The Left Wing, On NBC

Apparently, aside from the color of the night sky, you and I agree on one other thing...Sorkin's genius.

I don't think we'll get far on the 'what is biased' and 'where is the center'. You use the phrase 'far, far left' above but there is almost nothing of a far far left in American political discourse, and has not been for decades. You've met how many Leninists this week?

But let's just take your third example. Republicans as the party of gay bashers. If one were to suggest that gay bashing sat moreso in the policy or rhetorical territory of either Republican or Democrat, where would you put it?

There is a colossal amount of "far, far left" in America's political spectrum. I will not say that I have met a Leninist this week, merely because such circumstances are impossible for me at this time. However, communists and socialists abound in the US. Offhand, visit almost any college or university campus. They are, thankfully, relegated outside of the mainstream, something we can commend ourselves for, as when allowed to run rampant their track record is dismal at best, and idiotic at second best. (Look at the former Soviet Bloc, Cuba, and even some European governments that allowed their leftist factions dominate their politics in the past.)

Yes, we do agree on Sorkin's genius. I am a fan of the man. He is a fantastic writer, though he does allow his personal beliefs to permeate almost everything he writes.
Don't we all? Would Dennis Potter's screenplays reflect Joe Schmidlap's beliefs?

There is a colossal amount of "far, far left" in America's political spectrum.

Let's stop right here. What is 'far, far left?' exactly? How do you recognize it? What then would be merely 'far left', or 'left'? Is there a 'far, far right'? Could you point me to an instance of it? Where is the 'center'? Is that 'center' permanent or does it move with fashion/change in perception?

If you go to the writings of fairly strongly conservative thinkers from the fifties, they describe communism as 'the far left'.

Can you elucidate terminology so that we might continue, please.

I will not say that I have met a Leninist this week, merely because such circumstances are impossible for me at this time. However, communists and socialists abound in the US. Offhand, visit almost any college or university campus. They are, thankfully, relegated outside of the mainstream, something we can commend ourselves for, as when allowed to run rampant their track record is dismal at best, and idiotic at second best. (Look at the former Soviet Bloc, Cuba, and even some European governments that allowed their leftist factions dominate their politics in the past.)

As to your simplistic answer to accusations of gay bashing, I'll agree that there are many fanatically members of the far right who take great offense to homosexuality. But to characterize the entire party as such is either very simpleminded, or just Republican-bashing. The fact is that I disagree, sharply at times, with much of the Republican platform, but they vastly out-perform Democrats in key issues that I believe dwarf all others. Democrats are consistantly, and seemingly irrevocably weak on national defense. Even Sorkin could not keep the impulse out of his show. His president is dithering when ordering military strikes, extremely critical of the missile shield, prone to giving in to terrorists - because the military cost might be greater. This nation was built by men who were willing to take up weapons to back their words. It seems sad that the left seems permanently in a post-Vietnam paralysis whenever military action is necessary.

So With regard to West Wing, give us a prediction,
who will Hollywood replace Jed Bartlett with?

NBC's 'West Wing' Election Is Up for Grabs

It's shaping up as the biggest political battle ever portrayed on a U.S. television series, but the executive producer of "The West Wing" swears he has no idea whether a Democrat or Republican will be elected the show's next president.

John Wells insists that real-life politics has little bearing on the outcome of the fictional White House race now unfolding on the Emmy-winning NBC series between candidates played by former "M*A*S*H" star Alan Alda (the Republican) and "NYPD Blue" veteran Jimmy Smits (the Democrat).

Instead, Wells says the show's next occupant of the Oval Office, succeeding current star Martin Sheen, will be determined by which character the writers ultimately feel is the "most compelling" to the audience.

"I don't know yet," Wells told a recent gathering of TV critics. "We actually watch what's happening between the cast members, the issues that are being presented ... and try and follow what makes the most story sense, what's giving you the greatest amount of drama."

The show, now in its sixth year as President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet (Sheen) nears the end of his second term, is building to a season-ending climax with back-to-back episodes depicting the Republican and Democratic national conventions.

Producers plan to return in the fall with the election, followed by the inauguration of a new president -- Smits or Alda -- next winter. Sheen will stay on into next season, but his profile will diminish as Bartlet returns to private life.

NUANCED CHARACTERS

"We're hoping that by the time we get into the fall, that there will be a real question in the viewer's mind as to who would make the better president," Wells said. "They both have their strengths and weaknesses."

Indeed, neither Smits' nor Alda's character is a party ideologue. Both depict candidates who are politically moderate and disarmingly likable -- far more nuanced than the Republican challenger played by James Brolin, who was defeated by Bartlet's re-election in the show's fourth season.

Smits portrays a young congressman from Houston, Matthew Santos, who is reluctantly recruited to run by Bartlet loyalist Josh Lyman. Alda plays veteran California Sen. Arnold Vinick, who throws his hat into the ring after his wife dies.

Both characters are endowed with a manifest integrity and thoughtfulness widely seen as rare inside the Beltway -- on either side of the aisle -- in keeping with "The West Wing's" enduring appeal as a show about wish fulfillment.

The show hit the peak of its popularity in its third season, ranking No. 9 among all prime-time series with 17 million viewers a week. It currently averages 11.8 million viewers, dropping to 33rd. But it remains a marquee element on NBC's lineup, having won the Emmy as best drama four years in a row and boasting the highest concentration of upscale viewers in all of TV, a key selling point with advertisers.

Wells said viewers should not assume that the Democratic affiliation of the show's current administration -- and all of its central characters -- has preordained a victory for Smits. Nor should they think that the current conservative climate in Washington necessarily spells a TV mandate for Alda.

EVEN-HANDED DRAMA

He noted that while Republicans now control the White House and both houses of Congress, public opinion polls show Americans "are mostly in the middle" on key issues that divide the two major parties.

Likewise, Wells dismissed what he called misconception about the show -- that its audience is overwhelmingly Democratic and agrees with Bartlet's politics.

"That's actually not true, and I can prove it by our mail bag ever week," he said. "We have a very, very large Republican audience that loves to watch the show and throw things at the screen."

Blatham, I'm not sure what clarification you requested. And I suppose that comment you added for last was supposed to hurt. Damn, what will I do without the approval of a leftist Canadian? You have shamed me into silence. (By the way, I think your little picture rather suits you - parochial, affected, almost garish. Do you see yourself as appearing like the picture, is that why it's there?)

There is a colossal amount of "far, far left" in America's political spectrum.

Let's stop right here. What is 'far, far left?' exactly? How do you recognize it? What then would be merely 'far left', or 'left'? Is there a 'far, far right'? Could you point me to an instance of it? Where is the 'center'? Is that 'center' permanent or does it move with fashion/change in perception?

If you go to the writings of fairly strongly conservative thinkers from the fifties, they describe communism as 'the far left'.

Can you elucidate terminology so that we might continue, please.