'Red Widow' Gets The Axe
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TV Squad Ten: Events from The West Wing that wouldn't really happen
by Brad Trechak, posted Jul 16th 2009 2:04PM
As I mentioned before, I recently completed my summer project of watching the entire series of The West Wing from start to finish. After using a month or so to cogitate, I decided that while the show feign realism, it didn't quite achieve the mark.Many of the events I refer to occurred after creator Aaron Sorkin was ousted from the series. I take that as more than coincidence.
Major spoilers for the show follow after the jump, so if you haven't seen it yet, turn back now.
Here are ten events that happened on the show that I believe simply wouldn't happen under an actual Presidential administration (or, in the case that they did, shouldn't have happened):
1. Toby betraying the President - the number one thing on my list. Even the actor who played the role, Richard Schiff, agrees with me. There is no way a die-hard liberal purist would betray the wishes of his President and administration by leaking to the press even if he disagreed with them. In doing so, he threatened the integrity of the administration in its dying days. Sorry, it doesn't jibe with me. 2. President Bartlett keeping his multiple-sclerosis secret for so long - In this day and age? Are you kidding? He would have been outed by the time he was on the campaign trail, possibly by other Democrats. And then the sparks would have flown. All kind of Republican allegations and accusations.
3. Vice President Hoynes keeping secret a sex scandal - Granted, it was eventually found out and covered up, but given the sheer amount of media out there, you'd think someone would have blabbed. I didn't like that C.J. would sleep with Hoynes either. I thought she would have more class. But everyone has moments of weakness.
4. Donna and Josh taking seven years to sleep with each other - They worked so closely together and had such a good rapport, I simply can't believe it took as long as it did (of course, I cheered when it happened, so that could have been the plan all along). Or perhaps Sorkin's original plan was to never have them hook up. In truth, it's a wonder that more of the campaign staff weren't sleeping around.5. Leo becoming a Vice Presidential candidate - While Leo comes from the perfect background to be a politician, I always pictured him as the man-behind-the-scenes that tries to play the political chess game as best he can. Usually the Vice President is more of an ambassadorial role (except for that whole President of the Senate thing). Leo himself looked pretty old and frail during the final season leading up to actor John Spencer's death. In such a circumstance, I think someone else would have been chosen to begin with.
6. C.J. Cregg becoming Chief of Staff - Is going from Press Secretary to Chief of Staff really a logical progression? It doesn't sound like one to me. Josh Lyman was the most likely candidate as Deputy Chief of Staff, plus he had the skills and contacts. It seemed more like a stunt to surprise the viewing audience.7. Choosing your presidential opponent as your Secretary of State - Nuh-uh. No way. Even if Matt Santos made the offer, there is no way Arnold Vinick would accept. Granted, in true life Obama selected Hillary Clinton and they had a huge rivalry, but it was still the same party. Not without switching parties, and the character wouldn't. In more general terms...
8. Hiring members of the opposing party to be on the staff - There is such a thing as the spoils system after an election. Usually, it doesn't involve people from the losing side. They hired two Republicans virtually in succession for the White House Counsel office. Again, this was likely a move to create drama for the show. It could have happened to an administration in real life, but I haven't found proof in my searches. If you find any proof, please post in the comments and I will eat my crow happily.
9. Nobody took a vacation - The staff tried to take vacations, but never seemed to get to them. It seemed like President Bartlett himself never even tried. It's a wonder they weren't driven insane from exhaustion by the second season. They all took after their creator, I guess.
10. Toby as Press Secretary - If he were ten years older, I would have called Toby Ziegler a curmudgeon. He's an intelligent guy but offers nothing but a stinging wit and not the velvet glove of diplomacy required to deal with the press (yet he was the White House Communications Director. Go figure). Such a man would not (indeed, should not) have been allowed within 100 feet of the press room. Thankfully, his tenure in the role was brief and allocated to the more likely Will Bailey.
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