Obama's CIA pick inspired fictional CoS Leo McGarry!
When Leo McGarry met Leon Panetta
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Northern Californians know Leon Panetta, President-elect Barack Obama's pick to be the next CIA chief, as the longtime Monterey Bay area congressman who once served as President Bill Clinton's chief of staff. But most Americans probably know him better as Leo McGarry, the staff chief for Joshua (sic) "Jed" Bartlet.
Bartlet, of course, was the fictional president in "The West Wing," the must-see series for political junkies that ran on NBC from 1999 to 2006.
The resemblance of Leo to Leon - both known as smart, savvy and often playful presidential aides - wasn't missed by Panetta's political friends or by Panetta himself.
Shortly after the TV series started, John Spencer, the late actor who played McGarry, met Panetta, and they exchanged compliments. According to Spencer's 2000 interview with PBS journalist Terence Smith, Panetta told Spencer: "Any administration that would have Leo McGarry as a chief of staff would be very, very fortunate."
During their encounter, Panetta once told IA, Spencer told him the character was modeled in part after him. That made Panetta curious to finally watch the show. And, boy, was he relieved when he saw McGarry in action.
Panetta, a sometimes salty-tongued politician with a wicked and often self-deprecating sense of humor, told IA with a laugh:
"I was so happy to find out that the guy wasn't an a----le."
West Wing scenario FTW!
Source
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Northern Californians know Leon Panetta, President-elect Barack Obama's pick to be the next CIA chief, as the longtime Monterey Bay area congressman who once served as President Bill Clinton's chief of staff. But most Americans probably know him better as Leo McGarry, the staff chief for Joshua (sic) "Jed" Bartlet.
Bartlet, of course, was the fictional president in "The West Wing," the must-see series for political junkies that ran on NBC from 1999 to 2006.
The resemblance of Leo to Leon - both known as smart, savvy and often playful presidential aides - wasn't missed by Panetta's political friends or by Panetta himself.
Shortly after the TV series started, John Spencer, the late actor who played McGarry, met Panetta, and they exchanged compliments. According to Spencer's 2000 interview with PBS journalist Terence Smith, Panetta told Spencer: "Any administration that would have Leo McGarry as a chief of staff would be very, very fortunate."
During their encounter, Panetta once told IA, Spencer told him the character was modeled in part after him. That made Panetta curious to finally watch the show. And, boy, was he relieved when he saw McGarry in action.
Panetta, a sometimes salty-tongued politician with a wicked and often self-deprecating sense of humor, told IA with a laugh:
"I was so happy to find out that the guy wasn't an a----le."
West Wing scenario FTW!
Source