Changing of the Guard

By Keith Boykin, in politics
Monday, May 15 2006, 1:00AM

It was almost as if the final episode had been planned from the beginning. On the last day of the Bartlet Administration, the last official act of the outgoing president was to grant clemency to an old friend who had once betrayed his trust. Then on the final episode of the television series, Hollywood did what America has never done. It quietly transferred presidential power to the first person of color ever to occupy the Oval Office on "The West Wing."

For seven years, "The West Wing" has been one of my favorite television shows, sometimes glamorizing, other times demystifying the office of the presidency. As a veteran of the White House myself, I felt more than a tinge of sorrow and loss to see the show come to an end. The fictitious White House staff were like my co-workers. But in one final episode we got to see the sadness of leaving office and the excitement of a new team starting a new term. And so it goes again, the transition from president to president continues.

For the record, I like to see television shows quit before they get old and dusty. For that reason, I was glad to see "The West Wing" come to an end on a high note. I only wish America could have seen President Santos running the country, making tough decisions and representing our nation abroad.

As much as I know that it's just television, I also know that TV has the power to transform the way we see ourselves. It has the power to show us that we need not fear change. It has the power to create an image for us of what change might look like. And it has the power to prepare us when change inevitably occurs.

I believe the future belongs to those who are not afraid of change. I am optimistic because I see a future where we will one day elect a black president, a woman president, or even a gay president. And one day in the not too distant future, America will inaugurate its first Latino president. And when we do, we may look back at that regular day of May 14, 2006, when "The West Wing" showed us it was possible.

And when might that happen? After leaving Washington on their final trip back home, the former first lady asked the former president, "What are you thinking about?" "Tomorrow," he replied.

Comments (2) reveal