After rewatching the final season of The West Wing on DVD, I decided to run that contest in TPM2008. The Presidency was contested by Democrat Matthew Santos (Jimmie Smits) and Republican Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda). I have game tested this matchup by winning two close elections - one for each side at the Painful level. (Close, but not quite as close as on the show). It makes an interesting matchup because Arnold Vinick, a pro-choice economic conservative, is an unusual although plausible Republican candidate. You could call him a libertarian, except for his standard GOP views on interventions abroad. Santos is a fairly standard contemporary Democrat, except for his criticism of the teachers' unions. In game terms, Santos must overcome his severe money problems, a problem made more difficult by a sceptical press and difficulty with endorsements, both of which make it a struggle to gain national awareness. Santos' strengths, however, especially his stamina, charisma and TV-looks, make him a strong finisher. Vinick has a big edge in money, experience, and media bias, but faces other problems: a lower fatigue threshold, requiring careful schedule planning; and a 0 religion rating and reluctance to play the "values" card, which made him electable in California but leave him vulnerable in Republican base states. Both home states are in play. With social issues mostly off the table, the debate pits Santos' enthusiasm for health care and public education against Vinick's advocacy of tax cuts and economy in government. Here are the matchups:

Home states: Vinick California; Santos Texas

Stamina: V6, S9; money: V8, S2; fundraising V6, S5; charisma V5, S10; comeliness V4, S9; credibility V6, S4; experience V8, S3; intelligence V8, S7; media bias V7, S4; minority appeal V2, S6; religion V0 - that's zero, S5).

Issues (All set at zero except as noted) abortion rights (V10), drilling in ANWR (V5, S -5), ethanol production (V-5), federal education (V -10, S15), gun control (V -5), improving the economy (V5, S10), NAFTA (V5, S -5), school vouchers (V10), tax cuts (V20), traditional values (V -10), universal health care (V -10, S15), unions (both -5), living wage (S5), strong military (S5), addressing climate change (S5), affirmative action (S5), alternative energy (S5), capital punishment (S -5), fuel efficiency standards (S5), more jobs (S5), environment (S5).

My screen image of Santos is only so-so, but I made a dandy one of Arnold Vinick if anyone is interested.