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David Palmer (24 character)
Encyclopedia
David Palmer, J.D.
is a fictional President of the United States
played by Dennis Haysbert
as part of the television series 24
. Palmer served as the show's second-most prominent protagonist, after Jack Bauer
. Throughout the series, Palmer's ex-wife Sherry
and brother Wayne
are both key figures in his administration. He has two children: a son, Keith, and a daughter, Nicole. Palmer was a member of the Democratic Party
. He is in the fourth highest number of episodes of any character in the series behind Tony Almeida
(115), Chloe O'Brian
(125) and main character Jack Bauer
(192), portrayed by Carlos Bernard
, Mary Lynn Rajskub
and Kiefer Sutherland
, respectively.
from the University of Maryland School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy from Georgetown University. Prior to his presidency, he served as a Congressman and Senator from Maryland
. Season One also includes a reference to Palmer being a College basketball star, hitting a game-winning shot against Depaul in the Final Four. In 1979 Depaul lost to Indiana St. in the Final Four by a score of 76 - 74.
from Maryland
who ran for President
. He was elected after the assassination
attempts against him on the day of the California
primary election
were foiled by CTU agent Jack Bauer
. Although he initially sought a second term, he bowed out of the race after the opposing candidate learned that David had lied to the chief of police in order to protect his ex-wife, Sherry Palmer
, who was under suspicion for involvement in a man's death.
Throughout the series, Palmer's role as President is often vital to the successful foiling of terrorist plots. Palmer is seen as a good leader who makes difficult decisions without much hesitation. On several occasions, his intervention as President and the execution of his Presidential powers helped the Counter Terrorist Unit.
24: Season 1
David Palmer has had many difficulties due to his political life. In the first season
, Palmer was the frontrunner in the race for nomination as Democratic candidate for President of the United States. His life was threatened during the course of Day 1. His political life was threatened on other fronts. His son, Keith, was shown to be a viable suspect in the murder of the man who raped his daughter. Palmer investigated, but found that telling the truth was preferable to covering it up with lies, and took a stand in favor of his son. However, he found out his wife, Sherry, was trying to manipulate him, both in that potential scandal, and the one Sherry tried to create. David was furious with Sherry, and divorced her.
David Palmer also confronted Jack Bauer in person over the events of the first 10 hours of Day 1. He was no-nonsense, demanding a private, unrecorded interview with Bauer. Palmer, believing that Bauer wanted payback for the deaths of his covert operations team, started by demanding Jack to tell him of the other people involved in the assassination attempt on his life. Jack said he was trying to protect Palmer's life, which ultimately led Palmer to realize he was wrong about Jack and his motives. Jack had led the covert operation which ultimately had cost him his team, but Jack had never known of Senator Palmer's authorization of the mission. Jack in fact had carried the guilt over the loss of his team into his personal life, leading to a separation from his wife and affair with Nina Myers (which admittedly he had recently ended). Senator Palmer realized through this that Jack had been through a bad day. He authorized Jack's reinstatement on Day 1. Palmer goes on to defeat his Democratic primary opponent Governor Hodges, a University of Toledo College of Law Alumni, and incumbent President Harold Barnes in the general election.
24: Season 2
Over a year later, David Palmer is now the President. He is alerted to the threat of a nuclear bomb detonating in the U.S. He also is informed that Bauer, now an inactive agent, has contacts with people who could lead them to the bomb. Jack ignored calls from CTU, but responded to the call from President Palmer. Jack became an active agent again, eventually finding the bomb and detonating it in a remote area. Palmer orders attacks on the three nations responsible, as revealed by an audio known as the Cyprus Recording. Palmer then reverses course, stating that he believes the recordings to be fake, as advised by Jack, but Mike Novick
, his Chief of Staff
, and the Vice President, Jim Prescott deem this sudden reluctance to attack as an incapability to hold the office. Earlier in the day however, Sherry warned him that there were people in his administration planning to overthrow his presidency. Prescott gathers the Cabinet members, and by one vote, David Palmer is removed from office under the provisions of the 25th Amendment
. He sits in a room as a prisoner for the rest of the day, until Jack provides CTU with the evidence that the Cyprus Recording is a forgery, and the attacks are called off by Prescott.
