Although the President does not actually appear in the Pilot episode of the West Wing other than to bring a conclusion to the episode, we learn of the various political problems he must deal with through dialogue of other characters. There is mention of immigration, gun control, the separation of church and state, abortion, and how to deal with public image. In my opinion, the most important issue that was dealt with however was how the President must attempt to protect his family life, while maintaining an image an entire nation can approve of.
The first time the audience is introduced to Martin Sheen as Josiah Bartlet, or the President, he is limping due to the sprained ankle he received in a bicycle accident. He enters a room that is in the middle of a heated debate that stems from Josh’s outburst on television. He quickly turns the tension to a subject that is of immediate importance to him, his family. Apparently his daughter was attacked, not physically of course, by a radical religious group against abortion. Bartlet’s daughter was only 12, and stated her opinion of the issue in an interview for a teen magazine. This is not fair; the young girl should never be a target of a group against any issue for her beliefs on anything whether she is the daughter of the President or the Jay to Silent Bob. This is certainly a political issue for the President to deal with because it brings him to the reality that, for taking the title of President of the United States, every action of his family will be scrutinized, dissected, and misinterpreted in any and every way possible. Every action performed will be noted as a reflection of Bartlet’s family life, which people will turn to become a reflection of his presidency. This situation is similar to the occurrence with Josh however, if need be, the President can fire Josh, the President cannot simply erase his family. This could easily become a very difficult and constand political issue any politician can face, as with Sarah Palin and her daughter’s pregnancy out of wedlock, and how she had to come to deal with. Again, this is a political issue that not only the president must face, but his family as well.
Your perception of the President's family's behavior as a metaphor for the presidency is quite interesting. America, more than any other Western nation, does reveal the private and family lives of politicians. Why do you think that is the case?
ReplyDeleteI feel that America as a whole spends a great deal of effort into wide-spread media coverage. With the advancement of technology the ability to have never-ending information on the lives of others seems to be the American obsession. Our modern culture loves any dumb scandal and covers it in any and every available form of media almost instantly. This practice of widespread media coverage has spread like a virus into the lives of celebrities, lucky average Joes, and even to politicians. This practice is viewed as very American, for I feel as though other cultures simply do not care as much, or rather, they choose to keep the boundries of politics separate, as it should be. It is the practice of our culture that gives American’s the notion that, not only do we care, but that we have a right to know what happens in one’s personal life. Not even the President of our great nation has a right to buy a dog without national coverage.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the notion that American media coverage spends way too much time focusing on the private lives of celebrities and politicians; however, I feel that it is our right as Americans to know how our public leaders live their lives TO AN EXTENT. If someone like Elliot Spitzer is revealed to be involved in a prostitution ring, I feel that Americans should know because he is a representative of the people. But as for American media covering the lives of family members (especially in such detail), I feel that is crossing the line. Just like in the West Wing, the President's thirteen year old granddaughter should not have been interviewed by the magazine, much less asked such a controversial question in the interview.
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