D. Wire Newman Record Nickname(s) D.W. Titles President of the United States (before 1991 Affiliation Democratic Party Backstage Portrayed by James Cromwell Season(s) Season 5 Only seen The Stormy Present D. Wire Newman is an American politician who served as the President of the United States prior to 1991. He was the last Democratic president prior to Josiah Bartlet.

Presidency

President Newman held heavy ties with Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia. His administration sold them arms in exchange for oil and supported their leaders.

He served only one term, losing re-election to a Republican. Because he was the last Democrat before Bartlet, it can be reasoned that he served from 1987-1991.

Post-Presidency

In his post-presidential years, Newman kept a close eye on intelligence matters and received National Security Council briefings every morning. Newman maintained close contact with former President Owen Lassiter after his presidency. During the MS scandal, Lassiter advised Newman not to go on CNN denouncing President Bartlet for hiding his Multiple Sclerosis.

After former President Lassiter's death, Newman chose to fly with Lassiter's aging staff to Washington, DC before travelling on Air Force One with Presidents Bartlet and Walken to the Lassiter Presidential Library in Costa Mesa. Jed Bartlet addressed him as "D.W.," whilst to practically everyone else he was "Mr. President" or "President Newman" as appropriate.

During the Bartlet Administration, Newman was a silent critic of the President, feeling that his commitment to liberal policies and Democratic ideals was not strong enough, though he followed the advice of Lassiter, in not openly criticizing a sitting President. In private, however, Newman would give Bartlet a vicious tongue lashing if he disagreed with his performance, particularly in matters of foreign policy, which Bartlet himself admitted was never his greatest strength. Newman was equally critical of Republican presidents, whose foreign policies he felt were reactionary and war-mongering. He openly showed enmity for Glen Allen Walken's conservative views.

Trivia

All information about President Newman comes from the episode The Stormy Present. The fact that he used the same airplane for Air Force One as President Bartlet, implies a later date, presumably within the last twenty years. The current Air Force One planes have been in use since 1990.



