Real Numbers for Fictional Candidates

But this is all academic, since there isn't going to be an election.

And there is little question in the minds of "West Wing" viewers who the show's writers intend to put in the White House.

More than 70 percent of respondents think the writers will elect Smits; only 20 percent think they'll send Vinick to the Oval Office.

But, because we are a cynical people, 33 percent said they thought the decision would be based not on the character's suitability for the job or on politics but rather on what would give the show bigger ratings. Another 28 percent responded that the decision would be based on the "writers' bias."

Which viewers believe is liberal -- Santos liberal.

A full 77 percent of respondents said "The West Wing" has a liberal bias. That said, current faux President Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen, is much beloved, with a job approval rating at a whopping 75 percent, even though the Bartlet administration has had its share of debacles, most recently the leaking to the news media of classified information about a secret military space shuttle.

Even so, 85 percent of respondents said they hold a positive opinion of Bartlet as president.

Meanwhile, the current real president, with similar headaches, is suffering his worst poll numbers ever -- a job approval rating of just 39 percent, with 60 percent disapproving of his performance in office, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Zogby rep Fritz Wenzel said that was one of the things that most surprised him about his poll findings.

"That's a number George W. can only dream about," Wenzel said of Bartlet's approval rating.

"He has gone through scandals every bit as serious as the [Bush] administration, yet people still seem to like him," Wenzel told The TV Column.

Any lesson here for W?

"Hire a better scriptwriter," Wenzel said.