By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The exit polling data has been analyzed. People who have stopped watching The West Wing, or have enjoyed it less this fall, most often cite this reason:

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"The pace and writing have sped up to the point that the different story lines are hard to follow and punch lines are missed," says Janice Flanagan of Fort Mitchell. "My spouse and I find ourselves saying after a scene, `What was that all about? Did you get it?' "

She was one of nearly 200 fans of The West Wing who responded when we asked why ratings for NBC's Emmy-winning White House drama have tumbled 23 percent this fall.

"The West Wing's ratings decline can be summed up in just seven words: What the hell are they talking about?" says J.L. Hobt of Colerain Township.

Says Kathy Helmbock of Oakley: "Last year our TV died, and we found that our new one has closed-captioning for the deaf. It has been a godsend for following the intricate dialogue of The West Wing."

Fans of the show listed a wide variety of complaints, ranging from poor lighting to too much emphasis on the characters' romances. (Read more comments on Page F8.)

Some have switched channels because they say the show fails to represent Republican Party politics - an understandable sentiment in heavily Republican Southwestern Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

"I am concerned that The West Wing only shows the Democratic side of issues ... (and) that the show is becoming an official platform for the Democratic Party and its beliefs, with little or no time given to opposing viewers. It's at the point where the Republican Party should be entitled to an hour of free air time each week to provide a response," says Judy Volkerding of Colerain Township.

Says one former West Wing viewer: "The political bias of the cast is more evident than their talent. They haven't changed my vote, just my viewing habit."

But other loyal Republicans say they enjoy the show.

"There is no way I would stop watching The West Wing, and I am a staunch Republican," says Barbara Twehues of Fort Thomas. "I have learned more about the workings of our of our government these past years than from all the college courses I ever took."

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com