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Press Secretary CJ Cregg (Allison Janney) is the only woman present in the ‘inner circle,’ and this ratio remains the same at the end of the series. Even though her job is as important, if not more so, than her colleagues, she is ‘left out’ of important discussions, such as that surrounding the President’s multiple sclerosis. This is similar to the ‘real’ West Wing, with Dee Dee Myers recalling her exclusion from discussions in the Clinton Administration. Other women are shown in a supporting, secretarial role, most notably Donna Moss (Janel Moloney), as the assistant who seeks a promotion but finds her boss, Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), unwilling to advance her career. In the ‘real’ and current American political
scene, women dominate the cabinet. Secretaries Hillary Clinton, Kathleen Sebelius, Hilda Solis and Janet Napolitano hold vital cabinet positions. A close Obama friend, Valerie Jarrett is an advisor, and Nancy Pelosi is the first female Speaker of the House. Whilst ahead of its time on some issues, The West Wing was definitely lagging behind in its representation of the power of women in the workplace. However, the portrayal of dedication and ideological commitment of the staff corrects the anti-DC view and journalistic assessments that see Washington officials purely interested in power and self-advancement. The characters in The West Wing look out for each other, and are not competitive to the point where they would stab each other in the back.
Vice-Presidential
misrepresentations There are some instances where The West Wing fails to address certain aspects
48 MediaMagazine | December 2009 | english and media centre
realistically. The dated representation of the Vice-President is perhaps its main failing. Vice-President John Hoynes (Tim Matheson) is portrayed as the outsider, not welcome or invited to cabinet discussions, and only selected to unite the Democratic Party. This is almost hard to comprehend compared to recent Vice- Presidential selections. Perhaps the strongest Vice-President in terms of influence was Dick Cheney. His political experience and knowledge of Washington DC surpassed that of President George W. Bush, and Cheney is credited with being the driving force behind the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The current Vice-President, Joe Biden, was selected for his experience in foreign affairs and, as in The West Wing, President Obama appointed former rivals Hillary Clinton and Biden to Executive and Cabinet positions.
Authenticity or idealisation? So how accurate is the portrayal of American
politics on The West Wing? There is no doubt that Aaron Sorkin uses the audience’s anti-Washington feeling to portray a vision of executive liberalism, whilst capturing the structure and mood of the White House. We see the limitations of executive power: the bargaining and co-operations with others, as well as the siege by outside forces who do not share the interests of the President and his administration. In terms of failings, the programme does not show staffers on endless telephone calls or in tedious meetings, and fails to address the growing role of the Vice-President within the Administration. It also presents a HolIywood ‘fantasy’ of a President, particularly in the episode ‘Midterms,’ where Bartlet belittles a conservative guest at
a White House social event. This would never happen in real-life, particularly not in public, as it would lead to heightened partisan power and tension, something the President cannot afford. The programme does, however, highlight the strains on personal lives, with individuals such as CJ sacrificing her independence to serve their leader. It is evident that The West Wing presents a
glamorised and overly optimistic representation of the workings of the White House, omitting the competition, factionalism and isolation that the characters face in the real West Wing. It does, however, stay faithful to the re-creation of the interior decor of the Executive Mansion, as well as the positive representation of the dedication and diverse personalities who ‘serve at the pleasure of the President’. The Presidency is the equivalent to an American monarchy, sacred yet vulnerable, and it is only through The West Wing that we will get anywhere close to the ‘inner circle.’
Laura Dunn is a former A Level Media student, now studying journalism at Cardiff University, and is hoping to intern on Capitol Hill next year.
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