TV politics versus Real Life Politics. Spoilers
The two TV shows that I watch that involve political intrigue are "The West Wing" and "24". Both are very good contrasts to each other and to real life. The West Wing has had the kind of Presidents that we in reality wish we could have. At least that is the case with Jed Bartlett and the now recently elected Matt Santos. Hell, even Arnold Vinick, the Republican who ran against Santos would have been a decent President. One I could respect. All three of these characters showed honesty, integrity and the morality to make good Presidents. They also have the political know-how and smart people around them that help them get things done. The West Wing is America as it should be. Where while both sides have their differences, neither is really evil. Granted, there are things on the West Wing that reflect some of the problems that we have in our world, yet it seems like the characters get through them intact.
24, is a totally different story. 24 deals with a lot of hyperbole in a heightened reality. Through the course of the show, we have seen three Presidents, but only 2 of them have really been thoroughly examined. President David Palmer and President Charles Logan. David Palmer was a Democrat, and an honest man. Not to mention the first Black President according to the 24 timeline. He is a West Wing President in a 24 world. A great man surrounded by at times less than ethical people who have tried to take him down. In season 2, he was temporarily removed from office because he would not go to war with a foreign country who he did not know was responsible for a nuclear attack on American soil. When the country was found not to be responsible, he was reinstated and exonorated. In Season 3, because of some unfortunate events, he decided not to run for re-election. The other major President in 24, Charles Logan, stepped into the Presidency by accident when his predecessor was incapacitated. Wheras Palmer had been resolute, Logan was a moral coward of the worst order. Afraid to do anything. During Season 5, a nerve gas threat occurred on US soil. In the process of it, former President David Palmer was assasinated. As the day progresses, we see that Logan is complicit with all of this. He was behind the nerve gas threat. All in effort to shore up his power base under the guise of "making America safer". Sound familiar? It's a little scary to me that our world is closer to the 24 type than The West Wing type. He orchestrated the invasion of Iraq based on lies, which I find appalling. He outed a secret agent in revenge for her husband refuting his claims about Iraq getting Uranium Yellowcake from Africa. While this is not nearly as appalling as what Logan was doing on 24, it is illegal.
It is amazing to which the level of distrust in our government can shift. Before Watergate, Presidents have lost the respect of the people. Truman in 1952, for example. Ironically one of our most revered Presidents now. But Watergate was certainly a watershed moment in terms of how we view our Government. After that we started to mistrust them. America loved Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, but didn't always trust them. While Bush seemed to be leading the American people along during the early part of his Presidency after 9/11, those days are long gone. Good riddance too. But if the truth were known, the damage in the trust of our government would be irreparable. Potentially anyway. When Logan is brought down at the end of this season of 24, the damage to the trust of the government will be catastrophic. The point is, while we need to always question our leaders, we also need to trust that they have our best interests at heart in the decisions they make, even if we don't like those decisions. As we watched The West Wing progress, people came to trust Jed Bartlett. They will come to trust Matt Santos. They trusted David Palmer. Charles Logan will break the trust of the people on 24, like Bush is breaking our trust in reality.
24, is a totally different story. 24 deals with a lot of hyperbole in a heightened reality. Through the course of the show, we have seen three Presidents, but only 2 of them have really been thoroughly examined. President David Palmer and President Charles Logan. David Palmer was a Democrat, and an honest man. Not to mention the first Black President according to the 24 timeline. He is a West Wing President in a 24 world. A great man surrounded by at times less than ethical people who have tried to take him down. In season 2, he was temporarily removed from office because he would not go to war with a foreign country who he did not know was responsible for a nuclear attack on American soil. When the country was found not to be responsible, he was reinstated and exonorated. In Season 3, because of some unfortunate events, he decided not to run for re-election. The other major President in 24, Charles Logan, stepped into the Presidency by accident when his predecessor was incapacitated. Wheras Palmer had been resolute, Logan was a moral coward of the worst order. Afraid to do anything. During Season 5, a nerve gas threat occurred on US soil. In the process of it, former President David Palmer was assasinated. As the day progresses, we see that Logan is complicit with all of this. He was behind the nerve gas threat. All in effort to shore up his power base under the guise of "making America safer". Sound familiar? It's a little scary to me that our world is closer to the 24 type than The West Wing type. He orchestrated the invasion of Iraq based on lies, which I find appalling. He outed a secret agent in revenge for her husband refuting his claims about Iraq getting Uranium Yellowcake from Africa. While this is not nearly as appalling as what Logan was doing on 24, it is illegal.
It is amazing to which the level of distrust in our government can shift. Before Watergate, Presidents have lost the respect of the people. Truman in 1952, for example. Ironically one of our most revered Presidents now. But Watergate was certainly a watershed moment in terms of how we view our Government. After that we started to mistrust them. America loved Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, but didn't always trust them. While Bush seemed to be leading the American people along during the early part of his Presidency after 9/11, those days are long gone. Good riddance too. But if the truth were known, the damage in the trust of our government would be irreparable. Potentially anyway. When Logan is brought down at the end of this season of 24, the damage to the trust of the government will be catastrophic. The point is, while we need to always question our leaders, we also need to trust that they have our best interests at heart in the decisions they make, even if we don't like those decisions. As we watched The West Wing progress, people came to trust Jed Bartlett. They will come to trust Matt Santos. They trusted David Palmer. Charles Logan will break the trust of the people on 24, like Bush is breaking our trust in reality.
posted by CO Democrat at 6:34 PM
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