'The West Wing' Takes on the Politics of the Debt Ceiling Vote

The Washington Post dug up this clip from The West Wing's sixth season where White House advisor Toby Ziegler explained what the debt ceiling is and the politics of the congressional manuevering on the matter. MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell, who used to consult and write for the NBC drama, was a writer on this episode entitled, "In God We Trust."

Watching the clip reminds me of how much I miss The West Wing because it contained two of my favorite elements: It was smart and it was centered around politics. The Good Wife is the closest currently airing show that comes close to providing an insightful glimpse into the world of modern politics, Chicago style.

If only all of our civics lessons could be taught by the West Wing folks . . .