What’s Next? The West Wing and Civic Engagement

Askew Scholar Project

Shelby Fuchs

Abstract

The West Wing is arguably television’s preeminent political drama. Since it first aired in

1999 it has inspired viewers to be politically engaged. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze both the psychological and anecdotal evidence that The West Wing impacts civic engagement. Compiled research provided a scientific foundation to the anecdotes discussed later.

Overall, this paper details how and why The West Wing encouraged its audience to be civically engaged. The idealism and hope shown in seven seasons of phenomenal television motivated people when it aired and motivates people now, as Netflix has introduced the show to a new generation of fans. Ultimately, these findings confirm that television can impact behavior.

Subsequently, it is important to consider what one decides to watch. The West Wing’s idealism is uncommon but should be lauded.

Introduction

The impact of television on behavior has long since been a fascination of psychological research. As media forms grow and expand, the questions persist. Most of the studies in this area appear to focus on the negative impacts of viewing television of behavior. This suggests the content that is being watched is fundamentally important. Following the trends in research, there is the implication that watching positive content could have positive impacts on behavior. For the purpose of this paper, my focus is the seminal political television show The West Wing and how the show influenced, and continues to influence, civic engagement among its viewers. First, I will summarize relevant psychological research to detail how television can and does impact behavior. This will provide a theoretical framework within which the rest of the paper will exist.

Additionally, I will review the show and its message. I will highlight personal stories of how The

West Wing stimulated people to be politically active, as well as discuss the impact of the podcast

The West Wing Weekly. Lastly, I will discuss some arguments that disagree with the thesis of this paper, as well as address some of the flaws of The West Wing. Ultimately, The West Wing, while not perfect, instills idealism in many of its viewers and can be a compelling motivator for civic engagement.

Civic engagement is a broad term, encompassing many behaviors and actions. “Civic engagement as it is currently used includes political, social, and moral components, or the entire

“kitchen sink” of public and private goods.”1 For the purposes of this paper, civic engagement refers to political actions. This includes voting, contacting your representatives, participating in protests, discussing politics, working in politics or government, staying engaged with political

1 Berger, Ben. "Political Theory, Political Science, and the End of Civic Engagement." Perspectives on Politics 7, no. 2 (2009), 335. news and running for office. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather enumerates some of the many forms of civic and political engagement that are relevant to how The West Wing has influenced its viewers.

Compilation of Relevant Psychological Research

It is not enough to define civic engagement, it is necessary to explain why it is important.

Civic engagement, as outlined previously, is crucial to the functioning of a democracy. Flanagan and Levine’s study concludes civic engagement is important both internally and externally.

Psychologically, being civically engaged can fulfill the need of belong and give life a greater sense of purpose.2 Being civically engaged can also be part of the transition from childhood to adulthood. However, as this transition lengthens, civic engagement seems to be adversely affected. Compared to young adults in the 1970s, young adults in 2010 were less likely to partake in important facets of citizenship, such as voting, attending religious services, and reported levels of trust in others.3 Across most measures of engagement, young adults score the lowest.4 Nevertheless, trends in voting suggest that this decline stems from the lengthened transition period, rather than a generational apathy. And as the world changes, so do forms of civic engagement. Young adults are more likely to engage in global activism and use the internet for political action than older generations.5 The breadth of civic engagement is an asset, allowing for a multitude of avenues for involvement. Functioning democracies “depend on the social

2 Constance Flanagan and Peter Levine. "Civic Engagement and the Transition to Adulthood." The Future of Children 20, no. 1 (2010), 160. 3 Ibid, 161 4 Wayne Journell and Lisa Brown Buchanan, "Fostering Political Understanding Using The West Wing: Analyzing the Pedagogical Benefits of Film in High School Civics Classrooms," The Journal of Social Studies Research 37, no. 2 (2013), 67 5 Flanagan and Levine. "Civic Engagement and the Transition to Adulthood," 162 integration of successive younger generations into the body politic.”6 Consequently, all avenues for civic engagement should be celebrated, whether it be watching The West Wing or following elected officials on social media.