Palmer is reinstated as President, and although Prescott and the Cabinet members who voted against Palmer offer to resign, he does not accept their resignations. Palmer does, however, immediately relieve Mike Novick of his post as Chief of Staff. Palmer then goes out to make a statement to the press, deeming that the threat is over. He shakes hands with many of the onlookers, one of whom happens to be Mandy
, a woman hired in Day 1 to assassinate Palmer. She slips a deadly virus into his hand, and he collapses to the ground, panting.
(The extended ending presented in the 24 Season 2 boxset has him get up and say he's all right; this was filmed to stop the extras on location from leaking the real ending.)
24: The Game
Six months after Day 2, Palmer is recovering from his assassination attempt. Although he makes televised appearances to make it appear as if he is strong, healthy, and running the nation, in actuality, vice president Jim Prescott is acting President. The reality is that Palmer is heavily medicated and uses a wheelchair. However, terrorists attempt to assassinate Prescott, leaving the Vice-President in critical condition. Palmer decides at this point that he is strong enough to take over the responsibilities of being President of United States once again.
A few months later (In the comic, 24: Midnight Sun), after the events of Day 2 and 24: The Game, President Palmer allows the opening to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
near Fairbanks, Alaska. His reasoning behind this controversial decision was so that the nation would no longer be manipulated by the men behind the oil companies (a reference to Max and Peter Kingsley).
24: Season 3
In Day 3
, Palmer is faced with re-election; however, he is still the President, and is faced with many problems during the day. His lover Anne is implicated in a scandal, and although she is innocent, she leaves him. Palmer's brother admits his affair with the wife of one of his biggest supporters, and Palmer is forced to choose life or death for Jack. Palmer chooses death, but eventually is informed of a huge terrorist threat where Jack had to go undercover. He doesn't like it, but his faith in Jack prevails. However, Palmer falters in the end. He brought Sherry Palmer back into his life to help. She does, but in the end David can't agree to her terms (i.e. re-marrying her). After she is killed as a result of a political scandal, he ultimately decides not to run for re-election, again preferring his principles over everything else.
At the end of Season 3, after a Presidential debate, he decided to cancel his re-election campaign. His opponent in the election, U.S. Senator
John Keeler of Minnesota
, became President in Season 4.
24: Season 4
In Day 4
, President Keeler was incapacitated when Air Force One
(forced to remain in flight during the current attacks, even though just returning from Mexico) was shot down by terrorists.
Despite his initial hesitation, Vice President Charles Logan
, under the 25th Amendment, became Acting President
, due to President Keeler's condition (he was in a coma.) From the very beginning, Logan showed poor judgement abilities. He demanded the arrest of Jack Bauer, which ruined any opportunity to arrest Habib Marwan. When that raid failed, Logan finally realized he was not up to the task, and sought Mike Novick for counsel.
Mike Novick, Palmer's former Chief of Staff, recommended that Former President David Palmer be brought in to assist the Acting President. Palmer effectively led the events in the latter part of Day 4, but realized that Logan was a weak-willed commander in chief unable to demonstrate Presidential leadership. Logan blamed Palmer when things went wrong, but took full credit when things went his way. After the terrorists were finally brought down, Logan infamously told Palmer, he "played a role" in the season finale.
David Palmer was one of the four people who knew Jack Bauer was alive. He paid his debt to Jack by warning him about the Secret Service agent who was being sent to kill him in order to prevent an international incident with the Chinese (who were demanding the man responsible for the killing of their consul).
24: Season 5
In the opening moments of Day 5
, David Palmer was discussing his memoir with his brother Wayne in his penthouse apartment
. Wayne noticed David seemed distracted and worried about a matter that he quickly disregarded. At 7:02 a.m., a sniper from the adjacent building shot through the window, hitting Palmer in the neck, killing him instantly. It was later revealed that the assassin, a man named Haas, had received his orders from Christopher Henderson, who, in secretly working for President Charles Logan
and Graem Bauer, also ordered the deaths of Michelle Dessler
, Tony Almeida
and Chloe O'Brian
, although the planned assassinations of Chloe and Tony were unsuccessful (Tony was stabbed by Henderson later on, and was presumed dead). Both Haas and Henderson were killed by Jack Bauer in retribution for their role in the deaths of his friends. David Palmer was initially the primary target for discovering information about someone within the Logan administration who was working with the terrorists.
