Steve Benen wonders if Obama’s decision to choose Joe Biden reminds anyone else of Matt Santos’s decision to choose Leo McGarry in The West Wing. Can’t say it does. But in part, that’s because I never really understood the McGarry character: He was a former labor secretary who was also the most powerful and well-known operative in the Democratic Party — so much so that it made sense to the nation for Santos to choose him as Veep. On the other hand, this wouldn’t be the first time the election precisely mirrored the West Wing. On the other other hand, as I’ve argued before, Democrats really should let go of some of their affection for that show.

Ezra Klein is a former Prospect writer and current editor-in-chief at Vox. His work has appeared in the LA Times, The Guardian, The Washington Monthly, The New Republic, Slate, and The Columbia Journalism Review. He’s been a commentator on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and more.