Because this paper is about television and civic engagement, it is important to establish how television can educate and influence behavior. Much of the research in this area assumes

“viewers are not just passive beings, but rather incorporate television contents from different contexts.”7 A study by Samaniego and Pascual concluded television content can be a source of learning for children and adolescents.8 This is relevant to The West Wing in two ways. First, many adolescents watch snippets of the show in government or civics classes. Second, it shows television can impact behavior. While this study did not refer to adults, it is difficult to believe that the influential power of television ceases when one reaches adulthood.

Television is often blamed for the decline in civic engagement. The archetypal argument is twofold: first, that television takes up valuable time and decreases human interaction. Second, the content that is televised is often dramatized, exaggerated and not representative of reality.

However, watch enough television and it becomes difficult to discern between the world presented on television and the actual world.9 However, many studies contradict this assumption.

For the purposes of this paper, television as a medium is inherently neutral. Television’s impact depends on both the content of what is being viewed, and how that content is incorporated and used by the viewer.10

6 Ibid, 173 7 Concepción Medrano Samaniego, and Alejandra Cortés Pascual. "The Teaching and Learning of Values through Television." International Review of Education, no. 1 (2007), 7. 8 Ibid, 10 9 Eric M. Uslaner. "Social Capital, Television, and the "Mean World": Trust, Optimism, and Civic Participation." Political Psychology 19, no. 3 (1998), 442. 10 Samaniego and Pascual. "The Teaching and Learning of Values through Television," 8. The television content one decides to watch is deeply important and relevant to civic engagement. Shah perceives a link between content and behavior: “it seems reasonable to assume that consuming media content that provides information or contains models of social interaction will be positively related to civic engagement, whereas viewing programs that promote escapism and diversion from everyday social life will be negatively related to civic engagement.” 11 Shah’s research did not find support for a relationship between interpersonal trust and participation in the community. This questions the assumption that trusting individuals are more civically engaged. More importantly, Shah uncovered a relationship between content and civic engagement. Both reading newspapers and watching social dramas (such as The West

Wing) were positively associated with civic engagement. Overall, 17.8% of variance in Shah’s civic engagement measure were attributed to media content variables.12

Television as a medium cannot be viewed as a danger, rather its impact should be considered with nuance and context in mind. Shah summarized: “how much television people watch appears to be less important than what they are watching.”13 Following this logic, watching The West Wing could be positively correlated with civic engagement. It is important to note that there may be an element of self-selection in this assertion. Those who are inclined to be civically engaged are perhaps more likely to watch shows that have a positive association with civic engagement. It is difficult to precisely determine the direction of this relationship without conducting an experiment.

11 Dhavan V Shah. "Civic Engagement, Interpersonal Trust, and Television Use: An Individual-Level Assessment of Social Capital." Political Psychology 19, no. 3 (1998), 476. 12 Ibid, 487 13 Ibid, 490 Some researchers take a middle ground approach, neither faulting or exonerating television. For instance, Uslaner links trust with civic engagement, tying the decrease in civic engagement to a decrease in trust between citizens.14 His research revealed virtually no television content caused people to be “less trusting, less optimistic, or less willing to participate in civic life. Some media exposure…may even increase civic activism.”15 Programs that stimulate optimism tend to increase trust. The West Wing, while not always joyous, is deeply optimistic and idealistic in nature. Following Uslaner’s findings, viewers watching The West Wing can increase their optimism and trust in government. Increased trust leads to increased civic engagement. Again, the question of self-selection remains, as an optimistic and trusting person may be more likely to watch The West Wing than a pessimistic and distrusting individual. It is difficult to determine causality in behavior and make determinations regarding motivation. But the pattern discerned remains relevant to questions of the link between civic engagement and television.

Overall, Uslaner argues that there is little evidence that media drives world view, to the extent that it can damage trust.16 Specifically, “a person watching 10 hours of television per day is only 4% less likely to be a truster than someone who never watches television.”17 Aggregate data suggests there is no significant effect. Samaniego and Pascual take a similar stance, arguing that television has “no direct influence…but the rather the relationship is a complex one.”18

Ultimately, civic engagement and other behavior is far more complex than it seems. Television, and media in general, functions as an easy medium to blame for larger societal ills.

14 Uslaner. "Social Capital, Television, and the "Mean World": Trust, Optimism, and Civic Participation," 441 15 Ibid 16 Ibid, 445 17 Ibid, 453 18 Samaniego and Pascual. "The Teaching and Learning of Values through Television," 17. It is important to note that due to the broadness of the term civic engagement, many of these studies focus on different activities that exist under the umbrella of civic engagement.

