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Actor Who Played Obama-like Character on The West Wing to Rally With Obama Tonight in Florida

October 29, 2008 9:26 PM

Tonight, when actor Jimmy Smits joins Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., (not to mention former President Bill Clinton) on stage at a late night rally in Kissimmee, Florida, it will be a case of art meeting life imitating art imitating life.

Smits, you may recall, played Rep. Matt Santos, D-Texas, in the final two seasons of The West Wing -- a charming, inexperienced, young Democratic presidential candidate, a former community organizer with two young children who talked of breaching the partisan divide and was trying to become the first non-white U.S. President.

If Santos, whose election to the White House ended the seven-year run of the show, reminds you a bit of Obama you’re not alone. And it’s not an accident.

Santos in many ways was modeled on Obama, then just a candidate for U.S. Senate.

"I drew inspiration from him in drawing this character," West Wing writer and producer Eli Attie told the Guardian.  "When I had to write, Obama was just appearing on the national scene. He had done a great speech at the (2004) convention and people were beginning to talk about him." Attie called Obama senior strategist David Axelrod and said, "tell me about Barack Obama."

So Smits, who played Santos, will tonight be on stage with Obama, whose campaign in many ways already played out on TV, though in reality Santos was based on Obama not the other way around.

Santos on the show was challenging an older Republican from a Western state with a reputation for moderate positions, straight talk, and difficulties courting Christian conservatives. Alan Alda played the fictitious Sen. Arnie Vinick, R-Calif.

Lawrence O’Donnell, a producer and writer for the series told the New York Times that he used McCain as one of the templates for Vinick, though he said, "McCain’s resemblance to the Vinick character was much stronger in 2000 than in 2008."

Ultimately, Santos became president. We of course do not yet know how this show will end.

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (31)

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Lydia
A 50% tax credit doesn't mean much when after wages, overhead, etc. there wasn't much left to tax anyway. If you haven't lived it, talk to some small businesses and asl them how it is.
I just know that the economy always improves, the tax revenues actually increase with accross the board tax cuts. When you target the rich the economy slows, tax revenues decrease. Type in the history of tax and check some of the sites.
I like a mix of both candidates, as my abc test showed but in the end it showed I am for McCain which I am.

Posted by: A Veteran | Oct 29, 2008 10:26:45 PM

I looked up Herbert Hoover on the net, His failed socialist poliicies are exactly what Obamas policies are, right down to the volunteers. And Hoover was a change from ground up person too. Check it out for yourselves. UnCanny!

Posted by: Georgie | Oct 29, 2008 10:26:40 PM

A Veteran, I don't think you understand Obama's health insurance plan. He isn't forcing people to buy into his plan, they can keep their existing plan. And small businesses will get tax credits up to 50% if they provide health care. Small businesses will also get zero capital gains and other tax credits. Obama looks at small businesses are the real engines of the economy.
McCain on the other hand wants health insurance to be taxed as income for the first time ever in our history. Economic experts are stating that this will force many businesses to stop providing insurance, leaving millions more without it.
Both candidates plans are detailed on their websites. I've done 'comparison shopping', and that's why I'm voting for Obama.

Posted by: Lydia | Oct 29, 2008 10:16:28 PM

steve
I never said republicans were immune. I don't know the story behind that. There could be more to it than that. I don't know. Anymore you can think of?

Posted by: A Veteran | Oct 29, 2008 10:08:01 PM

There are a lot of things that could change that would help Federal and state workers could have to work to full retirement age instead of being able to retire at 55. To force a small business to have health insurance for their workers would put many out of business. I was a small business owener with 20 employees, by the time you pay for disablity, workers comp.. matching social security there isn't much left.You are hoping to make 10% profit margin. If you are doing retail you have to add 1.5 to 3 % on top of the price for credit card usuage. You have to pay credit card companies to be able to collect with their card. You want to keep your prices down and stay competitive with the bigger companies. I worked construction for many years with no vacation, no paid holidays and no health insurance. It is a big mess out there. There will be businesses closing. There will be lost jobs. There will be more foreclosures, lost pensions. He said that a companies word about pension was sacred. Why then does the govenment keep taking money out of our pension called social security. Can we charge them with a crime??

Posted by: A Veteran | Oct 29, 2008 10:05:59 PM

hey A VETERAN- are you forgetting that McCain dumped his first wife, for a much younger, richer woman, while he was still married. Dumb comment to make dude.

Posted by: steve | Oct 29, 2008 9:59:30 PM

Lydia
What is sad is that with whoever in the White House it will continue. It just won't be shown on TV to get your sympathy up.

Posted by: A Veteran | Oct 29, 2008 9:49:45 PM

Obama was wonderful tonight. The message of him looking out for ordinary people and small businesses came across loud and clear. Like he said, the corporations, the drug companies, the oil companies will all do just fine without so much government aid but ordinary families, workers and small businesses are needing someone to stand up for them. Not with a hand out but to level the playing field a bit, as now it is skewed in favor of the wealthy and corporations. And as the middle class recovers and the economy grows everyone will do better. It is so logical.
Right at the beginning there was an ordinary guy who told of how after 30 years at the same company his pension payment shrunk from the promised $1500 to under $400. The pain on that guys face really got to me. We are so used to seeing numbers, as in 40 million without health insurance, that we forget about the individuals and how much they suffer. Same with all the foreclosures lately. Imagine those people packing, taking one last look at the rooms they spent time in with their families, lost now because of medical bills or being laid off. We do need a champion in the White House. Obama is the right choice for right now.

Posted by: Lydia | Oct 29, 2008 9:45:31 PM

And this important because??? One reason I question Obama for president is because he endorsed by so many actors. Hollywood actors have such a terrible time choosing the right spouse, can remain faithful to them and the end it to move on to another. I only see a bunch of irresponsible people. Yeah their fun to watch in a movie or on TV but beyond that... I'm surprised nobody asked Spears who she was endorsing.
Democrats seem to have a problem with fidelity themselves. Hart, Clinton, Obama, Spitzer, Richardson ...
Instead of a post that has meaning its Hollywood. That is sad

Posted by: A Veteran | Oct 29, 2008 9:42:26 PM

Failed socialism is precisely the sort of change that Obama promises

Posted by: Steave Cuozzo | Oct 29, 2008 9:42:06 PM

Update us on Obama's newly found aunt, Jake.

Posted by: DM | Oct 29, 2008 9:39:17 PM

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