That the show was never seen as partisan owes itself not just to its apolitical content but to the way Ted’s sheer morality seems to cut across boundaries—everyone could see him as a reflection of the best version of themselves. Midwesterners saw themselves portrayed, authentically, as an American ideal. (“As far as seeing Kansas reflected in media, in Hollywood, it’s not something you see that often,” said Coleman, from the Kansas governor’s office. “People would point to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ or maybe ‘Superman’ … It means a lot to people to see the reflection.”) Religious people were drawn to a show that wears its morality on its sleeve: A column on the website Baptist News Central last year cited a scene about forgiveness as “an incredibly Jesus-y moment.” The coastal media reveled in the sheer surprise of enjoying a series that wasn’t filled with anti-heroes or comically terrible people; Miles Surrey, a Brooklyn-based critic for The Ringer, called the show “subversive in its hopefulness.” And everyone seems to agree that the show is an antidote to a deep cultural problem. There’s a swelling idea that we’ve reached a national topping-off level of bile, a moment when every negative thought can be instantly unleashed on the world and picking fights on Twitter has become its own sport, and whether you blame Donald Trump or the woke left, you can acknowledge that it’s gone too far. For a politician, trying to do the best possible job amid an ever-evolving pandemic, the desire for some grace is irresistible.