Uslaner’s study looked at participation in voluntary organizations. Shah defined civic engagement as “membership in formal community groups and participation in social activities.”19 The broadness of civic engagement is both an asset and a determinant. It is wonderful that a multitude of acts are civically engaged, but it makes cross-study analysis challenging and comparison flawed.

Beyond the broader research regarding television and behavior, there is an important study focused on the effects of The West Wing specifically. A study focused on the priming effects of The West Wing found viewers had more positive feelings towards both President Bush and President Clinton.20 A fundamental concept in psychology, priming defined specifically means: “facilitative effects of some event or action on subsequent associated responses.”21 This study conducted by Hobert et. al applied a pre-test post-test design with the mitigating factor being the Hartsfield’s Landing episode of The West Wing.22 While data analysis found that participants rated Bartlet more positively than either Bush or Clinton, participants that watched the show rated both real presidents more positively than those participants who were not primed.23 With an ideologically diverse participant pool, questions of self-selection are functionally irrelevant. Ultimately, this study found that entertainment television can have a

19 Shah. "Civic Engagement, Interpersonal Trust, and Television Use: An Individual-Level Assessment of Social Capital,” 477. 20 R. L. Holbert et al., "The West Wing as Endorsement of the U.S. Presidency: Expanding the Bounds of Priming in Political Communication," Journal of Communication 53, no. 3 (2003), 427 21 Daniel C. Molden, "Understanding Priming Effects in Social Psychology: What Is “Social Priming” and How Does It Occur?" Social Cognition 32, (2014), 3. 22 Holbert et al., "The West Wing as Endorsement of the U.S. Presidency: Expanding the Bounds of Priming in Political Communication," 433 23 Ibid, 434-436. similar priming effect as news content.24 Not only is The West Wing positive in content, it is positive in its impact on viewers.

As an aggregate, the studies mentioned provide the background for a closer look at the influence of The West Wing. Civic engagement is crucial to any functioning democracy, yet metrics of engagement have been declining. Young adults however seem to be embracing new mediums of engagement. This is an opportunity for The West Wing to make an impact.

Additionally, TV affects behavior, but the content that is viewed is crucial to determining whether the impact is positive or negative. The positive content of the show suggests The West

Wing would have a positive impact on viewers. The priming study by Holbert et. al, in which participants viewed real presidents more positively after viewing The West Wing, demonstrated one positive impact.

Summary of The West Wing

First airing in September of 1999, The West Wing is a weighty political drama that became a astonishing antidote to the anti-government sentiment of the era. The show’s creator,

Aaron Sorkin, concocted the idea for a television show about a president’s senior staffers from scraps of one of his films: The American President.25 Sorkin strove to make his show as authentic as possible. He hired previous White House employees as consultants, including former Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers.26 The show follows the fictional Bartlet administration through seven seasons, two elections and steady drama. The NBC synopsis is as follows: “when the erudite Democrat Josiah "Jed" Bartlet is elected U.S. president, he installs his administration.

24 Ibid, 437 25 "The Definitive History Of The West Wing," Empire, https://www.empireonline.com/west-wing/part1.html, 1 26 Wayne Journell and Lisa Brown Buchanan, "Making Politics Palatable: Using Television Drama in High School Civics and Government Classes," The Social Studies 103, no. 1 (2012), 3. He places confidants from his electoral campaigns in the White House. Each of these people play a significant role in the Washington power game… Also, in key positions are the assistants of each of the power players. We follow these people through many political battles, as well as some personal one.”27

NBC, however, hesitated to air the series. John Wells, the show’s executive producer, recalled: “they didn't want to make it. They felt that people didn't care about politics and it just wouldn't work.”28 NBC was wrong. It worked, and The West Wing is considered by many among the best drama series of all time. At the show’s popular peak, it ranked number ten on the

Nielsen ratings and 17.2 million people watched each episode.29 In terms of critical acclaim, the show was nominated for 95 Emmys and won 26. Wins included four consecutive wins for best drama series and the most wins for a single season of a television show.30

The seven seasons of The West Wing consist of overarching plot lines. Season one follows the staff try and find their footing, crafting legislation and trying and failing to avoid scandal, covering topics such as the Census and the death penalty. The season ends dramatically with an assassination attempt as a cliff-hanger. The second season deals with the aftermath of the shooting, (none of the characters died), but perhaps more importantly, the realization that

President Bartlet concealed his diagnosis of multiple sclerosis during the campaign. Season three sees Bartlet decide to run for re-election and the Congressional investigation into his health scandal. Season four continues the election storyline, in which Bartlet is re-elected. Sorkin’s final season ends dramatically, with the kidnapping of the President’s youngest daughter, Zoey.