At the close of the day, David Palmer was given a state procession, as his body was flown back to Washington, watched on by many distinguished guests, such as the President, First Lady and many others. Following a speech by President Logan praising Palmer, the President was taken into custody on orders from the Attorney General
who had just heard a recording incriminating Logan in Palmer's assassination.
visitors also named him the TV President they would most like to see in the Oval Office. Haysbert has also been nominated for a Golden Globe, a Satellite Award and three NAACP Image Awards for his portrayal of Palmer.
On an episode of The Daily Show
that aired on June 4, 2008, host Jon Stewart
remarked (in a clear reference to David Palmer) that newly-christened presumptive Democratic
nominee Barack Obama
will be the first African American
candidate for President of the United States
"since the first season of 24."
Pundits, and indeed Dennis Haysbert himself, have claimed that Haysbert's portrayal of David Palmer allowed viewers to become more comfortable with the idea of an African American president and consequently may have helped the political campaign of Obama, who was elected the 44th President on November 4, 2008. Commentators have called this influence the "Palmer effect", in contrast to the Bradley effect
.
Dennis Haysbert
was disappointed that his character was killed in the fifth Season, commenting that it continued an American legacy of killing its popular and charismatic leaders. He does continue to watch the show and is a fan.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
is a fictional President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
played by Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Dexter Haysbert is an American film and television actor. He is known for portraying baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League film trilogy, President David Palmer on the American television series 24, and Sergeant Major Jonas Blane on the drama series The Unit, as well as his work...
as part of the television series 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
. Palmer served as the show's second-most prominent protagonist, after Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
. Throughout the series, Palmer's ex-wife Sherry
Sherry Palmer
Sherry Palmer is a fictional character on the television series 24, played by Penny Johnson Jerald. She is the wife, later ex-wife, of US President David Palmer and features prominently in the first three seasons.-24: Season 1:...
and brother Wayne
Wayne Palmer
Wayne Palmer is a fictional President of the United States on the television series 24. He is played by D. B. Woodside.-Characterization:...
are both key figures in his administration. He has two children: a son, Keith, and a daughter, Nicole. Palmer was a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He is in the fourth highest number of episodes of any character in the series behind Tony Almeida
Tony Almeida
Anthony "Tony" Almeida is a fictional character played by Carlos Bernard on the television series 24. Almeida appeared in a total of 115 episodes, the third highest number of episodes of any character in the series behind Chloe O'Brian and main character Jack Bauer , portrayed by Mary Lynn Rajskub...
(115), Chloe O'Brian
Chloe O'Brian
Chloe O'Brian is a fictional character played by actress Mary Lynn Rajskub on the US television series 24. An analyst at CTU Los Angeles , she is Jack Bauer's most trusted colleague, often doing unconventional and unauthorized favors for him, even at personal risk to herself...
(125) and main character Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
(192), portrayed by Carlos Bernard
Carlos Bernard
Carlos Bernard is an American actor, best known for his role as Tony Almeida in 24.-Biography:Bernard received a Master of Fine Arts degree from American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco after attending Illinois State University.He performed in A.C.T...
, Mary Lynn Rajskub
Mary Lynn Rajskub
Mary Lynn Rajskub is an American actress and comedian, best known for her leading role as Chloe O'Brian on the Fox action-thriller 24.-Early life:...
and Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
, respectively.
Characterization
David Palmer has a Juris DoctorJuris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Maryland School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy from Georgetown University. Prior to his presidency, he served as a Congressman and Senator from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Season One also includes a reference to Palmer being a College basketball star, hitting a game-winning shot against Depaul in the Final Four. In 1979 Depaul lost to Indiana St. in the Final Four by a score of 76 - 74.
Appearances
David Palmer was a United States SenatorUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
who ran for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. He was elected after the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
attempts against him on the day of the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
were foiled by CTU agent Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
. Although he initially sought a second term, he bowed out of the race after the opposing candidate learned that David had lied to the chief of police in order to protect his ex-wife, Sherry Palmer
Sherry Palmer
Sherry Palmer is a fictional character on the television series 24, played by Penny Johnson Jerald. She is the wife, later ex-wife, of US President David Palmer and features prominently in the first three seasons.-24: Season 1:...
, who was under suspicion for involvement in a man's death.
