Does the Trump years in the White House make the West Wing obsolete?

[Baitball Blogger]

We're getting through the second season of the West Wing when they're sweating over the president possibly committing a fraud because he withheld information regarding his MS diagnosis. And it's hard to go along with their concerns, knowing what we know now. With Trump we see that people almost expect him to lie. And people covered for him, without facing consequences.

We have changed as a country, haven't we?

[Yavin4]

1. West Wing was always obsolete

A liberal wonky fairy tale with little to no connection to reality. It actually did more harm than good because it gave a younger generation the wrong idea of how politics works. There is no sophisticated argument that can convince Republicans. They are not a principled party willing to listen to reason.

[YorkRd]

2. I have been watching "Borgen" and felt a similar thing.

The Danish political drama is critically acclaimed and beloved but hasn’t aged well in the age of Putin and Trump. Back in 2013 when I first watched, it seemed serious but quaint but now it seems laughable, almost “Emily in Paris” except with tough family situations.

[judeling]

3. Yes, Minister

seems to be more apt to what we just beheld.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. The West Wing lived in its own universe. Even before Trump.

Bartlet not being impeached over the MS scandal is proof of this. Remember, that story arc came a few years after Clinton was impeached over lying about his sex life. The GOP in our world would have attempted to have Bartlet hanged if he openly misled the American people about his MS.

Didn't that arc basically end with a Republican saving Leo's ass after it became clear, during Bartlet's first campaign that he knew about the MS (he was drinking with some lobbyists in a hotel room prior to a debate when Bartlet has an episode and, drunk, blurts out to one of the lobbyists that Bartlet had MS and was experiencing a flair up (the lobbyists then becomes a congressman))?

That wouldn't happen in real life. Bartlet would have been impeached and he likely would have lost reelection - or it would have been a lot closer than they had it.

His second term also would have been hurt badly by the resignation of the vice president over an affair.

The West Wing was an idealistic version of the presidency where even a large portion of Republicans were at least semi-decent folks willing to compromise.

But that's not reality. And it wasn't during Bush's presidency, either.