27 "The West Wing," NBC, https://www.nbc.com/the-west-wing. 28 "The Definitive History Of The West Wing," Empire, https://www.empireonline.com/west-wing/part1.html, 1 29 "How Did Your Favorite TV Show Rate?" USA Today, May 28, 2002, http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/2002/2002-05-28-year-end-chart.htm. 30 "The West Wing," Television Academy, https://www.emmys.com/shows/west-wing. Season five focuses first on finding Zoey. Afterwards, the season proceeds to stories regarding conflicts within both domestic policy and foreign policy. Season six contains a dual storyline, of the remaining staffers and the build-up to the next Presidential election. New characters are introduced via the Democratic and Republican primaries, several of which remain for the duration of the show. The seventh and final season continues the split focus on the campaign and the staffers that remain in the White House. The season ends with Bartlet’s successor, Matthew

Santos, capturing a narrow victory and several original characters continuing to work at the

White House.

The West Wing is as character-driven as it plot-driven. Each character adds a layer to the richness of the show. Portrayed by Martin Sheen, President Bartlet is an economics Ph.D., Nobel

Laureate, father of three and devoted Catholic. His faith informs his decision making, as well as adding intricacy to standard liberal viewpoints such as abortion. The President’s “body man,”

Charlie Young is a key character. Portrayed by Dule Hill, Charlie often functions as a rational voice in the show. He also engages in a relationship with Zoey Bartlet and graduates from

Georgetown University during his time on the show. A vital character is Chief of Staff, Leo

McGarry, as played by John Spencer. As Chief of Staff, Leo voices the last opinion Bartlet hears before making decisions. Leo is rife with personal drama, from issues with addiction to divorce.

In later seasons, Democratic-candidate Santos taps Leo as Vice-Presidential candidate, but the character dies episodes before the series finale. Leo’s deputy is Josh Lyman, depicted by

Bradley Whitford. As Deputy Chief of Staff, Josh assists primarily in the realm of domestic policy. Josh also struggles with personal and health issues throughout the show. He is diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in season two, in response to the assassination attempt in the season one finale. Josh leaves the White House in season six to manage Matt Santos’s campaign. Eventually, he is named Chief of Staff in the Santos Administration. Josh’s assistant,

Donna Moss is played by Janel Maloney. Donna is fiercely loyal to Josh, although this loyalty fractures in seasons six and seven. Originally intended as a reoccurring character, Donna became a series regular due to her relationship with Josh. Donna eventually quits as Josh’s assistant, seeking more in her professional life, joining a campaign in its primary stages. By the series finale, Donna is named Chief of Staff to the First Lady. Allison Janney plays CJ Cregg, who serves as Press Secretary for six seasons, until she is promoted to Chief of Staff. CJ is a beloved character, for her strength and humor. CJ’s outside storylines typically revolve around her relationship with journalist Danny Concannon. Heading up the Communications team is Toby

Ziegler, a scruffy and serious man, played by Richard Schiff. Toby remains in the White House for six and half seasons, until he is fired for leaking classified information. (This is a contentious plot line for many fans who argue this was out of character). Nevertheless, Toby is deeply faithful to Bartlet. Toby becomes a father to twins at the end of season four, in a complicated relationship with his ex-wife Andrea. Toby’s deputy is Sam Seaborn, played by Rob Lowe. Sam is a speechwriter and policy advisor, who usually ends up dealing with drama in his personal life.

Sam leaves in season four to run for Congress in California. He returns in season seven to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff.

The focus of the drama may shift from season to season, but the heart of The West Wing remains smart people trying their best. There are no perfect characters, rather, each possesses humanizing flaws. For instance, President Bartlet’s decision to not tell his staff about his MS diagnosis is characterized as a terrible mistake and a moral failing.31 Each character is unique, flawed, and fully realized.

