Yeah, no, not *much* better at all—-like, if I give the Sorkin era 3 out of 100 on this front, I give the Wells era 4 out of 100. I was thinking more of the primaries…but even there, it's often typical Bartlet-style "the good guy wins because he gives a rousing speech at the end".

I agree with your read of Bush - he didn't win either election; his opponents lost them by being pedantic and unlikable - but, I don't know, I still feel like his ability to exceed the very low intellectual/rhetorical expectations was a factor. It wasn't the dominant/only factor, as it was in Bartlet vs. Ritchie, but…

I agree with your read of Bush - he didn't win either election; his opponents lost them by being pedantic and unlikable - but, I don't know, I still feel like his ability to exceed the very low intellectual/rhetorical expectations was a factor. It wasn't the dominant/only factor, as it was in Bartlet vs. Ritchie, but…

I'd argue that if ridiculous strawmen like "Ritchie" had any effect on American politics (and if they did, it was a tiny one), it was to *help* Bush. When you turn on West Wing and see a gibbering moron who can't pronounce any words, and you're clearly being told that that's Bush, then you watch Bush talk and he can…

I'd argue that if ridiculous strawmen like "Ritchie" had any effect on American politics (and if they did, it was a tiny one), it was to *help* Bush. When you turn on West Wing and see a gibbering moron who can't pronounce any words, and you're clearly being told that that's Bush, then you watch Bush talk and he can…

I have complaints.
1. "Amy realizes this almost right away, and informs Stackhouse that he’ll be essentially kindling the fiery feud between himself and the president, alienating himself even more than he already has."
Isn't the point that Stackhouse will be hurting Bartlet in the *general* by forcing Bartlet to the…

I have complaints.
1. "Amy realizes this almost right away, and informs Stackhouse that he’ll be essentially kindling the fiery feud between himself and the president, alienating himself even more than he already has."
Isn't the point that Stackhouse will be hurting Bartlet in the *general* by forcing Bartlet to the…

Ironically, this is handled marginally better in the Wells era, in the post-Bartlet presidential campaign. Under Sorkin, the difference in their beliefs is that Bartlet's the guy in the white hat and James Brolin's the guy in the black hat.

Ironically, this is handled marginally better in the Wells era, in the post-Bartlet presidential campaign. Under Sorkin, the difference in their beliefs is that Bartlet's the guy in the white hat and James Brolin's the guy in the black hat.

You haven't seen this episode in years? You're wasting your life.

You haven't seen this episode in years? You're wasting your life.

@avclub-5a1c0dcc8243c086c74ee944052f6f0f:disqus It's okay. You can be my generation's Us Festival.

@avclub-5a1c0dcc8243c086c74ee944052f6f0f:disqus It's okay. You can be my generation's Us Festival.

…what else would you expect someone with that name to be doing?

…what else would you expect someone with that name to be doing?

@hornacek:disqus  In fairness, in any Simpsons episode from the 2000s, the joke WOULD be, "Flanders doesn't like Volume 3 because he's a crazy Fox-News Christian-right bigot!" But in this episode, the joke wasn't about that. It was…just funny. A funny cadence. (I feel like that same kind of joke recurred in classic…

@hornacek:disqus  In fairness, in any Simpsons episode from the 2000s, the joke WOULD be, "Flanders doesn't like Volume 3 because he's a crazy Fox-News Christian-right bigot!" But in this episode, the joke wasn't about that. It was…just funny. A funny cadence. (I feel like that same kind of joke recurred in classic…

@avclub-3a04d36f2c53226d9c27c607cea5e299:disqus Lt. Broccoli is awesome, generally. But Newton Gimmick's gimmick is my generation's Woodstock.

@avclub-3a04d36f2c53226d9c27c607cea5e299:disqus Lt. Broccoli is awesome, generally. But Newton Gimmick's gimmick is my generation's Woodstock.

Bonjourrrrrr, ya cheese-eatin' surrender monkey!