Did "The West Wing" Predict the 2008 Election?

Posted Mar 3rd 2008 4:50PM by TMZ Staff

The writers of "The West Wing" were using a helluva magic eight ball! The last two seasons of the show have some strange coincidences with the 2008 Presidential race.

SlateV.com created a video comparing the similarities between Barack Obama and Jimmy Smits' character, Matt Santos. A writer for the show, Eli Attie, admits Smits character was directly shaped by Obama. The writer even met with one of Obama's political consultants, who was working on his campaign for Senate at the time.

In the show, a Congressman of color runs for the Democratic nomination and the primary race is so close it leads to a brokered convention. Smits opponent is better-known, funded and experienced. Freaky!

P.S. -- Santos won the nomination and went on to win the presidential election.

Filed under: Prez Election 2008

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16. yeah, drew, cuz old rich white guys are doing SUCH a spectacular job!!!!!!!!! i pray you're wrong and this country isnt still THAT backwoods!

Posted at 5:23PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by kim

17. And whatever you do, don't ask Obama about his religion anymore. He's tired of talking about it. We're doomed!

Posted at 5:23PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Alexa

18. obama vs. mccain= mccain

hillary vs. mccain= who knows, hillary might have a chance.....

Posted at 5:24PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Ali

19. Well' "Guy....", maybe the tip over in real life is that South America is about to get plunged into war! ( wasn't trying to be argumentative) If that happens, the entire political landscape may change as S.A. is not some far away place that most people can't relate to. It's just a couple of blocks away, comparatively. We will become involved in that war for sure if it happens- and it looks like it will!

Posted at 5:25PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by ?

20. Obama will not be losing to McCain, will not happen!!

Posted at 5:26PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by wait, what?

21. I live about 2 miles from John McCain's house and while I don't hate the guy, he is not so pure either. My mother had been a victim of the 'Keating 5' ( google it- too long to explain) and McCain was up to his neck in this banking scandal. And not that this matters one bit, but if he is elected, we will probably see the first in office divorce happen. The McCain marriage has been held together by threads for years now. It's actually surprising they've held together this long! I really could care less if it happens, but if he does get elected, be prepared for this to happen because there is a very, very good chance it will.

Posted at 5:35PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by AZ res.

22. AZ res. I don't know about McCain's wife . But it sickens me to think that Michelle Obama,who's been ashamed of our country all of her adult lifetime, could be the next first lady.

Posted at 5:48PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Alexa

23. With all of the speech similarities, maybe Obama's speech writers are West Wing fans?????? Maybe that's where they got his lines from????? Maybe???? (His main writer is only 26 years old.)

Posted at 5:53PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Lothar

24. Obama will get beaten like a rug by McCain.

The Dems throw another POTUS election away.

At least Clinton would be able to put up a fight. Nothing they can say about her that hasn't been said for years.

Posted at 5:59PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Dood

25. Kim go shove your head in a toliet. bitch your a woman what do know.

Posted at 6:29PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by drew

26. I think it's funny that a lot of people think that Obama would loose to McCain. I wonder if those same people thought that Hillary would win on Super Tuesday?

Posted at 6:45PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Obama for Pres.

27. #2 I also hope you are right! McCain is the only one who will be able to handle the job!

Posted at 6:48PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by ms.behavin

28. OBAMA IS THE MUSLIM'S MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE.

Posted at 6:51PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Jesup

29. Oh how your credibility sinks to the depths below when you resort to insults and fanatical political beliefs .
Get over it .
A Democrat will be the next president for the next eight years .
Bush senior's term for four years was a joke and a lie just like his son't tenure as president, war war war , oil oil oil .
Clinton comes in for eight years and we enjoy a great economy,low inflation rates, lower gas prices, domestic security,record budget surplus, decreased crime, and world renowned peace movements. Remember Arafat. This man kept the entire Eastern World in fear.
He left the White House with an approval rating of 80%. Unheard of, in any era...The Bill Clinton times were like nothing the U.S. had enjoyed before.
And what is the weak bush supporter's argument ? Oh Bill got a few blow jobs ,oh yes let's crucify him for that shall we? Is that the best you can do ?
Even funnier is with the bs that bush senior created the way and the good times during his little four year tenure,for Bill .
If that were the truth , then after four years of bush junior in office , we should have seen marked improvement , right ? It is anything but.
Bush junior , is THE worst president , he took America on a path to hell and now he is desperate to play a phoney hero giving back a paltry 600.00 , what a crock .
Am I cashing that check ?? HELL NO .
Instead I am framing it and hanging it on my wall alongside a photo of Bozo the Clown to illustrate the humor of the lunacy that is this current president.
We need a Democrat to get back into office and clean up this damn mess the republicans created and bring our country back above and beyond what it was during the 90's.
So stick that in your pipe and smoke it .

Posted at 7:01PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Play Nice Children ...

30. Hillary is anything thing but as predictable as Obama. He makes me sick. If he wins I may move to Canada for his duration !!

Posted at 7:04PM on Mar 3rd 2008 by Hillary all the way

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