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THE WEST WING: Power, Principle, and Perspective in the American Political System Spring 2017 University of California, Berkeley FACILITATORS Jeremy Saraie | j [email protected] Rose Meinrath | r [email protected] Faculty Sponsor: Terri Bimes, PhD | b [email protected] COURSE DESCRIPTION This course will oꔂer students a unique opportunity to engage with and learn about the American political system (with emphasis on the American Presidency) through the perspective of ’s 琂ctional television drama, . From 1999 to the series 琂nale in 2006, The West Wing received 26 Emmy Awards, including the award for Outstanding Drama Series, which it won four consecutive times. In addition to its entertainment value, the series is a running commentary on our system of government. This class will use The West Wing as a lens to highlight and ask fundamental questions about many salient issues in modern national political life, such as the proper scope and role of government, international relations, con砂ict between the branches, the legislative process, and the reality of popular democracy. OBJECTIVES The principal objective of this course is to gain an understanding of the various challenges faced by our national leaders on a daily basis and to learn about how they deal (or fail to deal) with them. We will examine how the structure of the federal government endows various actors with diꔂerent powers and spheres of in砂uence. How do individuals come together to deal with crisis? Why do they, at times, oppose or seek to frustrate each other? What is the proper role for the in a globally interconnected world? What factors do voters consider when casting their ballots? We will explore these questions and more, whenever possible, incorporating contemporary news articles coupled with knowledge of current events to guide, color, and inform our discussions. Ultimately, the course seeks to empower students with a sense of e괃cacy in their ability to enact lasting change in the constantly evolving political landscape that surrounds them. FORMAT Class meetings will take place every week for two hours and will follow a combined lecture-discussion format. Each week will focus on a particular issue raised in The West Wing. Students are expected to watch the assigned episode and complete all readings before the start of class. Readings are designed to provide commentary and background on the issue at hand. The 琂rst 20 minutes of class will consist of student-led current event discussion and how these contemporary examples might re砂ect content covered in previous weeks. 35-40 minutes will then be spent watching parts of the week’s episode that speak to the topic pondered that class. 50-60 minutes will be reserved for discussion, dialogue, and observation. After each 2

class, students should spend 25-30 minutes on writing a non-graded personal debrief or self-re砂ection for use when working on their 琂nal papers. When feasible, guest lectures from Professors and/or student leaders on the UC Berkeley campus will frame our conversations. Regular participation and preparation is expected.

ASSIGNMENTS This class is graded on a two-unit pass/no pass (P/NP) basis. All assignments are designed to provide background context, clarity, and theoretical working knowledge of the events unfolding in each episode. Participation (30%) Each week, discussion will revolve around a few questions presented in class to guide students in their interpretation and analysis of the given articles and series episodes. Active contribution to the classroom dialogue will, accordingly, constitute a signi琂cant portion of the 琂nal course grade. 10% of this will come from acting as leader in at least one current events presentation. Current Events (10%) Each student will be required to act as leader in at least one current events presentation. This entails completing and presenting a one-page report on a current event related to American Politics, bringing attention to the signi琂cance of the event to our course material/discussions. Additional External Activity (10%) Students are required to either attend one IGS-sponsored event, watch an episode of The West Wing not included in our syllabus, or watch a movie/episode of a TV show related to our course material (to be approved by the facilitators. Students will submit a one-page write-up about the activity and how it relates to the course. Facilitators will provide students weekly with a calendar of pre-approved IGS events (and events of equal signi琂cance to the course) that may be attended for credit. Attendance (20%) Students who miss more than two class meetings will automatically fail the course (NP). In cases of documented family or medical emergency, students may present the course facilitators with appropriate documentation and receive an alternate assignment. Final Project (30%) All students will complete a 琂nal project in the form of a 4 page double-spaced paper that re砂ects upon one topic of the class they found interesting and analyzes how that topic’s portrayal in the show compares to analogous real-life historical or contemporary situations. Students who fail to turn in a 琂nal project will not pass the class (NP).

ACCOMMODATIONS Students with veri琂ed disabilities should be enrolled in the Disabled Students’ Program (DSP) which helps coordinate students’ needs in various aspects of Campus life. If you are a member of the DSP, please contact the facilitators within the 琂rst two weeks of class so we are able to implement any necessary accommodations and make the course as accessible as possible. Also, if you have emergency medical information you wish to share with us, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please let us know. 3

SCHEDULE Unit 1: A Government by the People?

WE EK 1 : I ntroduction (Politics, Art of the Impossible?)

