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December 13, 2005
Right wing improving `West Wing'
By Ralph E. Shaffer
Whittier Daily News
UNEXPECTED things may be popping up on the story board for NBC's long-running primetime series, "The West Wing" (which airs at 8 p.m. Sundays). Much to the chagrin of Democrats everywhere, and no doubt to the program's producers and script writers, Republican presidential candidate Arnold Vinick played by Alan Alda clobbered Democratic upstart Matt Santos, who was played by Jimmy Smits in their recent made-for-TV "live" debate. It was just what a flagging seventh-season show needed to put life back into a Nielsen also-ran.
NBC's own viewer poll showed Santos winning the debate, 72 percent to 28 percent.
The problem is that those still watching are already pro-Santos. It was like a Schwarzenegger or Bush "town hall meeting" where the only folks in the audience are partisan supporters.
But independent viewers had no doubt. Vinick won hands down. And that could make for some very interesting future episodes.
Santos' miserable performance has put the script writers and producers in a quandary. Fortunately for those who must be working frantically to rescript the program, "West Wing" took three weeks off. I'd like to think the hiatus stemmed from consternation caused by Vinick's dazzling performance and Santos' fumbling presentation.
Before the largest audience the program has had in some time, Santos looked and sounded more like a combination of John Edwards and Dan Quayle than the presidential nominee of a Democratic Party convention. Maybe this is why third-term representatives are unlikely nominees of either party.
While Vinick spouted the usual statistics that candidates feel they must mouth, he effectively put down Santos time after time. On health care Vinick showed the shallowness of Democratic programs, which leave millions uncovered. Santos should have responded with a stirring defense of universal health care but failed to do so. Nor could he adequately explain how he would pay for his program.
The same was true when it came to job creation. Vinick's telling comment - that his administration wouldn't create a single job because jobs stem from private business, which he would promote - left Santos speechless.
Since the "live" debate was in fact a charade - those watching closed caption were often half a sentence ahead of the speaker - script writers must have counted on Santos' on-stage
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persona to make his scripted, simplistic comments appear convincing. But he didn't come through.
The guy is just not presidential. He has about as much dynamism as the woman chief executive on "Commander in Chief."
If Santos wins the election, how can the show possibly stay on for four more years? It can't. And if it did, do viewers really want another full term of Josh Lyman, C.J. Cregg and Leo McGarry? Phony liberals all, their compromises and lack of backbone make this lefty wish for a Vinick sweep.
Wouldn't it be a hoot to watch clones of Karl Rove, Scott McClellan and George Bush? Think of the script possibilities that would open up if Vinick won the White House: staff meetings where the prexy's advisers plot to privatize social security, drill in nature preserves, or protect pharmaceutical companies from lawsuits. The vistas are boundless.
But Vinick is a moderate Republican. Alan Alda demonstrated in the debate that he does have scruples. Liberal script writers can get in digs at the Rove-types in the West Wing. They can also trump the religious right's attempts to highjack the nation by scripting Vinick to override their zany proposals. (OK, so that means firing the cast and hiring new faces. Not entirely.)
The chameleons working in incumbent Jed Bartlet's west wing have shown, with few exceptions, they are ready to compromise on principles to the point that it wouldn't be too hard for a Josh Lyman to stay on in some capacity.
With the exception of Toby Ziegler, none of them were really committed liberals. So look forward to the upcoming election. More than likely we'll be left dangling with voting results dribbling in as the last episode of the season fades out. We'll have all summer to debate who won.
If those behind "West Wing" are bright, they'll go for Vinick.
Posted by Jo at December 13, 2005 08:01 PM