Typically I don't write on politics as its just such a polarizing subject and frankly, I don't feel much like getting into the futile debates that lead no where. But some recent life imitating art parallels have prompted me to jot down a few thoughts.
I've been a West Wing fan ever since the pilot episode. The show appealed to me because I found it intellectually stimulating, cleverly written and entertaining which is what good TV should be. My wife and I found ourselves saying, "Why can't we have a President like Jed Bartlett?" He's smart, a decent human, a hard worker who surrounded himself with the best of the best. Jed Bartlett in my opinion would've made a a really strong US President.
I remember in particular during some of the Re-election episodes, that Bartlett's opponent, "Ritchie" was trying to characterize him as "an elitist", "an intellectual snob" or words to that effect. In fact, his opponent directly accused him of that and when Bartlet and Richie go head to head in a unique debate format, Bartlet tears Richie apart on states' rights, education, taxes, etc., by being precisely the intellectual snob everyone had accused him of being and using it to his own advantage.
This all came to mind watching the new McCain attack ads unfold against Barack Obama in which he calls him ..not let me get this right... First McCain's recent attack ad attempts to paint Obama as a ditzy celebrity, in the likes of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. And then out of the other side of his mouth he's calling him an Elitist. Well that's confusing, but let me focus on the "elitist" comments.
Frankly, Mr. McCain, thank you for calling him that. I want a member of the intellectual elite to be my President. We have big problems, and we need Big Thinkers to solve them. We need serious, innovative and creative thinkers to solve our energy, economic, domestic and foreign policy messes. For my money, the single largest deficit that McCain has? I don't think he has the Intellectual Horsepower (like our current President) to do the job.
I want a President who taught law at one of the countries' most prestigious Law Schools while writing a book and serving in a state senate. I want a President who has the Intellectual gravitas to work on our immensely difficult issues. If I can't have Jed Bartlett, I'll take Barack Obama.

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