Lewis Berryhill served as the United States Secretary of State during the Bartlet administration. Josh Lyman considered him the most popular Secretary of State since William H. Seward.[1]
In 1999, after the death of 60 Air Force personnel, President Bartlet would strongly send orders to Secretary Berryhill, something that alarmed White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry.[2] During the crisis, Bartlet became increasingly concerned that Berryhill was intentionally delaying his orders.[3]
After the Josiah Bartlet assassination attempt, Berryhill was listed by C.J. Cregg as one of the officials in charge, along with Vice President Hoynes, Dr. McNally, Secretary Hutchinson, one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Leo McGarry.[4]
It was later stated that Berryhill was unsure of the chain of command following the attempt.[5]
Berryhill, along with the President and Secretary Hutchinson was a proponent of the War Crimes Tribunal.[6]
In 2000, White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg had to assure the press that Secretary Berryhill would not be meeting foreign politician Vasily Konanov, nor would any other Cabinet official.[7]
In 2001, President Bartlet contacted Berryhill in order to begin the rescue of Haitian President Dessaline.[8]
In preparation for a presidential address to the United Nations General Assembly, White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler consulted Secretary Berryhill on harsh language related to Islamic fundamentalists. He was given approval, even though Congressional leaders disagreed with it.[9]
After his customary resignation from the Cabinet at the end of Bartlet's first term, Berryhill was the first hired back.[10]
Along with the other members of the Cabinet, Berryhill agreed to invoke the 25th Amendment after the Zoey Bartlet kidnapping.[11]
When news of the Abdul ibn Shareef assassination broke, Berryhill received many irate calls from other nations, and reported it to the White House.[12]
During the bombings of Qumar by Acting President Walken, Berryhill and Leo McGarry met with Qumari Ambassador Umar Usef. He also expressed his dismay over the bombings.[13] He later joined the Acting President in the Situation Room where he expressed his interest in rounding up support at the United Nations for further action in Qumar.[14]
After addressing the UN, approval of Berryhill spiked, and the Bartlet administration decided to vet him for the spot of Vice President, vacated by the resigned Hoynes.[15] Senate Majority Leader Robert Royce believed there would be no problem in confirming Berryhill, but Speaker Jeff Haffley said he would be unconfirmable.[16] Although very eager for the job, Berryhill was soon dropped as a nominee.[17]
In 2003, Berryhill briefed the President about an upcoming meeting with Germany Chancellor Weisman.[18]When President Bartlet was spending too much time consoling disaster survivors in Oklahoma, Berryhill was among those urging the President to return to Washington and continue his work, including the meeting with Chancellor Weisman. [19] He was replaced by Arnold Vinick after the 2006 election.
Notes
Edit
Berryhill was first mentioned by name in A Proportional Response. The first name Lewis was established in The Dogs of War. He was last mentioned in The Wedding.
In Arctic Radar and Twenty-Five, Berryhill was portrayed by unknown actors. He was present in the Cabinet in Arctic Radar, although none of the actors were specified as Berryhill. In 25, he was shown in silhoutte.
He was played by William Devane in The Dogs of War and Jefferson Lives.
- ↑ "He's the most popular Secretary of State since... whoever Lincoln had." from Jefferson Lives
- ↑ "He's barking at the Secretary of State, he's scaring..." from A Proportional Response
- ↑ "Cashman and Berryhill are dragging their feet." from A Proportional Response
- ↑ "You just listed six people! Who's in charge?" from In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part I
- ↑ "The National Security Adviser and Secretary of State didn't know who they were taking their orders from!" from 17 People
- ↑ "Well, I know that Hutchison and Berryhill are for it, but to me, to Fitzwallace, the Pentagon, the House and Senate Armed Services, and the House and Senate Foreign Relations, it's a thing of catastrophic proportions." from War Crimes
- ↑ "I want to make it very clear that Mr. Konanov, while he's here in Washington is not meeting with the Secretary of State..." from The Lame Duck Congress
- ↑ "I'm sold." "Margaret, get me the Secretary of State." from 18th and Potomac
- ↑ "Did you bring in anybody from State?" "Yes." "Who?" "The Secretary of State." from Night Five
- ↑ "You'll make him feel loved? I want him in the Cabinet." from Arctic Radar
- ↑ "Secretary of State?" "Aye." from 25
- ↑ "The Secretary of State called." "I'll bet he did." from 7A WF 83429
- ↑ "I didn't want us to do it in the first place." from The Dogs of War
- ↑ "I'll go up this afternoon." from The Dogs of War
- ↑ "So if your President asks, you'll serve?" from Jefferson Lives
- ↑ "...you don't want a fight. Berryhill's a fight." from Jefferson Lives
- ↑ "I called Lewis Berryhill. I told him it wasn't going to work out." from Jefferson Lives
- ↑ "Mr. President. Secretary Berryhill is ready for you in the Cabinet Room." from Disaster Relief
- ↑ "The Secretary of State called twice. He's heard there's a scheduling problem with the President getting back in time for the Chancellor. And he wanted to remind you, in the most emphatic terms..." from Disaster Relief
| Preceded by: unknown (eventually Henry Kissinger) | United States Secretary of State 1999 - 2007 | Succeeded by: Arnold Vinick (designate) |
