Ever since Rob Reiner’s shocking death in December 2025, I’ve been working my way through the late filmmaker’s incredible body of work. This experience recently led me to The American President, a riveting political drama that also happens to be one of the best romantic comedies ever made. I haven’t watched this movie, which inspired the film's writer, Aaron Sorkin, to create The West Wing, in years, and so it’s safe to say that there was a lot that I didn’t remember.
That said, there’s one aspect of this movie starring Michael Douglas as the commander-in-chief and Annette Bening as a savvy political strategist that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since the credits rolled. It wasn’t the inclusion of Sorkin’s famous “walk and talk,” nor was it the sheer unlikability of Richard Dreyfuss’ character and his desire to be president. Instead, it’s the glaring omission of one of the most important roles in the government.
