Jed Bartlet 2024

Who is your favorite fictional president?

Merry Christmas, dear readers!

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If I had watched the West Wing when it debuted, my whole life may have been different.¹ Well, slightly different. I was in high school, about four years away from realizing that I loved history more than literature. Instead of studying presidents, I may have worked for one.²

I usually rail against hypotheticals, but today I’m here to do the opposite.³

Next month, I’ll announce the tour for “How Should a President Be,” my fellowship project at New America. The most unexpected event will be at Upstate Films. During my discussion with ███████, the theater will play clips featuring our best and worst imaginary presidents. Starr Library, who is co-producing the event, will run a virtual election in advance—which is where you come in. 

Who should be on the ballot? 

I can’t believe Jed Bartlet kept his MS a secret from the electorate, but he also invoked the 25th Amendment when his daughter was kidnapped. (Everything about that sentence makes perfect sense.)

I’m partial to Andrew Shepherd. Morgan Freeman is innately presidential. 

In February, I wrote about Hollywood’s take on women presidents. 

There are a lot of good contenders. Tell me your favorite.

ON A RELATED NOTE

I talked to Peter Bergen about Washington’s teeth, which were most certainly not made of wood, at Fraunces Tavern in NYC. Bergen, the vice president for global studies and fellows at New America, kindly brought a few of the many books he’s authored, which I highly suggest, as well as those written by Laura Tillman, his producer. 

I was happy to see that Christy Coleman, who interviewed me in historic Williamsburg, was also featured in the thoughtful episode. 

FROM MY ARCHIVES

GOOD READS

“Many of our political institutions seem almost to be designed to exacerbate a feeling of hopelessness,” Jamelle Bouie writes in The New York Times. Our system is “riddled with veto points and counter-majoritarian rules that can stymie even the largest legislative majorities.” Inspired by the philosopher John Dewey’s 1939 book Freedom and Culture, Bouie argues that Democracy is “a set of habits and dispositions that must be cultivated and practiced if they are to survive and endure.”

MY FELLOW FELLOWS

I’m inspired by the work of the fellows in my cohort at New America. I hope you’ll check out Caroline Kilbanoff, Executive Director of Made By Us.

See you soonish! Until then, you can find me on Twitter and Instagram. If you’d like a personalized copy of my books, please order them from Oblong.

1. I’m on Season 4.

2. Would I be less into Josh Lyman?

3. https://twitter.com/alexiscoe/status/1606722962824253440?lang=ar-x-fm