Let Bartlet Be Bartlet

Throughout this entire season, I've had one question on my mind: How come these people were able to win an election? There have been no signs to me that these were people that the public would look at and see the future of their government. I don't see how anyone could look at Jed Bartlet and pretend like he was not a big goof with very little distinct to say about where he wanted the country to go. This entire season has pretty much been about him sucking up to the other people in his government, with the occasional argument with his VP. Any attempt I have had to see anything that could signal an appeal to voters have been overshadowed by more ridiculous moments. However, it seems like the show itself had those questions on its mind, because the episode that I've now seen raises a lot of those important questions for thought. "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" centers around a paper going around that the staff discovers to be a memo about how to defeat Bartlet in the upcoming election. This makes the staff ask themselves the moral questions of why this memo was written in the first place and why it's on them. This might be my favorite episode of the season so far and the episode that finally tackled those important issues that the show had to address in some form or another. Leave it to Aaron Sorkin to explain it in the most dramatic, yet heavily entertaining way he possibly could.

It's true that this administration has had a few victories throughout the season. The Mendoza confirmation comes up in this episode, but it's a small victory for a crew who has constantly been undermined by other people because of their reluctance to do anything that would sink their chances of reelection. It's time to reorganize and try different tactics, which is why this episode is so monumental to the rest of the show. Whether this was conceived because Sorkin had those issues with the show himself or because they wanted something new is irrelevant, as long as it actually happened.

But it also has to go back to Bartlet, who I have criticized for being too loose of a canon this season. He seems to be throwing around his personality everywhere he goes, which can be charming to a certain extent, but will alienate some people. It seems like members of his staff have felt that too and are finally confronting him about it. That was the right way to go, and it puts a new focus on the relationship Bartlet has with the staff. It's more of an even playing field now and that really raises the stakes going forward.

I have joined the voices of a lot of "West Wing" superfans in my displeasure for the character of Mandy. She seems to be getting the short end of the stick in every episode, a clear indication that Sorkin has no idea what to do with her. In this episode, her stupidity reaches new heights as she's literally the reason why this might all go south. However, this episode does give us a look into her as a player in the game instead of a boring character. That felt good, even though she's still missing for most of the episode.

I've also learned that Sorkin will do anything to seem patriotic in this show. And hey, it's a show about American politics, so why not seem a little patriotic. There's a moment at the end that would be cheesy in any other episode, but actually works here because of the overly patriotic feel it has. Sorkin seems like the kind of guy who loves himself a little too much, but he lowkey makes fun of himself in this moment, and that brought a smile to my face. It's those moments that I like more than anything else on display.

"Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" asks some important questions and gives satisfying answers that promises a change in the questions that we may ask going forward. It's a powerful episode with a lot of good themes being thrown around, but it works because of its ending moments which is better than much else in this show.

It's important to remember that "The West Wing" is not about the president and his agenda or place in history but rather about the inner workings of his West Wing staff and how they advise him and implement his policy decisions. That is reflected in the fact that Martin Sheen is not (check out the billing) the star of the show nor was he intended to be. This segment focuses powerfully on the clash between political realities and the president and his party's goals and core beliefs, with the staff caught between giving him advice that will help his re-election efforts versus vigorously supporting his agenda for advancing the nation, even if politically dangerous.

The dramatic thrust of the story revolves around the impending crisis of newspaper reporting (by Tim Busfield, Allison Janney's friend) of politically damaging opposition research written by Moira Kelly before she went to work for the president. It reflects badly on both the president and his chief advisor Leo.

Yet the subplots involving issues that are still highly relevant today drive home the key problems. Gays in the military, in the wake of the government's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy", is debated strongly by Rob Lowe, but the progress since 2000 (when this episode aired) and today on the issue is being rolled back by Pete Hegseth at our current president's behest. Even more striking, the issue of campaign finance reform, is even more significant now than when Bradley Whitford argues about it here in 2000. Yet the premise that it is congressional leaders and not the president who will ultimately control the successful appointment of new members to the Federal Education Commission has been turned on its head. The idea that a president would defer to Congress on appointments has been dashed by our current president who acts as if he can (and will) appoint unilaterally anyone he wants to any governmental body, even those that are statutorily independent of the executive branch.

Ultimately the episode ends with Leo lighting a fire to put some spine into the president, marking a more militant and aggressive stance for the future, with the West Wing staff to take firmer positions in dealing with members of both parties.