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Emmy Nominee Spencer Juggles Political, Personal as West Wing Chief of Staff

By JIM MORET
CNN.com

LOS ANGELES — A solid ensemble cast is one of the reasons why NBC's "The West Wing" garnered 18 Emmy nominations for its freshman season, tying HBO's "The Sopranos" for the most. Among its standouts is John Spencer, who plays White House chief of staff Leo McGarry.

"It's sort of notorious that the Emmy committee doesn't honor you your first year," said Spencer, who was nominated for best supporting actor. "So to tie 'The Sopranos,' which I think is a great show — I watch it myself — I'm very, very impressed and very grateful."

Spencer's character is a hardball politician with a soft side, who answers to and guides the president while coping with an addiction problem and a troubled marriage.

From the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on the final night of the Democratic Convention, Spencer marveled at how his fictional TV politician connected with so many real-life politicos.

"It's a little mind-boggling," he said. "The response of just walking up here tonight and the people in the hallways, and first and foremost, the appreciation of this show."

Spencer does not fashion himself a spokesman for his series or the entertainment industry, but he shared his personal views about Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Lieberman's crusade for Hollywood responsibility, which was echoed in presidential hopeful Al Gore's nomination acceptance speech.

"I feel I have a responsibility to truth. I feel the artist's plight is to hold up a mirror to society. I'm a firm believer in no censorship at all," he said.

Spencer has had a long and varied career, and until recently was best known for his work on "L.A. Law." But it's his newest role that may prove the most enduring.

"I will share something that (executive producer) Aaron Sorkin said to me just to show what a wonderful kind of down-to-earth guy he is," Spencer said. "He said: 'Isn't it great, but you know, that means we could lose one prize every six minutes.'"