The TV industry rallied 'round the flag and the White House — the real one and the fictional one — at the 53rd Annual Emmy Awards.

        In a landslide victory, NBC's The West Wing collected eight Emmys — one short of its record-tying nine last year — when the four awards Sunday were added to four technical awards presented two months ago.

        The West Wing won best drama, plus for best supporting actor (Bradley Whitford) and supporting actress (Allison Janney) and director (Thomas Schlamme).

        HBO's The Sopranos, which led all nominations with 22, wonfour awards. Three were presented Sunday: best drama actor (James Gandolfini), best drama actress (Edie Falco) and writing. It won a makeup award in September.

        The Emmys were a ringing endorsement by Hollywood for the thought-provoking series about passionate White House public policy-makers diligently serving the leader of the free world — instead of TV's cops, mobsters, doctors or lawyers.

        Mr. Whitford, who plays Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman, praised The West Wing writers and producer for “pushing the most radical envelope there is — one of intelligence, wit and hope.”

        Ms. Janney, the former Cincinnati and Dayton resident, set the tone accepting the first award Sunday night. “How proud I am to be on a show that celebrates the freedoms that make this country great,” said Ms. Janney, who plays White House press secretary C.J. Cregg.

        The Emmys, twice postponedsince the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, were more subdued than the program planned for Sept. 16.

        It was rescheduled for Oct. 7 as a bi-coastal live telecast, the first in more than three decades. But it was postponed hours before broadcast when the U.S. bombed Afghanistan.

        Veteran CBS anchor Walter Cronkite, who was scheduled to open the October telecast, was there to welcome viewers Sunday and explain the low-key celebration and “business casual” attire.

        “This program has been altered considerably from its usual gala to accommodate that melding of that deep grief for our losses,” he said.

        But the show must go on, he said. “Entertainment can help us heal,” he said.

        Patricia Heaton of CBS' Everybody Loves Raymond, obviously surprised to win her second consecutive best comedy actress award, said she was thankful to be able to make the nation laugh during troubled times.

        She also thanked the U.S. soldiers protecting the country and fighting the war “so we can sit here and do this.”

        Performers from two New York-based series, The Sopranos and Sex and the City, took the opportunity to praise fellow New Yorkers for their efforts and spirit

        Edie Falco of The Sopranos, named best drama actress, told the worldwide TV audience that an award should go “to the person who I think has acted best in the past year, and that's our mayor, Rudy Giuliani.”

        The telecast opened on a patriotic note with Phil Discroll opened the telecast with a stirring trumpet and vocal rendition of “God Bless America.”

        After Mr. Cronkite's remarks, host Ellen DeGeneres told a few jokes, and then claimed to run out of material. “That's all I've got. I didn't think we'd get this far,” she said, referring to the postponements.

        She also said her presence was a war-time display of patriotism.

        “They can't take away our creativity, our striving for excellence, our joy,” she said. “Only network executives can do that.”

       List of Emmy winners

Historic Emmys leans toward 'West Wing'
List of Emmy winners
KIESEWETTER: New roll call on 'NYPD Blue'
New songs spice up Dylan show
Online chat on fitness
Ask A Stupid Question
Get to it
Working out at work
How to get your own center
Bad weightlifting technique can lead to injury
Fit Bits
Proper diet can cut cancer risk
Carlin as original, unprintable, funny as ever
Down-home funky moe. leads jammin' journey
Malkmus bit better when on road with Pavement
Mills, Pendergrass still feel the groove
Wild welcome greets Potter film premiere
Mysterious illness puts lives in new light