Showing government and government workers as fundamentally good in television and popular culture is uncharacteristic, even now. Shows like Veep and House of Cards reflect a darker strain in politics. While The West Wing is not always a happy show, there is a reoccurring notion that President Bartlet and his staff work in government for the right reasons, rather than as a power grab. As CJ Cregg said in a voiceover during a season two episode, “if politics brings out the worst in people, maybe people bring out the best.”32 Sorkin later defined the essence of his show, stating "what if we show a group of people who are highly competent, they're going to lose as much as they win, but we're going to understand that they wake up every morning wanting to do good?" That was really the spirit behind The West Wing.”33 Even from an outsider’s perspective, the idealism and heart of the show was potent. For example, journalist

Lehmann wrote in article for The Atlantic during the second season: “The West Wing sets out, week after week, to restore public faith in the institutions of our government, to shore up the bulwarks of American patriotism, and to supply a vision of executive liberalism—at once principled and pragmatic; mandating both estimable political vision and serious personal sacrifice.”34 The idealistic nature of The West Wing was unexpected both when it aired and now.

It is this idealism that makes The West Wing a boon to civic engagement. According to my own

31 Sarah E. Cavendish, ""The West Wing": President as Symbol" (Master's thesis, Marshall University, 2002), 35 32 Sorkin, Aaron, writer. “The West Wing - The Stackhouse Filibuster” In The West Wing. NBC. March 14, 2001 33 The Definitive History Of The West Wing. 2 34 Chris Lehmann, "The Feel Good Presidency," The Atlantic, March 01, 2001, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2001/03/the-feel-good-presidency/302138/. count, there were nine direct references to civically engaged behavior in the pilot episode alone, including discussions regarding a re-election bid and voting.35

What The West Wing Means to Its Viewers

The West Wing premiered when I was a toddler. Therefore, my introduction to the show came much later, like many others who are discovering the show on Netflix. My parents tried to watch the show as it aired, but had difficulty keeping up with a weekly, hour-long drama. As a present, my mom received all seven seasons for Christmas in 2011. Within a few months, my family had watched the entire show.

For a child my age, I always considered myself unusually politically engaged. By middle school, I was watching the nightly news with my parents. I maintained strong opinions about the

2008 election and was not afraid to debate my peers at the lunch table. As an eleven-year-old, I wore an Obama campaign shirt to school on election day with pride. Because I was too young to be disillusioned by the Bush or Clinton administration, I was open to embracing government with idealism. And The West Wing created that embrace. What can I write about The West Wing that has not already been written? The inherent positivity the heart and the wonderfully human characters make the show my favorite of all time. I would never have joined a political organization on campus without The West Wing, never would have volunteered for a campaign.

The West Wing made the abstract world of politics, clear, vivid, and thrilling. The West Wing is hope, in all its Hollywood-scripted glamour. It is still hope. It is a show I turn to when I need to be inspired or need a respite from the political reality.

35 Aaron Sorkin, writer, "The West Wing - Pilot," in The West Wing, NBC, September 22, 1999. The West Wing is beloved by many of my peers, and for this paper I talked with several of them about the show and what it means to them. Seth Piatek, a third-year Political Science student at the University of Florida, responded: “the hope that politicians exist who have a sincere desire to make positive change and are not doing it for the power and influence they can yield.”36 Echoing a similar sentiment, Jordan Brown, a third-year Sustainability and the Built

Environment student at the University of Florida, wrote: “it reminds me that progress is slow but lasting and [if] you aren’t remembered or acknowledged for the work that you did for that progress, it doesn’t make it any less important.”37

Less personally, there are countless media and government figures that cite The West

Wing as a source of inspiration. Writer Andrew Liptak penned: “it’s an optimistic take on the politicians and staffers who work to make the world a better place, whether that’s for their party, their district, or the country at large.”38 Micah Lasher (who at the time this article was written worked for Michael Bloomberg) described the show’s impact: “at a very elemental level, episode after episode, you’d finish watching feeling truly inspired. You can’t say that for a lot of television—and you can’t say that of a lot of politics.”39 Even Canadian Prime Minister Justin

Trudeau has spoken of how The West Wing impacted him. During an interview on The West

Wing Weekly, he said:

“We all watch the West Wing, we all have this connection with the fact that politics can

be built around ideals and values and principles and being positive and pulling people

