After a decade of small and uncredited parts, Janney had her breakthrough when she was cast as White House Press Secretary C. J. Cregg in the NBC political drama "The West Wing". Creator Aaron Sorkin called Janney to audition for the role after seeing her in the film "Primary Colors". Loosely based on Dee Dee Myers, the press secretary during Clinton administration, C.J. is a National Merit Scholar, who succeeds Leo McGarry as White House Chief of Staff. Writing for "The Atlantic", John Reid says that "her capability and combination of strength and simple compassion represented the fantasy of the Bartlet White House better than anyone." The publication also ranks her as the best character from the series. In their ranking of the best characters from all the television series created by Sorkin, "Vulture", ranks C.J. at #2 and says; "If all the Sorkin women were as classy, self-assured, and legitimately funny (the turkey pardon!) as C.J., we'd never have had the Sorkin woman argument in the first place".