RE ADING: N one

EP ISODE: George Stephanopoulos’ Commencement Address, UC Berkeley (1997) http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/84966-1

WE EK 2: He Shall, from Time to Time (Presidential/Governmental Expectations among the Public)

RE ADING: “How Will History Judge ” http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/17/how-will-history-judgebarac kobama.html “Divining the Obama Legacy” http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/divining-the-obama-legacy-12 0238

EP ISODE: S1E12 “He Shall, from Time to Time”

WE EK 3 : D ivided they Govern (Gridlock, Animosity, and Partisan Politics in Washington)

RE ADING: “Why Americans are so Polarized: Education and Evolution” http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/02/why-americans-are-sopol arizededucation-and-evolution/284098/ “How Polarized is America? Not That Much” http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/opinion/2014/07/07/polarizedmuch/12 247795/

EP ISODE: S5E8 “Shutdown”

WE EK 4 : T he Politics of Delay and Obstruction? (Filibusters and Senate/House Relations)

RE ADING: “It’s Time for the Constitutional Option” http://www.tomudall.senate.gov/?p=blog&id=383 “Nuclear Option Destroys the Senate” http://www.humanevents.com/2013/01/02/nuclear-option-will-destroy-the-sen ate/ “When is a Filibuster Not Really a Filibuster? When it Looks Like a Filibuster” (optional) http://www.npr.org/2015/05/21/408518368/when-is-a-琂libuster-not-really-a-琂li buster-when-it-looks-like-a-琂libuster

EP ISODE: S2E17 “The Stackhouse Filibuster”

WE EK 5 : C ome One, Come All (The Role of Special Interests and Advocacy)

RE ADING: “What we get wrong about lobbying and corruption” https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/04/16/what-we- get-wrong-about-lobbying-and-corruption/ “In砂uence and Lobbying” (optional) https://www.opensecrets.org/in砂uence/

EP ISODE: S1E5 “The Crackpots and These Women” 4

Unit 2: Elections and Electoral Strategy

WE EK 6 : O n the Campaign Trail (The Quest for Presidential Nomination)

RE ADING: “Why Does Iowa Vote First, Anyway?” http://www.npr.org/2016/01/29/464804185/why-does-iowa-vote-琂rst-anyway “Democrats move left, Republicans move right, middle ground disappears” http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-pol-prez-campaign-analysis-nevada-so uth-carolina-20160221-story.html

EP ISODE: S6E13 “King Corn”

WE EK 7 : At the Ballot Box (Elections and the Factors that In砂uence Voting)

RE ADING: “Voting for Hillary Clinton Because She’s A Woman Is A Perfectly Valid (Not To Mention Smart) Political Decision – And Here’s Why” http://www.bustle.com/articles/77961-voting-for-hillary-clinton-because -shes-a-woman-is-a-perfectly-valid-not-to-mention-smart

EP ISODE: S7E7 “The Debate”

Unit 3: The Rule of Law?

WE EK 8 : I Do Solemnly Swear (The 25th Amendment and Presidential Succession)

R E ADING: “Order of Presidential Succession” http://answers.usa.gov/system/templates/selfservice/USAGov/#!portal/1012/arti cle/ 3208/Order-of-Presidential-Succession

EP ISODE: S4E23 “Twenty Five”

WE EK 9 : Supremely Out of Touch? (The Role of Judge Selection and Judicial Ideology)

RE ADING: E rwin Chemerinsky “Love Ya Ruth, But It’s Time to Go” http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/09/love-ya-ruth-but-its-time-to-g o4111305.html#.VC7nw0u0Zg0 “Antonin Scalia, Judicial Activist? In Defense of the Late Justice – and the Rule of Law” http://www.hu괃ngtonpost.com/evan-bernick/antonin-scalia-judicial-a_b_9292 252.html

EP ISODE: S5E17 “The Supremes”

Unit 4: Foreign Policy

WE EK 1 0: The Fog of War (Presidential War Powers v. Congressional Prerogatives)

RE ADING: Eric Posner “Obama Can Bomb Pretty Much Anything He Wants” http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/view_from_chicago/2014/09/ war_ against_isis_in_syria_obama_s_legal_and_political_justi琂cations.html Bruce Ackerman “Obama’s Betrayal of the Constitution” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/opinion/obamas-betraya l-oftheconstitution.html?_r=1

EP ISODE: S3E23 “Posse Comitatus”

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WE EK 1 1: The Problem from Hell (International Humanitarian Intervention and Aid)

RE ADING: Samantha Power “Bystanders to Genocide” http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2001/09/bystanders-togenocide /304571/

EP ISODE: S4E14 “Inauguration Part 1”

Unit 5: The Realities of Governance

WE EK 1 2: A One Man Show? (The Role of Staꔂ and the Delegation of Responsibility)

R E ADING: Conor Friedersdorf “The Presidency Is ‘Too Big For One Man’” http://www.forbes.com/sites/conorfriedersdorf/2010/11/18/the-presiden cy-istoo-big-for-one-man/

EP ISODE: S 1E19 “Let Bartlet Be Bartlet”

WE EK 1 3: T he Point is There was a Cover (Presidential Scandal and Public Opinion)

RE ADING: L arry J. Sabato “Why This Scandal Won’t Hurt Hilary” http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/03/hillary-email-scandal-history- 116262.html#.VS__TfnF8W8 Jamelle Bouie “Obama’s Gift to Hillary Clinton” http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/04/barack_oba ma_s _clean_scandal_free_presidency_the_president_s_legacy_is_a.html

EP ISODE: S 2E22 “”

WE EK 1 4: Fiction v. Reality (Conclusions, Re砂ections, Evaluations)

RE ADING: None, Final Projects Due!!

EP ISODE: S3E23 “The West Wing Special Episode”