Dolores Landingham

From West Wing Wiki

Dolores Landingham was the first Executive Secretary, and a long-time assistant, to President Josiah Bartlet. Mrs. Landingham was President Bartlet's secretary, filling that function for many years before his presidency. The two had become acquainted after she started working as his father's secretary, who was headmaster at the prep school he attended^[1]. A widow of an air force major, she mothered twins who found their demise on a Christmas Eve in the Vietnam war. While taking her new car for its first drive a drunk driver hit her, instantly killing her^[2]. Her funeral service was held at the National Cathedral.

Contents 1 Professional Life 2 Personal Life 2.1 Marriage 2.2 Children 2.3 Death 3 Quotes 4 References 5 Notes

[edit] Professional Life

Mrs. Landingham first met President Bartlet when she worked as a secretary for his father. Mrs. Landingham later worked as Jed Bartlet's secretary during his tenure as Governor and President.

Because of her relationship with the President, Mrs. Landingham was able to adopt more of a blunt tone with him that would have been inappropriate from other members of the staff. She was one of the few individuals who could put him in his place when he became acerbic.

[edit] Personal Life

[edit] Marriage

Originally married to Air Force Major Henry Landingham, who served in the Korean War, Mrs. Landingham was a widow by the time she worked in the White House. Maj. Landingham died after 1970 and prior to Pres. Bartlett assuming office.

[edit] Children

Her twin sons, Andrew and Simon, attended medical school together and went to Vietnam when their lottery numbers were called up after their second year. They chose not to get deferments and joined up as medics. They were pinned down in a fight in Da Nang and killed on Christmas Eve, 1970. [1]

[edit] Death

Mrs. Landingham was killed by a drunk female driver in a car accident in 2001 at 18th and Potomac just after she picked up her first brand new car.[2]

[edit] Quotes

"There's no need to adopt a tone, Mr. President."

"Their father and I begged them, but they wanted to go where people needed doctors. Their father and I begged them, but you can't tell kids anything. So they joined up as medics and four months later they were pinned down during a fight in Da Nang and were killed by enemy fire. That was Christmas Eve 1970. You know, they were so young Charlie, they were your age. It's hard when that happens so far away, you know because, with the noises and the shooting, they had to be so scared. It's hard not to think that right then they needed their mother. Anyway, I miss my boys."

"Once again you display an immaturity about vegetables that I think is not at all presidential."

"Tell the President if he doesn't like his salad, he knows where he can put his salad."

"Maybe after the ceremony you can get one of the fourth graders to come in and show you how to use the intercom."

"Ah, sarcasm. The grumpy man's wit."

"Charlie, please don't use the word erotic in the Oval Office."

"'Caesar's wife must be above reproach.'"

"Governor, does it ever frustrate you to constantly aim for humor and yet miss so dramatically?"

[edit] References

Bartlet4America.org
Kathryn Joosten

[edit] Notes

1. ↑ 2x22 - Two Cathedrals
2. ↑ 2x21 - 18th and Potomac

Preceded by: unknown

Presidential Secretary Dolores Landingham

Succeeded by: Deborah Fiderer