Bartlet Denounces Mandatory Sentencing as Mistrust

On a monitor in the Sheraton hotel ballroom President Bartlet delivers a crisp, moral attack on mandatory minimum sentencing—arguing these laws rest on a toxic assumption that neither judges nor citizens can be trusted. His line lands with immediate applause, a public moment that crystallizes the administration’s stance on judicial discretion and sentencing reform. The speech functions as both a rallying cry and a strategic provocation: it galvanizes allies but telegraphs political risk, setting up impending clashes with skeptical advisors, angry lawmakers, and pollsters.