Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet was President of the United States from 1999-2006 and was suceeded by Texas Congressman Matthew Vincete Santos.

Bartlet represents, in many ways, an idealized liberal president, endowed with a fierce intellect, great (though not infallible) personal integrity, toughness tempered with essential compassion for the less fortunate, and a sense of humor.

Personal life

Bartlet was born and raised in New Hampshire. He is a direct descendent of the Josiah Bartlett, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence.

Bartlet is a devout Roman Catholic; this is due to the influence of his mother, as his father would have preferred that he be raised Protestant. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in American studies and a minor in theology. Bartlet received his Masters and Ph.D. in economics from the London School of Economics. Before entering politics, Bartlet was a tenured professor of economics at Dartmouth College, where he received an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters. He was a Nobel Laureate in Economics.

Prior to choosing economics as his career, Bartlet considered becoming a priest. He changed his mind upon meeting his future wife, Abigail Bartlet, who became a thoracic surgeon. They had three daughters: Elizabeth Anne "Liz" Weston , Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Bartlet, and Zoey. He is a stern but loving father, in contrast to his own father, who was cold and physically abusive. In addition to his three daughters, President Bartlet has paternal feelings towards members of his staff, referring to Charlie Young (his former personal assistant) and Josh Lyman (his deputy chief of staff) as his sons, and telling C.J. Cregg (his then press secretary) that she was part of his family. Bartlet suffers from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, which at one time put the future of his presidency in doubt.

Like his ancestor, he was governor of New Hampshire for two terms, winning re-election in 1996 with 69% of the vote. Prior to becoming governor, Bartlet served on the New Hampshire State Board of Education and was a three-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He also served in the New Hampshire state legislature.

Presidency

Bartlet's close friend, Leo McGarry, convinces him to run for president around the fall of 1997, writing the slogan "Bartlet for America" on a cocktail napkin (the napkin was later given to Bartlet by McGarry's daughter Mallory on his last day in office. Although initially a dark horse, Bartlet eventually defeats the presumptive nominee, Texas senator John Hoynes, whom Bartlet asks to join the ticket as his vice-presidential running mate. He defeats the Republican nominee for President. Bartlet wins a close election with just 48 percent of the vote, 48 million popular votes and a 303-235 margin in the Electoral College. In 2002, Bartlet is elected to a second term, defeating the Republican nominee, Gov. Robert Ritchie of Florida, by a landslide in what had been expected to be an election as close as the one four years earlier.

Bartlet was shot in the summer of 2000. Bartlet's wounds are not serious and quick medical intervention has him on his feet within a few hours. It is later discovered that his bodyman Charlie Young was the actual target of the assassination attempt, not the President himself.

In 2001 Bartlet announced to the country that he suffers from multiple sclerosis, and has been keeping it a secret, he had previously revealed it to a number of people including the Vice President and Chief of Staff.

Zoey Bartlet is kidnapped on the day of her graduation from Georgetown University, possibly in retaliation for the assassination of the Qumari defense minister, which her father authorized. While Zoey is missing, President Bartlet fears he is incapable of maintaining the necessary dispassion while his daughter is in such danger and invokes Section 3 of the 25th Amendment, declaring himself incapacitated and transferring the powers of the presidency to the next person in the presidential line of succession. Due to the resignation a few days earlier of Vice President Hoynes, the Speaker of the House, Glen Allen Walken, a Republican, becomes Acting President. Zoey is recovered with only minor injuries several days later; President Bartlet re-assumed his office shortly thereafter.

On a trip to China, Bartlet is left temporarily paralyzed by an attack of MS. As a result he is briefly confined to a wheelchair, like President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but he soon recovers.

In 2006 Bartlet is in the last year of his term. He is succeeded by Democrat Matthew Santos, a Congressman from Texas, who defeats Republican Senator Arnold Vinick of California in the election. Bartlet returns to his New Hampshire home aboard Air Force One with his wife, during the trip there one thought on his mind, "Tomorrow."