In the opening episode of The West Wing, the president does not appear until the last few minutes of the episode. Even though the president is not seen throughout much of the episode, many issues surrounding his presidency become apparent. The most controversial political issue that the president must face in this pilot episode is whether or not to make his decisions based on the public’s pressure and opinions. In this episode, Josh Lyman, Bartlett’s Deputy Chief of Staff, is invited to be a guest on a Christian talk show led by extreme Christian Conservative, Mary Marsh. During the show, Josh let his emotions get the best of him and he argued against her opinion in an unprofessional manner. Throughout the episode, multiple characters, including Leo, the Chief of Staff, are questioned about the effects of Josh’s outburst. Many Christian activists, including a few ministers, are outraged at the situation at hand.
The president must make a decision whether or not to keep Josh on his team. President Bartlett seems to be the people’s president (as I know from watching later episodes), and he must listen to the views of the people. But Bartlett also refers to his cabinet for guidance. At the conclusion of the episode, the president allows Josh to remain on his team, although the press and the public believe he should do otherwise. This episode helps us, as an audience, to realize that there are many factors that go into a president’s decision, whether big or small. The way president Bartlett is able to mesh the opinions of the public and the opinions of his cabinet allow him to be portrayed as a well-rounded president.
As a fan of The West Wing, I know that president Bartlett is a religious individual, constantly quoting the Bible. The issue dealing with Josh gives the president an opportunity to let his religious views get the best of him, but being an educated, humble president, he puts his emotions and religious views aside; he decides to rely on his cabinet, his peers and his public for support instead of making a rash decision.
A very thoughtful post. Yes, Bartlett is probably more religious than Mary Marsh. She makes a job of her religion, and she did goad Josh. I think the fact that Bartlett did not fire Josh indicates that he has the final decision, even though he is willing to listen to others.
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