Every day we learn something unsavory about politicians, to the point that we're considering getting rid of some positions altogether.

But there is one elected office in which we still believe:

President of the United States of TV.

Even in a special election against 19 other candidates - including William H. Macy of "The Unit," Geena Davis of "Commander in Chief," Dennis Haysbert of "24" and Gary Cole of "The Bradys in the White House," there was an authoritatively clear winner:

President Jed Bartlet, as played by Martin Sheen, who served two terms on "The West Wing."
"I think the nation may have even been prepared to rescind the 22nd Amendment to allow him to serve a third term," says John Wells, "The West Wing's" executive producer and show runner. Wells more recently produced "Southland," which is getting a second life on TNT.

In the end, President Bartlet triumphed with a decisive 82 percent of the vote, or 24,050 votes. There were still fond memories enough of Dana Carvey's George H.W. Bush impression to award him second place, with 17 percent of the vote.

Dana Carvey's agent, Ron Hofmann, happens to also have represented John Spencer - who played Bartlet's Chief of Staff - until his passing. Count Hofmann as another vote. "[Bartlet] was a great character," he said. "I heard so often how people wished he was our president."

How did Sheen do it? "He was fair, empathetic and dignified," says Wells. "Martin made us believe that Bartlet cared more about us and about the nation than Bartlet's personal ambitions. He made us believe in our country and our democracy."