Americans judge their politicians too superficially, and that’s why so many people wonder why their president isn’t more like Martin Sheen’s character on the popular television show “The West Wing,” according to one of the show’s writers.

“He acts presidential. He seems presidential,” said Eli Attie, during an appearance Wednesday night at Kansas University’s Dole Institute of Politics. “It’s an act.”

But being the real president is more than acting, said Attie, who has been a writer for “The West Wing” the past four years after working as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton, a speech writer for Vice President Al Gore and chief speech writer for former House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt, of Missouri.

“Leadership is a quality of decision-making, intellect and character,” Attie said. “Working on ‘The West Wing’ the past four years and seeing the power and effectiveness of that act makes me believe, even more than I did before, that we judge our politicians too superficially in this country.”

Attie talked informally about his experiences in television and politics for about 90 minutes to a crowd that Dole Center officials estimated at 400 people. Dole Senior Fellow Steven Jacques, who worked with Attie in the Clinton White House, moderated the event.

Attie answered many questions from the audience, including one from KU freshman Marc Langston, Wichita, who wanted to know how much the show was driven by current issues. Attie responded by saying the issues were one link between the show and reality, but that the show was about the characters and the drama of presidential politics.

Attie credited “The West Wing” creator and former lead writer Aaron Sorkin for the show’s quality and popularity.

“He believed very deeply that his goal was to entertain people,” Attie said.

Afterward, Langston said he agreed with Attie’s answer.

“I think he’s right,” Langston said. “There is no conscious political agenda for the show, but at the same time there does have to be (issues) because it’s the political motive for the show.”

Attie said he was a liberal Democrat and couldn’t write a speech for President George W. Bush. Yet he said he could imagine “The West Wing” having a Republican president in place of Sheen’s Democrat, Josiah Bartlet, and remaining a show of quality.

Attie gave away no secrets about who the next president will be in “The West Wing” series as President Bartlet steps down.

Lawrence resident Ben Eggleston, a fan of “The West Wing,” was among those in the audience Wednesday night.

“It was interesting hearing about how story ideas get created,” he said. “It does seem they try to make the show about characters more than issues.