Breakfast at Tiffany's – Because I Do Not Know

West Wing's Live Debate

Despite the move to Sunday night, I've managed to watch "West Wing" this season. But for only one reason: Alan Alda. I just about had my fill of Martin Sheen as Jed Bartlet. The character is so pompous he would never win one term, much less two. He didn't start that way. But somewhere around year three or so, Bartlet became unbearable.

But with an election on the horizon, the producers brought in fresh blood -- Alda as the Republican candidate and Jimmy Smits as the Democrat. Smits is so-so, but if you can put behind the fantasy that a fairly young (and liberal) congressman from Texas -- and the first Latino to win a party nomination -- could survive the primaries, he's not so bad.

Alda, however, is great as the "moderate" Republican from California -- moderate to Hollywood meaning he supports limited abortion rights and he doesn't go to church. I think his character could be developed more. After all, we see Smits' Hillary-ford wife. Yet we only heard that "Arnold Vinick" is a widower. Perhaps there will be time for that if he wins the election and "West Wing" is picked up for another season.

This Sunday could prove interesting. The two candidates will debate live.

The fictional encounter starts with the usual rules, the kind that "are set up by the candidates and are there to protect the candidates and not promote an informed debate," said executive producer Alex Graves, who is directing O'Donnell's script.

But one of the politicians — Graves won't say who — quickly proposes tossing the book aside.

"And that's the starting point and everybody, including the moderator, underestimates what that's going to mean," Graves said. "It ends up ... with the candidates doing and saying things you would never expect to see in a debate, never."

The actors may also do something rarely seen. Although they have a script, Alda and Smits also received a crash course in debate strategy and issues that will allow them to veer off the page.

And with limited commercials!

Of course, many people will tune in to see if Alda asks Trapper to pour him a drink or Smits tries to arrest Josh Lyman for "Worst Actor Who's Not Rob Lowe." Just are the joys of live TV.

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