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Cliff Calley works as the Majority Counsellor in the House of Representatives, and later as Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Strategic Planning in the final months of the Bartlet Administration.
Character[]
When Calley worked as the majority (Republican) counselor in the House of Representatives, he was the chief majority counselor for the House Oversight Committee during the Bartlet/MS hearings. During Leo McGarry's testimony, Calley halts the proceeding as Rep. Gibson is about to expose Leo McGarry's alcohol abuse on the night of a Presidential debate.
Calley later works as a lobbyist in the private sector and briefly dated Donna Moss.
In season 6, episode 16 (11:40), Calley returned to the White House as a lobbyist for the Urban Development Lobby related to a fight over the Colorado River, "The Western Water Program." Initially, Calley stated that his objection to the plan was the name.
Leo McGarry: let's talk about what else you're worried...
Cliff Calley: That's not necessary
C.J. Craig: The name's your only problem?
Calley: I don't like any of it, I don't think it'll work out, but I /really/ don't like the name
He then proceeded to explain why, in amazingly specific and Josh-Esq terms, the plan was dead in the water. When asked why he came to the White House if he had no intention of participating in the CJ and Leo are so impressed with his intelligence and knowledge, and his persistent ethics seemingly despite his republican allegiances that they decide to offer him a job. He declines as the Bartlett administration is on its way out. He and CJ spar, and she leaves her office in a huff. Later in the episode (37:40), Calley responds to CJ's second summons during a DNC gala at the White House. CJ informs him that she's decided not to accept him declining the position, so Calley steps into the role of deputy chief of staff.
He was very effective in his new job, especially when he orchestrated a surprise vote with Matt Santos on stem-cell research. He continues to work on the
| PREDECESSOR Josh Lyman |
Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Strategic Planning 2005-2007 |
SUCCESSOR Sam Seaborn |