Abstract
The challenge of illuminating people about the political process, how we elect our leaders and how they govern, is tackled by The West Wing. During its ten- ure it educated people bored with C-Span, unable to appreciate George Will, and possessing a fetish for snappy dialogue. The main critique of the show was that it presented an idealistic version of a world that is generally grimmer and less eventful. Regardless, the show used story lines straight from real life and even foretold events that later occurred. The show dealt with issues in a manner unfamiliar to a casual political observer, pulling aside a curtain that hindered full comprehension of events, and therefore provided an accurate picture of how politics is played. For my presentation I will address certain issues dealt with on The West Wing, which have traditionally been out of reach to the public, and assess how accurately the show portrays the developments compared to their unfolding in reality. Specifically, I will touch on the Presidential election process, which becomes the major focus of the last two seasons, the art of crafting a public message, and a general look at the legislative process, with a focus on political gamesmanship.
Recommended Citation
Lombardo, David
(2010)
"Political Process as Envisioned by The West Wing,"
Proceedings of GREAT Day: Vol. 2009, Article 15.
Available at:
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/proceedings-of-great-day/vol2009/iss1/15