A Republican's View of the West Wing

To say that I not only like The West Wing, but am also mildly obsessed with the show is NOT something most Republicans like to admit. I will confess that I carefully avoid the subject of liking The West Wing when I attend Republican meetings. However, if someone does ask me if have seen the show, I fess up and explain that The West Wing is one of the best-written, well played, and well informed dramas on television today; and I never miss it.

Afterwards, I duck for cover due to the rotten tomatoes flung in my immediate direction. Ok, not really. As if Republicans keep rotten tomatoes handy at all times! Nevertheless, I do get my share of dissension.

Of course I know that the show is very liberal; and in most cases, the Republicans look to be the evil-spawning, plot-hatching, bad guys. In Sorkin’s world, the ones causing Jed Bartlett and his staff extra headaches when the white house is in crisis, somehow seem to always link back to the conservatives. Instead of me being the stereotypical Republican and fussing over the liberal content, I have come to terms that both parties are the same. No matter which party holds a seat in the White House, the opposing side is as they say - the opposing side. If everyone was forced to act the same way and to follow the same beliefs, we would not be were we are today, nor would we be American.

In my life, I have never hated those who disagreed with me, nor those who did not share in my beliefs. In fact, I have done everything in my power to study and learn from as many people and cultures as possible. And when it comes to politics, I feel the same way. So why do most Republicans snub the The West Wing? Perhaps it is because they are unable to retaliate against a television set, and this unnerves them a little. I can understand that, because yelling at the TV set only makes one look silly.

Unfortunately, by tuning out the West Wing due to political reasons, one truly misses a first class TV show. Since I was young, I tried to absorb all I could about filmaking and animation. And in these years, I have learned not only to appreciate the time it takes to create a story, write dialogue, develop characters, and invent conflicts with human drama, but to also have the skill to place all these ideas on film. So, for weekly TV show like The West Wing to combine all the technological aspects of a big-budget motion picture, makes every Wednesday night seem like a movie night!

Certainly big name actors/actresses also help in making The West Wing stand out above the rest. Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, and the entire West Wing cast are such talented actors and actresses, that it seems right to picture them working in The White House. Now, after combining the actors with the situations and dialogue that Aaron Sorkin creates, The West Wing has raised the level of the standard television drama.

Ironicaly, I now enjoy the show being so liberal. As in my previous statements, I started out appreciating the technical aspects of the show way before the political aspects. I must say, that The West Wing has given me a better understanding of the Democratic views, and has shed some light on how to counter a debate with the opposing party. “Know thy Enemy.” is a phrase I use often when discussing politics. Learning about your opponent will only strengthen your case, and in the end will better equip you with the skills to come to a peaceful agreement.

In addition to her dialogue with Sam, the kinship that she has developed with several of the other members of the White House staff makes for a better-rounded feel to the show. In essence, her presence has slightly tipped the scales back into focus for what the government works so hard to do, which is forget party lines and work together. However, as the old saying goes, “It will take an Act of Congress to get anything done around here," and there will always be some truth to that statement.

As for Aaron Sorkin's writing, why expect him to push Republican Ideals? This is a free country and if and NBC and Warner Bros. agree that his scripts are to be made into a fictitious ensemble of characters who portray an American presidency, that is their right. For me or anyone else to expect him to do otherwise would be wrong. It would be like me telling John Gresham to stop writing about court stories, or Steven King to write children’s novels because his horror books displease me. (Which is so not the case!) I am the one who has the choice watch The West Wing, or ignore it.

In reflection, my High School Government teacher once told me, "You are free to swing your fist in this country, as long as you don’t hit anyone." That phrase has been with me ever since. However, this teacher and I went around the bend on numerous occasions since she and I were on opposing parties. Part of her humor was to always call the class GOP the "Right Wing." In fact, the class ratio was about nine Republicans to 27 Democrats, and truth was, but not intentionally, all of us except one sat on the right side of the classroom. This in turn led the rest of the class to refer to each other as "the other side of the isle," because indeed the desk arrangement in the classroom was divided into two halves.