Political Realities

Friends,

I'm rewatching the West Wing right now because it's a great show, no matter how many times you see it. Yeah, there's some stinker episodes, like when it's revealed that CJ slept with Vice-President Hoynes, but still it was a great broadcast television show. If you're not a West Wing nut, then this post isn't for you.

But, watching it again, for the umpteenth time, I have some questions.

1) Why didn't Arnie Vinick run against Bartlet when Bartlet went for re-election? It would have made perfect sense. He would have been younger, so all those concerns about health wouldn't have happened, and his opponent would be a man reeking of scandal instead of this upstart, rising stud that is/was Santos. Maybe there's an explanation for this later on (I'm only on Season 3 right now), but really, if Vinick runs against Bartlet instead of Ritchie, I'm thinking Vinick wins. And I know at the time it was made, that dopey Ritchie was supposed to be a stand-in for G-Dub so audiences were supposed to see how a bubbling, affable man of the people isn't exactly the best choice for President, even if he would make a fine neighbor on a sitcom, but still, I'm invested in this West Wing world, I want an explanation for Vinick not being in the race.

2) Josh gets shot at the end of Season One, right? Which is a total bummer. Also in Season One, Josh and Joey Lucas kindle a little bit of a relationship that shows some sparks, and it blossoms into some romantic possibilities in Season Two. My question is, why is it that Joey Lucas never asked Josh about being shot...or even said, "Hey bud, glad you're okay...How you feeling?" She seems completely oblivious to the fact that he was seriously wounded when she shows back up in Season Two. Makes her seem like one cold lady.

3) They always talk about how brilliant and skillful Sam Seaborn is, right...well, before he runs off to run for Congress. Anyway, if he's so darn brilliant, why is that they only show him being one-upped, and that's by everybody. He gets pwned by Ainsley Hayes and that one snippy intern girl, and that one Republican political operative...at least those are the times I can remember right now. He never seems to win on his own. And if he's so valued, so brilliant politically and not just with trivial knowledge, why not show him being that way.

That's all the questions I have for now. There might be more later.

viva el mustache