Throughout the series, Palmer's role as President is often vital to the successful foiling of terrorist plots. Palmer is seen as a good leader who makes difficult decisions without much hesitation. On several occasions, his intervention as President and the execution of his Presidential powers helped the Counter Terrorist Unit.
24: Season 124 (season 1)Season One, also known as Day 1, of the television series 24 was first broadcast from November 6, 2001 to May 21, 2002.The season's storyline starts at 12:00 a.m...
David Palmer has had many difficulties due to his political life. In the first season24 (season 1)
Season One, also known as Day 1, of the television series 24 was first broadcast from November 6, 2001 to May 21, 2002.The season's storyline starts at 12:00 a.m...
, Palmer was the frontrunner in the race for nomination as Democratic candidate for President of the United States. His life was threatened during the course of Day 1. His political life was threatened on other fronts. His son, Keith, was shown to be a viable suspect in the murder of the man who raped his daughter. Palmer investigated, but found that telling the truth was preferable to covering it up with lies, and took a stand in favor of his son. However, he found out his wife, Sherry, was trying to manipulate him, both in that potential scandal, and the one Sherry tried to create. David was furious with Sherry, and divorced her.
David Palmer also confronted Jack Bauer in person over the events of the first 10 hours of Day 1. He was no-nonsense, demanding a private, unrecorded interview with Bauer. Palmer, believing that Bauer wanted payback for the deaths of his covert operations team, started by demanding Jack to tell him of the other people involved in the assassination attempt on his life. Jack said he was trying to protect Palmer's life, which ultimately led Palmer to realize he was wrong about Jack and his motives. Jack had led the covert operation which ultimately had cost him his team, but Jack had never known of Senator Palmer's authorization of the mission. Jack in fact had carried the guilt over the loss of his team into his personal life, leading to a separation from his wife and affair with Nina Myers (which admittedly he had recently ended). Senator Palmer realized through this that Jack had been through a bad day. He authorized Jack's reinstatement on Day 1. Palmer goes on to defeat his Democratic primary opponent Governor Hodges, a University of Toledo College of Law Alumni, and incumbent President Harold Barnes in the general election.
24: Season 224 (season 2)Season Two, also known as Day 2, of 24 was first broadcast from October 28, 2002 to May 20, 2003. The season begins and ends at 8:00 a.m...
Over a year later, David Palmer is now the President. He is alerted to the threat of a nuclear bomb detonating in the U.S. He also is informed that Bauer, now an inactive agent, has contacts with people who could lead them to the bomb. Jack ignored calls from CTU, but responded to the call from President Palmer. Jack became an active agent again, eventually finding the bomb and detonating it in a remote area. Palmer orders attacks on the three nations responsible, as revealed by an audio known as the Cyprus Recording. Palmer then reverses course, stating that he believes the recordings to be fake, as advised by Jack, but Mike NovickMike Novick
Mike Novick is a fictional character played by Jude Ciccolella as part of the television series, 24. He has appeared more than any other recurring character, having appeared in 58 episodes over 4 seasons, and has been given a promotional photo with the same background as the starring cast members,...
, his Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
, and the Vice President, Jim Prescott deem this sudden reluctance to attack as an incapability to hold the office. Earlier in the day however, Sherry warned him that there were people in his administration planning to overthrow his presidency. Prescott gathers the Cabinet members, and by one vote, David Palmer is removed from office under the provisions of the 25th Amendment
Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution deals with succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities...
. He sits in a room as a prisoner for the rest of the day, until Jack provides CTU with the evidence that the Cyprus Recording is a forgery, and the attacks are called off by Prescott.
Palmer is reinstated as President, and although Prescott and the Cabinet members who voted against Palmer offer to resign, he does not accept their resignations. Palmer does, however, immediately relieve Mike Novick of his post as Chief of Staff. Palmer then goes out to make a statement to the press, deeming that the threat is over. He shakes hands with many of the onlookers, one of whom happens to be Mandy
Mandy (24 character)
Mandy is a fictional character, played by Mia Kirshner, on the television series 24. She is a terrorist and a professional assassin, and is notable for being the only longtime antagonist of the series to remain alive, as of the end of Season 4 .-24: Season 1:Mandy appears in the first three...
, a woman hired in Day 1 to assassinate Palmer. She slips a deadly virus into his hand, and he collapses to the ground, panting.
