Josiah “Jed” Bartlet
The idealist in the Oval
A Nobel economist president of liberal conscience.
Reformist Social DemocratOne of 729 ideologies · enter the Social Democrat hall →- Role
- President (fiction)
- From
- The West Wing
- Region
- United States
- Social band
- Reformist
- Placement
- −42 · −22 · +60
§ Where Josiah “Jed” Bartlet stands
3 axesBartlet is an academic economist who defends social spending, public education and a progressive tax system, and he fights Republican congresses over the budget, in Season 5 accepting a government shutdown rather than agree to deep cuts. Like the centrist Democrats of the 1990s, though, he works within a market economy and repeatedly negotiates budget compromises with Republican leaders.
Bartlet reveres the Constitution and democratic institutions: he accepts congressional censure for hiding his illness, and when his daughter is kidnapped he temporarily transfers power under the 25th Amendment rather than act while compromised. He does use force abroad, including the covert killing of a foreign defence minister tied to terrorism in Season 3, which the series treats as a grave moral burden.
Bartlet is progressive on civil rights, science and pluralism while wrestling with his Catholic faith. In Season 2 he publicly rebukes a radio host who cites Leviticus to condemn homosexuality, mocking her selective reading of scripture, and in Season 1 he agonises over a federal execution he declines to stop despite his religious opposition to the death penalty.
How close are you to Josiah “Jed” Bartlet?
Three statements, one per axis. Answer them and we’ll drop you on the compass next to them.
§ The story
FictionJosiah Edward Bartlet, known as Jed, is the fictional president of the United States at the centre of Aaron Sorkin's NBC drama The West Wing (1999–2006), played by Martin Sheen. A Democrat and former governor of New Hampshire, he is a devout Catholic, a descendant of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a Nobel laureate in economics, whose erudition, temper and moral seriousness drive the series' portrait of the White House and the staff who serve him.
Bartlet's presidency spans two terms. His concealment of his multiple sclerosis, revealed in Season 2, leads to a congressional investigation and censure; he is nonetheless re-elected in a landslide, and later temporarily hands over power under the 25th Amendment when his daughter is kidnapped. Conceived as a liberal ideal during Bill Clinton's presidency, he became an emblem of idealistic, policy-literate leadership for Democrats, and many real politicians and staffers have cited the show as an inspiration for entering public service.
Notable for
- 01Nobel laureate in economics (in-story)
- 02Two-term Democratic president
- 03Defined the 'idealist' political drama
Key works & moments
- 1999NBC premieres The West Wing, with Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlet.
- Season 2Rebukes a radio host who cites Leviticus to condemn homosexuality, in The Midterms.
- Season 2Discloses his multiple sclerosis and, in Two Cathedrals, decides to seek re-election.
- Season 3Accepts congressional censure and orders the covert killing of a terrorist-linked defence minister.
- Season 4Wins re-election in a landslide, then invokes the 25th Amendment after his daughter's kidnapping.
- 2006The series ends as Bartlet hands the presidency to his successor, Matt Santos.
§ Minds closest to Josiah “Jed” Bartlet
All minds →
§ Also in the Social Democrat hall
Enter the hall →§ Common questions
4 answersWhat is Jed Bartlet's political ideology?
Jed Bartlet is a liberal Democrat of the 1990s mould: on the 99ideologies three-axis compass, a Reformist Social Democrat. Economically he sits left of centre (−42), a Nobel-winning economist who defends social spending, public education and progressive taxation within a market economy. On governance he is a constitutional democrat (−22) who reveres institutions and the rule of law. Socially he is progressive (+60) on civil rights, science and pluralism, in constant tension with his Catholic faith.
Is Jed Bartlet left-wing or right-wing?
Left of centre, but a pragmatic liberal rather than a radical. Bartlet defends public spending, progressive taxes and civil rights against Republican opponents, which places him on the American left. Yet he negotiates with Republican leaders, uses military force abroad and sometimes trims principle for political survival. Many viewers see him as an idealised Democratic president of the Clinton era, more openly liberal than Clinton himself.
Was Jed Bartlet based on a real president?
Not on any single president. The West Wing grew out of material Aaron Sorkin had written for his 1995 film The American President, in which Martin Sheen played the White House chief of staff, and Bartlet was conceived as an idealised Democratic leader during Bill Clinton's presidency. Commentators have noted echoes of Clinton's policy-minded intelligence and of John F. Kennedy's Catholic New England roots, while the character's descent from Josiah Bartlett, a New Hampshire signer of the Declaration of Independence, ties him to the founding era.
Which minds are closest to Josiah “Jed” Bartlet?
On the 99ideologies three-axis compass, the minds closest to Josiah “Jed” Bartlet are Leslie Knope (97% alike), Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (97% alike) and Olof Palme (96% alike). The furthest is Adam Sutler (8% alike).