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Josh Lyman

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Josh Lyman
Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Titles Chief of Staff
Deputy Chief of Staff
First Episode Pilot
Last Episode Tomorrow
Played by: Bradley Whitford


Joshua Lyman (played by Bradley Whitford) is the current White House Chief of Staff for the Santos Administration and former campaign manager for Matt Santos and Deputy Chief of Staff for the Bartlet Administration. [1]

Contents

[edit] Biographical information

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

A native of Connecticut, Josh originally worked for Senator John Hoynes, Bartlet's opponent for the Democratic nomination for president in 1998. However, at the request of Josh's father's old friend Leo McGarry, Josh went to New Hampshire to see Jed Bartlet speak, and immediately left Hoynes's campaign to work for Bartlet. Since Hoynes later became Bartlet's first Vice President, this was a source of tension between Josh and Hoynes in later episodes—with Hoynes specifically asking Josh in Season One if he thought that, had he listened to Josh's campaign advice, he would have become President. Josh, with characteristic bravado and arrogance, replied that he didn't think Hoynes would have been President—he knew.

Shortly after Josh joined the Bartlet campaign, he hired college dropout Donnatella Moss as his assistant. Donna has been Josh's assistant, close friend, and eventually, his girlfriend.

On the night that Bartlet won the Illinois Primary, the key to winning the Democratic nomination, Josh's father died. Josh rushed to the airport to fly home as soon as possible, and in a powerful scene, Bartlet delayed giving his victory speech in order to follow Josh to the airport and offer his understanding and support. This was a turning point in the relationship Bartlet had with his future White House senior staff, which up to this point had been strained as he held them at arm's length. In a later episode, as President Bartlet raged at God over the death of his Executive Secretery, Delores Landingham, he refers to Josh as "my son".

Josh was critically wounded in the finale of the first season by white supremacists trying to assassinate African-American Presidential aide Charlie Young for his relationship with Zoey Bartlet, the President's daughter. Josh spent a substantial amount of time in the hospital, and was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the shooting.

Josh left his position at the White House to run the dark horse presidential campaign of Representative Matt Santos (D-TX), and was succeeded by Republican litigator, Clifford Calley, as deputy White House chief of staff. The Santos campaign initially lost the Iowa caucus, came in third in the New Hampshire primary at 19% and went on to win a 'come from behind' victory in the California primary. Santos won the Texas primary and the final New Jersey primary by a slim margin. Going into the Democratic National Convention no candidate had enough delegates to win the nomination with delegates split between front runner Vice President Bob Russell, Rep. Santos and former Vice President John Hoynes. At the convention Gov. Eric Baker (D-PA) attempted an upstart campaign from the convention floor that further fractured the delegates. Ultimately Santos won the nomination after a stirring convention speech, that was expected to be his concession, and behind the scenes maneuvering by President Bartlet. Josh was influential in recruiting Leo McGarry as the vice presidential nominee, and rose to become campaign manager for the Santos/McGarry Campaign. It should be noted that the Santos nomination is very similar to the struggles then Governor Bartlet had in his dark horse victory over Senator Hoynes during the 1998 campaign.

Josh was born sometime in or around 1961 due to the fact that he was 38 in 1999, is from Connecticut, roots for the New York Mets, graduated from Harvard University, where he worked at the Harvard Crimson, and Yale Law School. Josh is a non-practicing Jew. His grandfather was held in the Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz Birkenau, during World War II. Of his close relatives, only his mother is still alive. As he puts it, his family members "have a habit of dying before you're supposed to [2]. Josh carries guilt for the death of his older sister, Joanie, who died in a house fire while she was baby-sitting the young Joshua, who had escaped the house without her.

[edit] Resume

[edit] Education

[edit] Political History

[edit] Background Information

Josh Lyman was portrayed by Bradley Whitford. The name "Josh Lyman" was first used in connection with the White House in the Garry Trudeau cartoon strip Doonesbury in 1993. The character was a White House media liaison officer working for President Bill Clinton, encountered by Doonesbury regular Joanie Caucus. Apart from the name and setting, there appears to be no other similarity with the West Wing character, although a framed copy of the strip hangs in Josh's office. Oddly (or perhaps not) Joanie is given as the name of Josh's sister.

[edit] Quotes

Josh Lyman I want to be a comfort to my friends in tragedy. And I want to be able to celebrate with them in triumph. And for all the times in between, I just want to be able to look them in the eye

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ↑ Tomorrow
  2. ↑ Isaac and Ishmael
Cabinet of President Matthew Santos
Babish | Baker | Keenitz | Lyman | McNally | Vinick
Preceded by:
Matt McConnell 		Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Strategic Planning
1999-2005 		Succeeded by:
Cliff Calley
Preceded by:
C.J. Cregg 		White House Chief of Staff
2007-present 		Succeeded by:
Incumbent
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