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Since its premiere in 1999, Democrats have turned to The West Wing for its inspiring take on American politics. Most recently, the cast was featured prominently on the presidential campaign trail for Kamala Harris in 2024. Many staffers, politicians, and media voices in the liberal space have noted their fandom of the show and its impact on their political careers. But what is that vision, exactly? What is The West Wing hopeful for? What does its idealized government look like? And is it part of the solution, or part of the problem?

While often viewed as a kind of liberal parallel fantasy to the Bush Administration, it's pretty wild how much The West Wing used all the same talking points to sell the War on Terror to its audience.