West Wing Thoughts

West Wing Thoughts

I’ve been watching the first year of West Wing on DVD (for my wife, believe me) and was impressed by the moral rectitude of these characters. Constantly straying just over the line, but seeing the light in time to avoid an ethical faux pas. How I wish I could believe that there has been anyone in that building comparable in virtue to these characters since Abe Lincoln was re-elected. But it wouldn’t matter if they had all been paragons, recently stepped down as members of the choir of angels. Their wings are almost always clipped, and they have to follow the sheet music pretty closely in order to hold power. What a paradox. They have the power, but no choice in how they exercise it. I suppose you could say the same of most rulers throughout history. Since they are so seldom paragons, I guess it’s a good thing we don’t let them fly too far.

Leo apparently was a pill-popper and an alcoholic not too many years before. Some McCarthyite Senator has obtained his medical records through devious means. Leo’s image, and that of the whole White House staff is in trouble. Does that sound familiar. The public, because of the tyranny of Bandwidth has no way to know what a good guy he is and blackmail is a possibility.

6/4/2005 11:57 PM