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Owen Lassiter

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Owen Lassiter
President of the United States

January 20, 1991 - January 20, 1999

Predeccessor unknown
Successor Josiah Bartlet


Signature

Owen Lassiter (died January 2004) was a former Republican two-term President of the United States from California. He served from January 20, 1991 to January 20, 1999, and was succeeded as President by Josiah Bartlet.[1]

Contents

[edit] Early life and political career

Lassiter was a conservative Republican from Costa Mesa, California. He was described as an "Attila the Hun conservative." Josiah Bartlet considered him a "pompous, arrogant know-it-all." [1]

He married Libby Lassiter.[1] and has a son named Richard.

[edit] Presidential administration

Lassiter's administration is considered partially responsible for causing or enhancing many of the Middle Eastern problems that faced the Bartlet administration years later.[1]

In 1991, $5 billion dollars was spent on the War on Drugs. This figures would increase incrementally under the Lassiter administration.[2]

During his presidency, Lassiter had 120 empty judicial seats, due to Democratic disapproval of his appointments.[3]

Despite his inability to fill 15% of the judicial seats, Lassiter did elevate liberal Associate Justice Roy Ashland to Chief Justice in 1992.[4]

That same year, Lassiter appointed Roland Dahl as Chairman of the Federal Reserve[5]

In both 1991 and 1995, the Lassiter administration lent money to bailout the Mexican economy.[6]

In 1996, the Lassiter administration promised Democratic Senator Chris Carrick to build the MB-827 in his state of Idaho.[7]

Owen Lassiter's Cabinet
Notable Members of the Lassiter Administration

In November 1998, during one of his last major acts as President, Lassiter and Admiral Fitzwallace sent a peacekeeping mission to the Philipinnes consisting of over 1,000 troops. Despite the mission primarily involving just training, logistics, and intelligence, Lassiter was heavily criticized by President-elect Bartlet, who thought he was being "saddled with a war."[11]

[edit] Post-Presidency

President Lassiter spent many of his last years travelling to foreign countries, including the Phillippines, South Korea, and Vietnam. He maintained a habit of telephone communication with former President D. Wire Newman and current President Bartlet, generally regarding issues of the day or historical former Presidents.[1]

On a trip to China with Congressman Glen Allen Walken, Lassiter was forced to relieve himself in some bushes in Beijing when a restroom was unavailable. Walken would later speak fondly of the incident and Lassiter's reciting of Lincoln's second State of the Union during the situation.[1]

During the MS scandal in 2001 and 2002, Lassiter made phone calls to President Newman, advising him to stay off the media trail and not denounce President Bartlet.[1]

Lassiter spent his last years continuing his travels. He travelled not only to foreign countries and sites of foreign battlefields, but also sites of American battlefields of the Civil War. He collected jars of dirt from the battlefields and spent most of his time at the replica of the Oval Office in his library.

In late 2003, Lassiter had hip replacement surgery, and he was still recovering from his surgery in early 2004. He slept, ate, and operated mostly out of his Oval Office replica.[1]

Lassiter made several calls to President Bartlet, as well as writing him a letter, entitled Need for an American Empire. Lassiter gave his last call to the White House the same night of his death, postponing a trip to Ford's Theatre by President Bartlet.[1]

He was found deceased in his Oval Office, from complications due to his hip surgery.[1]

[edit] Funeral

See Funeral of Owen Lassiter for more information.

The funeral of President Lassiter was held at the Owen Lassiter Library in Costa Mesa, California. It was coordinated by Mrs. Lassiter and Donna Moss.[1]

[edit] Notes

President Lassiter was played by an unknown stand-in. His hands as he wrote his letter were the only physical time he was seen, and his image was seen on posters at his funeral.

Lassiter's status as Bartlet's immediate predecessor is never directly stated. It is indirectly shown in The Stormy Present with the comment that "the men on this plane are the only ones who have been there" (referring to Walken and Newman) and the fact that the Bartlet administration has not dealt with a presidential funeral before.

References
  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 The Stormy Present
  2. ↑ The War at Home
  3. ↑ Eppur Si Muove
  4. ↑ The Supremes
  5. ↑ The White House Pro-Am
  6. ↑ Bad Moon Rising
  7. ↑ Constituency of One
  8. ↑ In Excelsis Deo
  9. ↑ Disaster Relief
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Debate Camp
  11. ↑ Memorial Day
Presidents of the United States
Washington • J. Adams • Jefferson • Madison — J.Q. Adams • Jackson — W. Harrison — Polk — Pierce • Buchanan • Lincoln • A. Johnson • Grant • Hayes — B. Harrison — McKinley • T. Roosevelt • Taft • Wilson • Harding • Coolidge • Hoover • F. Roosevelt • Truman • Eisenhower • Kennedy • L. Johnson • Nixon — Newman — Lassiter • Bartlet (Walken) • Santos
See Also: Monroe — Ford • Carter • Reagan • G.H.W. Bush • Clinton • G.W. Bush
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