The Best President
America Never Had

I think anyone who loves smart, fast-talking television should watch The West Wing. Jed Bartlet was the best president America never had. He was intelligent, committed, empathetic, and took on the office as honestly as he could. Though he had his flaws, he remains my ideal American president, albeit fictional.

Sure, I know it's fiction and the show is basically a fantasy, but I'd rather think of it as a guidebook for how to lead with integrity. Jed Bartlet and the rest of the cast put on a masterclass on how to operate and navigate a seamless administration, all while fighting for what they believe in.

Looking back, the cast really went all out throughout all seven seasons of the show. They gave their best performances, even better than the more famous roles they've played since. Allison Janney, for instance, may have won the Oscar for her portrayal of LaVona Golden in I, Tonya, but I will always view her as White House Press Secretary C.J. Gregg.

It also helps that these actors are truly dignified in real life. I had the privilege of helping work on the 2020 HBO Max special, A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote, which reunited the cast 21 years later. I was part of the crew and actually got to interact with most of them.

Many of the big stars came back: Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Rob Lowe, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, Dulé Hill, and more. We worked on it at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown LA, and it was the best week of my life.

We were still in quarantine, so I was part of a small crew that handled multiple parts of production. They only did a staged reading, but they took us all back to the early 2000s with how good they are.

By the end, I managed to approach most of them to get their autographs. They were all so nice about it, too, despite how strict people were about physical contact. But I sanitized myself before going up to each one, and I left my mask on all day. I doubt they'd even recognize me if I ever saw them in person again.

Everyone should watch The West Wing again. It gave us a great example of what it means to lead with heart, and it's still one of the best-acted shows ever made.