(The extended ending presented in the 24 Season 2 boxset has him get up and say he's all right; this was filmed to stop the extras on location from leaking the real ending.)
24: The Game24: The Game24: The Game is a third-person shooter video game, based on the FOX television series, 24. The game was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Cambridge Studios and was published by 2K Games for PlayStation 2. It was announced on March 30, 2005 and first released in North America on February...
Six months after Day 2, Palmer is recovering from his assassination attempt. Although he makes televised appearances to make it appear as if he is strong, healthy, and running the nation, in actuality, vice president Jim Prescott is acting President. The reality is that Palmer is heavily medicated and uses a wheelchair. However, terrorists attempt to assassinate Prescott, leaving the Vice-President in critical condition. Palmer decides at this point that he is strong enough to take over the responsibilities of being President of United States once again.A few months later (In the comic, 24: Midnight Sun), after the events of Day 2 and 24: The Game, President Palmer allows the opening to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country, slightly larger than the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge...
near Fairbanks, Alaska. His reasoning behind this controversial decision was so that the nation would no longer be manipulated by the men behind the oil companies (a reference to Max and Peter Kingsley).
24: Season 324 (season 3)Season Three, also known as Day 3, of 24 premiered in the United States on October 28, 2003 and aired its season finale on May 25, 2004...
In Day 324 (season 3)
Season Three, also known as Day 3, of 24 premiered in the United States on October 28, 2003 and aired its season finale on May 25, 2004...
, Palmer is faced with re-election; however, he is still the President, and is faced with many problems during the day. His lover Anne is implicated in a scandal, and although she is innocent, she leaves him. Palmer's brother admits his affair with the wife of one of his biggest supporters, and Palmer is forced to choose life or death for Jack. Palmer chooses death, but eventually is informed of a huge terrorist threat where Jack had to go undercover. He doesn't like it, but his faith in Jack prevails. However, Palmer falters in the end. He brought Sherry Palmer back into his life to help. She does, but in the end David can't agree to her terms (i.e. re-marrying her). After she is killed as a result of a political scandal, he ultimately decides not to run for re-election, again preferring his principles over everything else.
At the end of Season 3, after a Presidential debate, he decided to cancel his re-election campaign. His opponent in the election, U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
John Keeler of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, became President in Season 4.
24: Season 424 (season 4)Season Four, also known as Day 4 of the television series 24 premiered on January 9, 2005 and aired its season finale on May 23, 2005.The Season Four storyline starts and ends at 7:00 am....
In Day 424 (season 4)
Season Four, also known as Day 4 of the television series 24 premiered on January 9, 2005 and aired its season finale on May 23, 2005.The Season Four storyline starts and ends at 7:00 am....
, President Keeler was incapacitated when Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
(forced to remain in flight during the current attacks, even though just returning from Mexico) was shot down by terrorists.
Despite his initial hesitation, Vice President Charles Logan
Charles Logan (24 character)
Charles Logan is a fictional character played by Gregory Itzin in the television series 24. During the show's fourth season, Logan is the Vice President of the United States who is sworn into office as President of the United States when former President John Keeler is critically injured in a...
, under the 25th Amendment, became Acting President
Acting President of the United States
Acting President of the United States is a reference to a person who is legitimately exercising the Presidential powers even though that person does not hold the office of the President of the United States in his own right....
, due to President Keeler's condition (he was in a coma.) From the very beginning, Logan showed poor judgement abilities. He demanded the arrest of Jack Bauer, which ruined any opportunity to arrest Habib Marwan. When that raid failed, Logan finally realized he was not up to the task, and sought Mike Novick for counsel.
Mike Novick, Palmer's former Chief of Staff, recommended that Former President David Palmer be brought in to assist the Acting President. Palmer effectively led the events in the latter part of Day 4, but realized that Logan was a weak-willed commander in chief unable to demonstrate Presidential leadership. Logan blamed Palmer when things went wrong, but took full credit when things went his way. After the terrorists were finally brought down, Logan infamously told Palmer, he "played a role" in the season finale.
David Palmer was one of the four people who knew Jack Bauer was alive. He paid his debt to Jack by warning him about the Secret Service agent who was being sent to kill him in order to prevent an international incident with the Chinese (who were demanding the man responsible for the killing of their consul).
