Oh, and I am catching up slowly, but I don't think the show is as twee/positive as some people are saying, or that Bartlett is made to seem perfect. Isn't he pretty deeply compromised? He lied. He knew it was a lie, and he made out it was just an omission. At various points various staffers are disappointed in him (especially CJ). I think often there's a sense that he jokes and charms his way past serious issues - especially foreign relations. There's the Women of Qumar for you. I don't think he ever really makes up for that.
And personally, I really dislike the bit where someone mentions that he's spent time 'personally' counselling women not to have abortions.
And yes, he's a horrible husband and father, and quite often a right bully. I am not sure how much Sorkin intended this; my hunch is that Sorkin simply doesn't realise that these traits make Bartlett unlikeable, but I think the later writers were perhaps a bit more aware and a bit happier to explore the negative sides of a cult of personality.
Also ... yes, I love Toby, but can we talk about what a shit he is to Andie? She's desperate for a baby, he gets her pregnant, he proposes again, and then after his big 'babies have hats' moment, he can't be arsed with it. He doesn't bother to see the kids unless it's as a way of getting some time with Andie. And there's a really nasty throwaway joke when Josh is complaining about Donna's over-wordy emails from Gaza, and Toby responds that he doesn't have this issue with Andie; she just emails 'three words: see your kids'. The implication I take is that we're meant to find him sympathetic: poor man, what a nag his ex-wife is. Grrr.