Glen Allen Walken Record From Liberty, Missouri Profession Politics

Law

Military Titles Acting President (25th invocation)

Speaker of the House Affiliation Republican Party Relationships Family Leonard Walken

(father)

Virginia Walken

(mother)

Backstage Portrayed by John Goodman Season(s) 4 • 5 First seen Last seen Twenty-Five The Stormy Present Mentions King Corn Episodes 4 Glen Allen Walken is a Republican politician from Missouri, a former Speaker of the House and briefly acted as President of the United States.

Character

Glen seems to hold every traditional conservative Republican position and value, but did so genuinely and with conviction, rather than for political gain. He displays determination and deference in his dealings with President Bartlet, firmly taking over the reins of power when they are handed to him, but just as clearly and unequivocally handing them back once Bartlet is in a condition to take them. He shows a concern and compassion for his dog which is the case for few individuals, but he, for example, lets CJ's tip-off to Danny Concannon slide, where a martinet would not. He acts in what he feels are the best interests of the country. Walken, like Bartlet's secretary Debbie Fiderer, is a fan of Harry Truman. He says if Truman were alive he would be a Republican. Ms. Fiderer says she thought Walken would have been a fan of Dwight Eisenhower. Walken's dog is named Bess, the same name as Harry Truman's wife.

Biography

Glen Allen Walken was born in Liberty, Missouri on June 20, 1950, to Leonard and Virginia "Ginny" Walken. Leonard Walken was the Postmaster of Liberty and Ginny was a high school nurse. Glen was an only child. Growing up, Glen's father taught him the value of hard work and instilled in Glen a deep love for his country. As a result, Glen enlisted in the Army following high school and served in the infantry during the Vietnam War.

After leaving the Army in 1971, Glen attended Missouri State University where he majored in history. From 1975 to 1977, he attended the Saint Louis University School of Law. In 1975, he married his long-time girlfriend Mary Cofer. Their marriage would produce four children: Michael, Linda, Daniel, and Celia.

Career

After law school, Glen returned to Liberty where he opened his own law practice and focused on land deals and property law. He also made several investments in real estate, a restaurant, and a car dealership. In 1986, Glen was elected to the United States Congress for Missouri's 6th District. He was re-elected seven times and would serve from January of 1987 until May of 2003. During his tenure in the House, he would sit at times on the House Armed Services, Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform committees.

After Owen Lassiter's Presidency ended, Walken accompanied him on a trip to Beijing, where they both ate dinner and had trouble finding a bathroom so they used the bushes while Lassiter recited Abraham Lincoln's second State of Union. He maintained contact with President Lassiter until Lassiter started making trips to "nonsense places" and old battlefields in the months before his death in January 2004.[1]

Walken was a powerful Congressman who was heavily favored by the Republicans and greatly respected by most of the Democrats in Congress. As a result, he rose to the position of House Majority Whip in 1997 and in 1999 moved up to become the House Majority Leader. In December of 2001, Walken would be elected Speaker of the House of Representatives after the resignation of Speaker Jim Hohner. (7A WF 83429) As Speaker, it was believed that he wouldn't confirm the appointment of Ryan Lyndell as Vice President following John Hoynes' resignation.(Commencement)

Presidency

On May 8, 2003, during the Zoey Bartlet kidnapping, President Bartlet, alarmed at his inability to make rational decisions, invoked the 25th Amendment, which allowed Speaker Walken to act as President. Per the Succession Act of 1947, Walken resigned his House seat and was sworn in by Justice Sharon Day.[2]

Immediately after his inauguration, Walken dismissed President Bartlet from the Oval Office. He made a joint press conference with Bartlet where the nation was informed of the change in power. As Acting President, he kept the White House staff but augmented with his own personnel, including Steve Atwood. In his first meeting in the Situation Room, Walken made it clear that they would not negotiate with the terrorists who are holding Zoey Bartlet and will instead pursue active bombing of known Qumari and Ba'hi terrorist sites in retaliation for the kidnapping.[3]

Following President Bartlet's invocation of the 25th amendment and the elevation of Glenn Allen Walken to the presidency, Walken decided to bomb Qumari terrorist targets, despite the Bartlet's family's misgivings with their daughter Zoey still missing and held by Qumari 'sleepers' in the US.

Josh was increasingly concerned at the Republican exploitation of Walken's presidency and challenged one of his aides in the restroom. The aide claims that it would be craven cynicism to exploit the situation for political gain, but Josh is unconvinced by this response.

The FBI determined Zoey Bartlet's location and released her from her kidnapping, killing her captors in the process.

President Bartlet signed a letter reclaiming the presidency, offering to campaign for Walken if he chose to run. However, Walken off-handedly dismissed him, saying "I'm not sure that'd be a plus in my district." Bartlet, having obtained Toby Ziegler's 'second' speech which refers to Zoey's death following her kidnapping, used it in his press conference.[4]

Senate Majority Leader Robert Royce stated there was a rumor that the White House wanted to keep Walken on as Vice President, although this was likely stated in jest.[5]

Walken attended President Owen Lassiter's funeral in 2004. Bartlet landed Air Force One to pick up Walken, who brought his dog Bess. Walken calls the meeting of presidents a "fraternity reunion". He commented on the current demonstrations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the Democratic Presidents Newman and Bartlet on Air Force One. Walken advises wholesale change in the Middle East and the demonstrations are an opportunity to install a provisional, secular government in Saudi Arabia. At the funeral, Bartlet and Walken reminisce about President Lassiter both agreeing they would like to have Lassiter's opinion of the protests in Riyadh.[6]

Walken later ran for the Republican nomination for President in the 2006 Republican presidential primaries but fell somewhere behind Arnold Vinick and Don Butler. He did well in the Iowa Caucus.[7]

Resumé

EDUCATION

Missouri State University - B.A. in History

CAREER

Business - Fixing Commercial Cars

POLITICAL HISTORY