Evolving Thoughts

Did Jeb Bartlett win?

Or rather, Jimmy Smits’ character, Matt Santos? I am rather taken by how much like the presidential race involving Smits and Alda the recent election was. Obama is an intelligent Santos. I wonder how much credit for the sea change in American politics must go to Sorkin’s portrayal of a decent administration just at the time when the least decent administration was in power. How many people looked at the Bartlett administration, with all its faults, and thought “Why isn’t that what our executive wing is doing?”

Enough politics for now.

Politics

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Comments (19)

  2. Yea. We’re sitting there last night watching and Amanda, somewhat teary-eyed, says “Matt Santos won the election!”
    Yes, everything that happens in Washington now is based on that TV series, as far as I can tell.

  3. Yea. We’re sitting there last night watching and Amanda, somewhat teary-eyed, says “Matt Santos won the election!”
    Yes, everything that happens in Washington now is based on that TV series, as far as I can tell.

  4. Yea. We’re sitting there last night watching and Amanda, somewhat teary-eyed, says “Matt Santos won the election!”
    Yes, everything that happens in Washington now is based on that TV series, as far as I can tell.

  5. I’m doubtful this had much of an impact. First, most people who watched the West Wing are left wing anyways. Second, the show has been canceled for two years.

  6. He’s telling the truth. I couldn’t believe that while watching The West Wing, I got goosebumps and watery eyes when Matt Santos won the election. I got the same feeling but amplified by a factor of 10 last night. Barack Obama is a real-life Matt Santos!

  7. He’s telling the truth. I couldn’t believe that while watching The West Wing, I got goosebumps and watery eyes when Matt Santos won the election. I got the same feeling but amplified by a factor of 10 last night. Barack Obama is a real-life Matt Santos!

  10. We used to ask each other why can’t we have a president like Barlett?

  11. i’ve been thinking the same thing; and the NYTimes had an article along those lines just a week or so back… but you know what’s really scary? the character of josh lyman – the political whiz behind bartlet and then santos – was based at least partly on none other than rahm emanuel.

  12. i’ve been thinking the same thing; and the NYTimes had an article along those lines just a week or so back… but you know what’s really scary? the character of josh lyman – the political whiz behind bartlet and then santos – was based at least partly on none other than rahm emanuel.

  13. i’ve been thinking the same thing; and the NYTimes had an article along those lines just a week or so back… but you know what’s really scary? the character of josh lyman – the political whiz behind bartlet and then santos – was based at least partly on none other than rahm emanuel.

  14. Yeah, we were reflecting on exactly that with my boyfriend (well, we watched again the two part Santos election on monday as a preparation for the real election). Starting to score on similarities/divergences makes it even more scary :
    big accident burying the republican candidate ? Check (well, nuclear vs. economic, but it is still impressive).
    Charismatic candidate, building their campaign on hope ? Check
    and the list goes on…
    the greatest divergence is the behaviour and competence of the republican candidate , whom my BF says was modeled on McCain (the 2000 version) and his campaign…

  15. Yeah, we were reflecting on exactly that with my boyfriend (well, we watched again the two part Santos election on monday as a preparation for the real election). Starting to score on similarities/divergences makes it even more scary :
    big accident burying the republican candidate ? Check (well, nuclear vs. economic, but it is still impressive).
    Charismatic candidate, building their campaign on hope ? Check
    and the list goes on…
    the greatest divergence is the behaviour and competence of the republican candidate , whom my BF says was modeled on McCain (the 2000 version) and his campaign…

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