Life Imitates Art

For seven years "The West Wing" ran on NBC. The show followed the ups and downs of a Democratic White House. We know it was fiction because the President (played Martin Sheen) was a pro-life (he got the Democratic nomination how?) northeastern liberal. NBC's talking car has a better chance of being real.
Somehow though, the producers came eerily close to reality. In the last two seasons they developed a storyline about the election to succeed Martin Sheen's character. Here is where it gets weird: the Democratic nominee was a young Latino (read "I don't look like the other Presidents", played by Jimmy Smits) with little legislative experience. He defeated more established party figures for the nomination (in the show it was a sitting Vice President, in 2008 it was the Clintons). To buttress his credentials he picked an experienced political type with tons of Washington experience as a running mate. Leo McGary (played by the late John Spencer) had an Irish Catholic, blue collar streak to him (sound like another running mate we all know?).
There is more. On the Republican side, a long time Senator, who often clashed with his party wins the nomination. Arnold Vinnick (played by Alan Alda) has to calm concerns within the right wing of the party so he selects a young conservative Governor for a running mate (he was male, the writers where not that prescient!). Sound like a Republican ticket we are all familiar with?
Both candidates want to keep the debate on a higher plan, but traditional methods of campaigning take over.
Those of you who are fans of Obama will like how it turned out: the Jimmy Smits character wins the election (although he promptly names Alan Alda Secretary of State).
Before you get too excited, remember the show was still based on the premise that a northeastern, pro-life liberal could serve eight years in the White House. Art does not always imitate life, but if I see a talking car in the parking lot today McCain is in trouble.