36 "What "The West Wing" Means to You," e-mail interview by author, January 12, 2019. 37 "What "The West Wing" Means to You," e-mail interview by author, January 12, 2019. 38 Andrew Liptak, "The West Wing Provides Much-needed Optimism after a Hard Election," The Verge, November 09, 2016, https://www.theverge.com/2016/11/9/13575356/the-west-wing-democracy-faith. 39 Juli Weiner, "How Aaron Sorkin's West Wing Inspired a Legion of Lyman Wannabes," The Hive, January 30, 2015, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2012/04/aaron-sorkin-west-wing. together and that’s certainly colored my approach and it’s not just The West Wing you

can look back through history at those moments of you know Kennedy or Lincoln or

Wilfred Laurier in Canada and others, where people really were being brought together.

There are moments like that, there are ebbs and flows in our political lives and we all got

to draw on that one. The generation 10 years ago who will have had their introduction to

politics through House of Cards or Veep might be a slightly different color, but we were

all in a certain sense colored by having watched West Wing or thinking about how we’re

having an impact on the world in our lives.”40

The West Wing and Civic Engagement Through Many Forms

Television is becoming an inescapable medium for communication. The expansion of cable and streaming services transformed television dramatically. It is safe to say television is ingrained in modern American society. In a paper discussing President Bartlet as a symbol,

Cavendish argues “one can conclude that television…is informing many of our ideas concerning politics.”41 As most television portrayals are negative, it is presumed that this has a negative effect on perceptions of politics.42 The converse can also be presumed. As previously discussed,

The West Wing was unabashedly idealistic.

There is additional evidence that The West Wing serves as a compelling inspiration for civic engagement. Although it has been off the air for over a decade, its presence on Netflix and other streaming services created a new generation of fans. New forms of media, such as podcasts, have also embraced the show. Most notably, The West Wing Weekly discusses each

40Joshua Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway. "3:15: Dead Irish Writers (with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau)." The West Wing Weekly (audio blog), July 25, 2017. http://thewestwingweekly.com/episodes/315 41 Cavendish, "The West Wing": President as Symbol," 4. 42 Ibid, 6 individual episode, with interviews from the actors, producers, creators, and other key figures.

Within three months of premiering, the podcast had been downloaded or listened to over 2.5 million times.43 One of the show’s hosts, Joshua Malina, acted on The West Wing for four seasons. When beginning the podcast in early 2016, he thought it could become “a tonic for the mad circus that is our current presidential race,” 44 much like the original series was a tonic for many liberals during the Bush administration.

Besides providing an additional source of content revolving around The West Wing, this podcast participated in and encouraged civic engagement. As an avid listener, many episodes touch on current events, tying the events of the selected episode to stories playing out in real time. The hosts do not shy away from discussing similarities and differences. For instance, while discussing Season 5, Episode 7 “Separation of Powers,” the hosts highlighted the parallels between the court cases discussed in the episode and court cases that were being litigated in real- time. (The cases were Trump v. Hawaii and Korematsu v. United States).45 Discussing the parallels between fiction and reality encourages critical thinking, as well as the application of knowledge gleaned from The West Wing. Similarly, there have been several live-tapings of this podcast. In the lead-up to the 2018 midterm election, live tapings typically would have volunteers registering attendees to vote. Providing access to voting is the pinnacle of civic engagement.

43 Robert Ito, "'The West Wing Weekly,' a Podcast With a Ringer," The New York Times, June 24, 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/arts/television/west-wing-weekly-podcast-joshua-malina.html. 44 Graeme Virtue, "Bartlet for President! The New West Wing Podcast Is a Tonic to Trumpmania," The Guardian, March 23, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/mar/23/the-west-wing-weekly-podcast-is-a- tonic-to-trumpmania-presidential-race-us. 45 Joshua Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway, "5.07: Separation of Powers (with Michael Hyatt)," The West Wing Weekly (audio blog), July 17, 2018, http://thewestwingweekly.com/?offset=1532486588504. Civic engagement can be small or large acts. The West Wing has inspired both. Legions of fans have entered the political sphere themselves, inspired by Sorkin and his writing, running for office or working in government. Journalist Juli Weiner refers to this phenomenon as the