24: Season 524 (season 5)Season Five, also known as Day 5 of the television series 24 premiered on January 15, 2006 and aired its season finale on May 22, 2006.The Season Five storyline starts and ends at 7:00 a.m. It is the same time frame as the previous season....
In the opening moments of Day 524 (season 5)
Season Five, also known as Day 5 of the television series 24 premiered on January 15, 2006 and aired its season finale on May 22, 2006.The Season Five storyline starts and ends at 7:00 a.m. It is the same time frame as the previous season....
, David Palmer was discussing his memoir with his brother Wayne in his penthouse apartment
Penthouse apartment
A penthouse apartment or penthouse is an apartment that is on one of the highest floors of an apartment building. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features.-History:...
. Wayne noticed David seemed distracted and worried about a matter that he quickly disregarded. At 7:02 a.m., a sniper from the adjacent building shot through the window, hitting Palmer in the neck, killing him instantly. It was later revealed that the assassin, a man named Haas, had received his orders from Christopher Henderson, who, in secretly working for President Charles Logan
Charles Logan (24 character)
Charles Logan is a fictional character played by Gregory Itzin in the television series 24. During the show's fourth season, Logan is the Vice President of the United States who is sworn into office as President of the United States when former President John Keeler is critically injured in a...
and Graem Bauer, also ordered the deaths of Michelle Dessler
Michelle Dessler
Michelle Dessler is a fictional character played by Reiko Aylesworth on the television series, 24. She was one of Jack's closest and most trusted female allies at CTU as well as one of his closest friends outside of work. The character first appeared in the second season of 24 as an Internet...
, Tony Almeida
Tony Almeida
Anthony "Tony" Almeida is a fictional character played by Carlos Bernard on the television series 24. Almeida appeared in a total of 115 episodes, the third highest number of episodes of any character in the series behind Chloe O'Brian and main character Jack Bauer , portrayed by Mary Lynn Rajskub...
and Chloe O'Brian
Chloe O'Brian
Chloe O'Brian is a fictional character played by actress Mary Lynn Rajskub on the US television series 24. An analyst at CTU Los Angeles , she is Jack Bauer's most trusted colleague, often doing unconventional and unauthorized favors for him, even at personal risk to herself...
, although the planned assassinations of Chloe and Tony were unsuccessful (Tony was stabbed by Henderson later on, and was presumed dead). Both Haas and Henderson were killed by Jack Bauer in retribution for their role in the deaths of his friends. David Palmer was initially the primary target for discovering information about someone within the Logan administration who was working with the terrorists.
At the close of the day, David Palmer was given a state procession, as his body was flown back to Washington, watched on by many distinguished guests, such as the President, First Lady and many others. Following a speech by President Logan praising Palmer, the President was taken into custody on orders from the Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
who had just heard a recording incriminating Logan in Palmer's assassination.
Reception
A poll by Blockbuster named Palmer as respondents' Favorite On-Screen President. TV.comTV.com
TV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
visitors also named him the TV President they would most like to see in the Oval Office. Haysbert has also been nominated for a Golden Globe, a Satellite Award and three NAACP Image Awards for his portrayal of Palmer.
On an episode of The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
that aired on June 4, 2008, host Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
remarked (in a clear reference to David Palmer) that newly-christened presumptive Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
will be the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
candidate for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
"since the first season of 24."
Pundits, and indeed Dennis Haysbert himself, have claimed that Haysbert's portrayal of David Palmer allowed viewers to become more comfortable with the idea of an African American president and consequently may have helped the political campaign of Obama, who was elected the 44th President on November 4, 2008. Commentators have called this influence the "Palmer effect", in contrast to the Bradley effect
Bradley effect
The Bradley effect, less commonly called the Wilder effect, is a theory proposed to explain observed discrepancies between voter opinion polls and election outcomes in some United States government elections where a white candidate and a non-white candidate run against each other...
.
Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Dexter Haysbert is an American film and television actor. He is known for portraying baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League film trilogy, President David Palmer on the American television series 24, and Sergeant Major Jonas Blane on the drama series The Unit, as well as his work...
was disappointed that his character was killed in the fifth Season, commenting that it continued an American legacy of killing its popular and charismatic leaders. He does continue to watch the show and is a fan.