Glen Allen Walken is a Republican politician from Missouri, a former Speaker of the House and Acting President of the United States.
Biography
Pre-Bartlet
Born in Liberty, Missouri in 1952 to Leon and Virginia Walken. Leon was a postal worker and veteran of World War II and Virginia was a store clerk; Glen was an only child. Raised in Liberty, Glen's father instilled in him a strong work ethic and love of his country. This resulted in Glen enlisting in the Army upon graduating high-school in 1970 and served in the infantry towards the end of the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged in 1975. Following the Army Glen used the G.I. Bill to attend Missouri State University where he majored in History and from where he graduated in 1979. Following college he married his high-school girlfriend Mary Cofer; the marriage would produce four children Michael, Robert, Alice, and Celia. In 1980 Glen would start a business with his father who had recently retired from the postal service, the business would specialize in fixing commercial vehicles such as postal trucks and small delivery vans, school busses, taxis, and ice-cream trucks. The business was lucrative and Glen would later expand his business by opening a used-car lot and a gas station in Liberty. In 1987 he became a member of the Liberty Chamber of Commerce and in 1989 he was elected to the Liberty City Council. In 1990, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives for the 6th District of Missouri. As a Congressman, Walken was a supporter of military and veterans affairs and proposed a $200 Billion capital gains tax cut.(7A WF 83429) He would sit on the House Armed Services and Ways and Means Committees.
Bartlet's terms
After Owen Lassiter's Presidency ended, Walken accompanied him on a trip to Beijing, where they both ate dinner and trouble finding a bathroom. He maintained contact with President Lassiter until Lassiter started making trips to "nonsense places" in the months before his death in January 2004. (The Stormy Present)
Walken was a powerful Congressman who was heavily favored by the Republicans and greatly respected by most of the Democrats in Congress. As a result he had risen to the position of House Majority Whip in 1997 and in 1999 moved up to become the House Majority Leader. In December of 2001 he would be elected Speaker of the House of Representatives after the resignation of Speaker Jim Hohner. (7A WF 83429) As Speaker, it was believed that he wouldn't confirm the appointment of Ryan Lyndell as Vice President following John Hoynes' resignation.(Commencement)
Twenty-Five
On May 8, 2003, during the Zoey Bartlet kidnapping, President Bartlet, alarmed at his inability to make rational decisions, invoked the 25th Amendment, which elevated Speaker Walken to the position of Acting President. Per the Constitution, Walken resigned his House seat, and was sworn in by Justice Sharon Day.
7A WF 83429
Immediately after his inauguration, Walken dismissed President Bartlet from the Oval Office. He made a joint press conference with Bartlet where the nation was informed of the change in power. As Acting President, he kept the White House staff but augmented with his own personnel, including Steve Atwood. In his first meeting in the Situation Room, Walken made it clear that they would not negotiate with the terrorists who are holding Zoey Bartlet, and will instead pursue active bombing of known Qumari and Ba'hi terrorist sites in retaliation for the kidnapping.
- to be completed
The Dogs of War
- to be completed
Jefferson Lives
Senate Majority Leader Robert Royce stated there was a rumor that the White House wanted to keep Walken on as Vice President, although this was likely stated in jest.
The Stormy Present
As a former President, Walken attended President Owen Lassiter's funeral in 2004. He reminisced with the Democratic Presidents Newman and Bartlet at the funeral and commented on the current demonstrations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Season 6
Walken later ran for the Republican nomination for President in the 2006 Republican presidential primaries, but fell somewhere behind Arnold Vinick and Don Butler. He did well in the Iowa Caucus. (King Corn)
Resume
Education
- Missouri State University- B.A. in History
Work History
- Buisness-Fixing Commercial Cars
Political History
- United States Representative from 6th district of Missouri
- Speaker of the House
- Acting President of the United States