“Sorkinization” of politics.46 Young adults who watched the show in real time, “worshipping the cool, technocratic charm of Sorkin’s characters have today matured into the young policy prodigies and press operatives.”47 The idealistic essence of the show appealed to many, as an unnamed White House staffer explained:

“yes, the show was sexier, faster-paced, and more idealistic than Washington really is,

but what’s wrong with that? We should aspire to do big and ambitious and idealistic

things in this country—even if it takes longer than one hour, or one season. The West

Wing…was idealistic and so were we. Everyone hoped politics would be like that”48

This same article references five of the many young adults who were inspired by the show and entered political careers, but it is safe to assume there are numerous others. And given the rebirth of The West Wing on Netflix, it is safe to assume that this trend will continue if young people continue watching Sorkin’s heralded work. Richard Schiff, who played Toby Ziegler, agrees: “The show is clearly going to generate interest in politics and issues for generations moving forward.”49

The small acts are valuable too. Not everyone will be inspired by a television show to run for political office. Arguably, even just watching The West Wing is a form of civic engagement

46Weiner, "How Aaron Sorkin's West Wing Inspired a Legion of Lyman Wannabes.” 47 ibid 48 ibid 49 Amy Amatangelo, "Roles and Pols," Television Academy, November 10, 2016, https://www.emmys.com/news/mix/roles-and-pols. because of the content of the show. Google Trends data suggests that The West Wing has resurged. From the end of October 2016 to mid-November 2016, searches for the show were up

25%.50 Searches peaked in May of 2017, during the tumultuous weeks when FBI Director James

Comey was fired, Net Neutrality was overturned, and President Trump revealed classified information to Russian diplomats in the Oval Office.51 The data suggests times of political turmoil see many turning to The West Wing as a remedy, or “an alternative universe where civic- mindedness, while buffeted, ultimately triumphed.”52 The data compiled is shown below in chart form.

Finally, The West Wing can function as an educational tool. Researchers point to a lack of proper civic education as a contributor to a decline in young people’s civic engagement.53

50 "Google Trends - The West Wing," accessed January 4, 2019, https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2015-11-08 2019-01-04&geo=US&q=/m/0g60z. 51 Ibid 52 Weiner, "How Aaron Sorkin's West Wing Inspired a Legion of Lyman Wannabes." 53 Journell and Buchanan, "Fostering Political Understanding Using The West Wing: Analyzing the Pedagogical Benefits of Film in High School Civics Classrooms," 67 Journell and Buchanan see the value in television in the classroom, and they specifically recommend using The West Wing to “generate political interest and understanding within high school civics and government classrooms.”54 Personally, I remember watching a scene about the census in my AP Government class in high school.

Understanding our government is foundational to civic engagement, accordingly, any tool that helps students should be utilized. The West Wing and television in general “represent a complex symbolic system which requires decoding in order for children, and even many adults, to understand.”55 Decoding the symbols and representations depicted on The West Wing is a valuable teaching tool. President Bartlet, for instance, as a symbol for an American President is an opportunity to compare and contrast fiction and reality.56 The West Wing also covers elections; therefore, Journell recommends using episodes in season six and seven to discuss polling, campaigning and similar topics. Journell found that watching The West Wing provided important context for students and made understanding current events easier.57 In another related case study by Journell and Buchanan, watching The West Wing impacted students. Specifically, in the both an honors and general civics class, the show appeared to increase enthusiasm for the course content, fostered political thinking, provided context, and helped make connections with the curriculum.58 Using television in the classroom can be a helpful tool, but psychological best practices advise that educators leave time to explain and discuss the values displayed on

54 Journell and Buchanan, "Making Politics Palatable: Using Television Drama in High School Civics and Government Classes," 2. 55 Samaniego and Pascual. "The Teaching and Learning of Values through Television," 12. 56 Cavendish, "The West Wing": President as Symbol," 4. 57 Wayne Journell, "Making Every Year a Presidential Election Year: Using The West Wing's Santos/Vinick Race to Simulate Election Politics," Ohio Social Studies Review, January 2013, 11. 58 Journell and Buchanan, "Fostering Political Understanding Using The West Wing: Analyzing the Pedagogical Benefits of Film in High School Civics Classrooms," 72 television.59 The show’s educational value is dramatically increased when this occurs.60 The West

Wing is best used as a discussion tool, rather than unassuming portrayal of government.

