• by Fern Siegel , July 13, 2012

If you watched “The West Wing,” then you’ve met your ideal president: super-smart, caring, capable. Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlett was a fictional version of an effective, sophisticated leader, surrounded by a razor-sharp staff that got things done.

By contrast, no one ever accused George Bush — least of all his party — of being a thoughtful intellectual. During the 2000 debate, America was prepped for low expectations: If W stayed upright and managed to pronounce "nuclear" correctly, we were to consider his performance a tie. By 2008, even GOP stalwarts excised him from election rhetoric.

Conversely, whether you like or dislike Presidents Obama and Clinton -- "Yes, We Can!" was trite jargon and sexcapades unseemly -- they are articulate, serious thinkers. And both are blessed with competent spouses. Hillary Clinton is now the most popular politician in the U.S.

Which is why the image of a vice president on HBO’s “Veep,” a spinoff of the savage British comedy “The Thick of It,” is so interesting — especially in an election year. Claiming 3.5 million viewers and renewed for a second season, "Veep," like "Thick," is the brainchild of Armando Iannucci, and stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Vice President Selina Meyer. Her party is never identified, but her lack of power — and myriad mistakes — are hilariously highlighted in every episode.

The series is "The Office" of politics, a window into the dysfunctional and farcical aspects of Washington, D.C. Plus, it's a running commentary on the media's bloodlust for creating mini-scandals to derail agendas.

Everything Meyer does is an insanely political question — from selecting a yogurt flavor to getting a dog. The bigger issues are a morass of competing interests, such as oil vs. green energy. One is left to wonder who really runs government. The answer, per “Veep,” is simple: special interests.

What’s refreshing about “Veep,” the anti-Aaron Sorkin political show, is its combination of goofiness and intransigence. We never see or hear from the president, although a running gag is Meyer asking her secretary: "Did the president call?"

“Veep” doesn’t bother with feel-good flag-waving or earnest public servants. Its premise is clear: Politicians have little interest in the people’s business, or in keeping campaign promises. Instead, it shows the machinations of those clawing their way to personal glory. And the vice president, billed as “an aneurysm away from the president,” smarts at the idea of being historically neutered.

“Veep” may be parody, but given the way government operates, it strikes a realistic, albeit humorous chord. It’s these jokers, not the passionate, well-intentioned "West Wing" characters, who usually run Capitol Hill. Every narcissistic tic, passive-aggressive behavior, stupid remark and career-fueled impulse is captured.

The comedy is fast; the digs are deep. “Veep” may explain gridlock better than a year’s worth of watching C-SPAN.