How ‘The West Wing’ Forever Changed American Politics | Crooked History

The West Wing was one of the most successful television shows of all time. It humanized the political process, inspired countless to political careers, and left a real mark on American politics. But The West Wing also began to change the way many view the job of president – and it’s not clear that was for the better.

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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:35 Where Does Presidential “Electability” Come From?
2:41 Some Background
3:49 ‘The American President’ and ‘The West Wing’ Create Glossy New Image of Presidency
7:18 How ‘The West Wing’ Influenced Real Life Politics
8:39 How ‘The West Wing’ Is Different From the Real White House
9:54 Ad Break
10:33 Hilary Clinton Struggles Against the West Wing Ideal

SOURCES
Eli Attie on Obama/Santos Connection: https://youtu.be/BvVy1tS6b3c
Why the West Wing is a Terrible Guide for American Democracy: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/10/why-the-west-wing-is-a-terrible-guide-to-american-democracy/263084/
Aaron Sorkin on The West Wing: https://youtu.be/d0gJvHH9z0A
Too Many Democrats Think The West Wing is a Good Model: https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/9/16/20857281/the-west-wing-20-anniversary-primetime-podcast-episode-bartlet-biden
The West Wing – Behind the Scenes: https://youtu.be/5zbWPElAa1M

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