Seeing the Other Side

On the other hand, there are those who argue that The West Wing may actual result in more cynicism towards government because the idealism of the show does not always manifest.

Dr. Beavers argues “the purpose of The West Wing is to entertain rather than to educate…no doubt reality will frequently fall short of creator Sorkin’s vision. When oversimplifications or inaccuracies prevail onscreen in the name of drama, will this lead viewers to build their perspectives and actions on flawed criteria?” 61 The insider’s perspective on government and campaigning may have a similar effect, as viewers learn how prepared and calibrated speeches and events are.62

There certainly is validity to this argument. As previously discussed, The West Wing is often used in classrooms, showing debates and discussions. From my own classroom experience, these examples are frequently shown without offering any context or background of the show.

Nevertheless, the debates are perfectly scripted, acted and staged. Certainly educational, but perhaps not reflective of reality. If The West Wing is your baseline for government functioning and behavior, you could be disappointed. Nevertheless, I am not entirely convinced that many viewers of the show become cynical. In fact, I myself view The West Wing as aspirational, rather than based in reality. The West Wing may more accurately show what government should be,

59 Samaniego and Pascual. "The Teaching and Learning of Values through Television," 15 60 Journell and Buchanan, "Making Politics Palatable: Using Television Drama in High School Civics and Government Classes," 13. 61 Staci Beavers, ""The West Wing" as a Pedagogical Tool," PS: Political Science and Politics 35, no. 2 (2002): 213 62 Ibid, 213 rather than what government is. Nevertheless, the article previously referenced focuses on The

West Wing as a teaching tool and recommends teachers use The West Wing as a tool for interactive learning, rather than a demonstrative tool.63 This is an important distinction for all viewers. The West Wing is not a documentary, yet there is much to be learned in the gap between fiction and reality.

There are those that critique The West Wing further. Like the previous critique, the fact that The West Wing is fiction is its greatest flaw. Expectations for drama and narrative arcs detract from the substance. For instance, writer Yair Rosenberg argues “the very artistic and narrative choices that make it a superb drama make it a very poor representation of politics.”64

There are scenarios in the show that are frankly hard to believe. For instance, most senior staffers barely make it through a single term, let alone eight years of a presidency. Additionally, a highly critiqued storyline is CJ Cregg’s promotion from Press Secretary to Chief of Staff. In the real

Washington, this is improbable, if not impossible to imagine. However, this critique is largely exaggerated. As previously mentioned, The West Wing is not a documentary. Approaching the show as such is a fault of the viewer, not the show.

Additionally, The West Wing is tarnished by age. As the times change, some of the show’s components loses their luster. The pervasive yet somehow casual sexism might have reflected the era, but in today’s world it sticks out in an entirely negative way.65 CJ is often the only female character in senior staff meetings. There are many strong female characters, including Abby Bartlet, Amy Gardner, and Ainsley Hayes. Nevertheless, most of the female

63 Ibid, 214 64 Yair Rosenberg, "Why 'The West Wing' Is a Terrible Guide to American Democracy," The Atlantic, April 29, 2016, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/10/why-the-west-wing-is-a-terrible-guide-to-american- democracy/263084/. 65 Liptak, “The West Wing provides much-needed optimism after a hard election.” characters are assistants and largely stay that way. Donna makes the most dramatic career transformation throughout the series, rising from Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff to Chief of Staff to the new First Lady in season seven. But even this happens solely in the post-Sorkin era. Margaret, Ginger, Bonnie, and the other assistants either fade away or remain in the same place they began.

Conclusion

The West Wing shines as a preeminent political drama, and one that is uniquely positive.

Research has detailed the importance of civic engagement, the changing nature of civic engagement, the influence of television of behavior, and the priming effects of The West Wing.

This research combined with interviews and anecdotes demonstrates the incredible power of The

West Wing to motivate civic engagement in its viewers. It is important to acknowledge that those with the tendency to watch The West Wing would demographically be more likely to be civically engaged. There is no way to determine cause and effect in this scenario. Nevertheless, educators that have used The West Wing in their classrooms detail an increased interest and understanding in government and politics among their students.66 If you want to be inspired, or at least not saddened by the government, consider The West Wing. It could motivate you to volunteer, work in government or run for office.

66 Journell and Buchanan, "Making Politics Palatable: Using Television Drama in High School Civics and Government Classes.” Works Cited

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