Source of "The West Wing" quote

Factual Questions
1

At least, I think it’s a quote. The final scene of the pilot episode feature Pres. Bartlet in the Oval Office surrounded by his staff. He’s handed a piece of paper, informing him of the status of the Cuban refugees trying to sail to Miami. He then either quotes a line, or speaks these original words:

“With the clothes on their backs, they came through a storm. And those that didn’t die want a better life. And they want it here.”

Any idea if that quote is from something else? I can’t seem to find anything other than West Wing sources on the internet.

2

Why do you think it is not an original quote? It doesn’t ring any bells for me (other than having seen the episode before).

3

Bartlet’s tone when saying that sounded as if he was quoting something. But I’m certainly not discounting it.

4

Google isn’t pointing to anyone else saying it…

5

I’m with Skammer here. That was just Sorkin (through his proxy, Bartlet) being poetic.

6

Damn, now you’re reminding me why I loved The West Wing so much. (And why The Newsroom doesn’t seem to inspire as much love.)

7

If it makes you feel any better, The West Wing was never as good as Sports Night. Tolkien would have called it subcreative exhaustion, I think.

8

I’ve been binging on West Wing on Netflix. Never watched it during it’s original run for partisan reasons, however I have to say I’m really liking it. it’s far more even-handed in many ways than I had thought, even though it does get into loopy-land sometimes (as would any TV series after a few years, the plots start to get a bit yeah-right).

9

While it was on, for the first four seasons at least, West Wing was the best comedy on TV. After Sorkin left, the humor faded quite a bit.