it political oppression, economic slavery or religious fanaticism,” Milei said.

In the 2003 episode, Bartlet lectured fictional White House aides Toby, Josh and C.J.

“And because in our time, you can build a bomb in your country and bring it to my country, what goes on in your country is very much my business. And so we are for freedom from tyranny, everywhere, whether in the guise of political oppression, Toby, or economic slavery, Josh, or religious fanaticism, C.J.”

Milei summed up his statement of principles as the doctrine of “the new Argentina” and “the true essence of the United Nations.”

“This fundamental idea shouldn’t be mere words, it should be supported by our acts, diplomatically, economically, and materially through the joint force of all the countries that stand up for freedom.”

Bartlet would agree, though in a more succinct manner.

“That most fundamental idea cannot be met with merely our support. It has to be met with our strength. Diplomatically, economically, materially,” said the fictional character.