Bob Russell

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Robert "Bob" Russell
Position	Vice President of the United States
Period	July 14, 2003 - January 20, 2007
Successor	Eric Baker

Robert "Bob" Russell was an American politician of the Democratic Party, who served as Vice President of the United States under President Josiah Bartlet from 2003 and 2007.

After the resignation of Vice President John Hoynes due to a sex scandal, Bartlet's first choice to replace him was Lewis Berryhill, his Secretary of State, played by William Devane. However, Berryhill's nomination was opposed by the House and Senate and the Republicans, along with more than a few Democrats, most notably the Minority Leader. Instead, and with some reluctance, Bartlet appointed Bob Russell under the provisions of the 25th Amendment, after Congressional Republicans made it clear that they would not confirm a more viable candidate who could conceivably be nominated to succeed Bartlet. Russell was on the list of names given by conservative Republican Speaker of the House Jeff Haffley, which included a lesbian and several other politically-unappealing individuals.

A conservative Democratic Representative from the Western Slope of Colorado at the time of his appointment, Russell was initially derided by some of the senior West Wing staff as mediocre, shallow and a tool of Colorado mining interests. Russell's dismissive nickname around Washington was "Bingo Bob," and he was often referred to as the "Congressman from the Western Colorado Mining Company." However, he soon established himself as an ambitious and shrewd politician with a wry awareness of his own shortcomings. Russell often used self-deprecating humor to try and get past his dullness, using jokes like "Bob Russell is so dull his Secret Service codename is Bob Russell." In time, he vied with Hoynes and U.S. Representative Matt Santos of Texas for the Democratic presidential nomination during the 2006 Presidential Election.

After a strong early start as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Russell lost the crucial California Democratic primary, and several later primaries, to Santos. Russell offered Santos and then Pennsylvania Gov. Eric Baker the opportunity to be his running mate, but both declined. After several deadlocked ballots at the Democratic National Convention, President Bartlet threw his support to Santos, as did a key teacher's union leader, and Santos secured the presidential nomination, with former White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry as his running mate.

Russell's chief of staff and later campaign manager was Will Bailey; Donna Moss also joined his campaign staff, eventually rising to become his press secretary.

Shortly after the election of 2006, the Vice President was present at the funeral of Leo McGarry, who was elected to succeed him, but died on Election Night.

References

UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION Colorado SENATORS Crandell (D) | Moseley (R) REPRESENTATIVES Russell (D)

PREDECESSOR John Hoynes

Vice President of the United States 2003-2007

SUCCESSOR Eric Baker (unconfirmed)