Tom Lennox

Tom Lennox
24 character
File:TomLennox.jpg Peter MacNicol as Tom Lennox
Portrayed by	Peter MacNicol
Appearances	6
Other Appearances	Redemption

Thomas "Tom" Lennox, Ph.D., is a fictional character from the television series 24, played by Peter MacNicol.

Characterization

He first appeared in the first episode of 24's 6th season, where he plays the White House Chief of Staff of President Wayne Palmer. He convinces Palmer to run for President prior to Day 6. Prior to serving as White House Chief of Staff, Lennox served as Policy Director on both Wayne and David Palmers' Presidential Campaigns. Thomas Lennox is a former member of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. He also serves on the boards of the Georgetown Institute, the James P. Williams Center for Public Affairs, and the Catalyn Foundation. He has published numerous articles and essays on topics including constitutional law, political philosophy, and public policy, and has co-edited several books. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Yale University and a Ph.D. in government from Harvard University.

Appearances

24: Season 6

Palmer dislikes Lennox, as he is willing to go beyond the boundaries of the Constitution when matters of national security arise. This is evident in hour 6 of Day 6. Karen Hayes learns that Lennox had set up more radical defensive measures without the President's authorization, and confronts him. Lennox gets tired of Hayes' persistence and asks an associate to make her "...go away." Later in the hour, Lennox blackmails Hayes into resigning, stating "...I need room to work." Faced with the evidence, Hayes does indeed step down within the hour, and Lennox is shown in the preview for episode 7 using her resignation as an opportunity to convince the President to sign off on the more extreme measures.

Despite Lennox's urging, the President convenes the cabinet and the Vice President to tell them he refuses to sign off on Lennox's proposals. Despite a personal apology and expression of appreciation from Palmer immediately after, Lennox's frustration explodes into rage when he returns to the privacy of his office with his subordinate Reed Pollock. He declares he intends to resign, dismissing Palmer as weak, and asks Pollock to draft his letter of resignation.

Later, Pollock approaches him and hints at a conspiracy to "remove" Palmer from office in order to allow Vice President Noah Daniels to assume the Presidency, as Daniels would be much more likely to authorize the plan put forward by Lennox. Despite his own disagreement with Palmer's decisions, Lennox is horrified by Pollock's implications and refuses, asking him to leave and finish his letter of resignation. Shortly after, however, the White House receives a flash report regarding Abu Fayed's escape from CTU and his acquisition of a working arming device for his remaining nukes. Shocked by how drastically the situation has worsened, Lennox calls Pollock and asks him to forget the letter of resignation, stating that he would like to "discuss further" the darker matter they spoke of earlier.

Lennox and Pollock meet in an unmonitored room in the bunker, where Pollock asks Lennox to bring him a copy of Palmer's itinerary, particularly regarding Hamri Al-Assad's upcoming televised appearance. Lennox demands to know who else is involved in this conspiracy, but Pollock refuses to say. Lennox agrees to obtain Palmer's itinerary.

Later, Lennox tries to warn the Secret Service about the assassination plot but is knocked out by Pollock. Pollock proceeds to tie up Tom, and he can only watch as the bomb maker and Pollock carry out their threat.

After Pollock unsuccessfully attempts to kill President Palmer, he and the bomb maker release Lennox, on the promise that he will stay quiet. Lennox quickly betrays the two and hands them over to the authorities, but is unable to convince Vice President Daniels that Hamri Al-Assad is being framed for the assassination attempt on Palmer. Daniels says that he will clear Lennox of all charges, provided that Lennox will agree to blame Assad for the attack and go along with the plan to implement his original security measures. Lennox is visibly troubled at this.

When Karen Hayes returns in response to the assassination attempt on Palmer, both she and Lennox show apprehension at Daniel's decision to launch a nuclear missile at Fayed's country should another nuclear attack happen on US soil, knowing it could start World War Three. Lennox proposes that they do something immediately to solve the fragile situation. This happens within the hour in San Francisco, and though Jack Bauer is able stop the nuke from exploding, radioactive material is released in the industrial park where it crash-lands. Daniels decides to order the strike, despite both Hayes and Lennox's adamant objections.

Eventually Palmer comes out of his coma and cancels the strike, resuming his role as President. Daniels tries to keep him out of office by calling the 25th Amendment. When Lennox records him approving his secretary to perjure herself, however, he makes Daniels revoke the appeal. When Hayes hears of Daniels' revoke, she goes to Lennox, and agrees to a truce with him, realizing that he only wants what's good for the country. After they shake hands, Lennox gets a phone call relating shocking news: Palmer has resumed Daniels' plan to launch a nuclear missile in Fayed's country. Lennox immediately rushes to Palmer, who defends his decision by saying that everyone thought he was a weak president. Lennox appeals to Palmer's rationality, but to no avail; he watches in horror as a missile is launched from a nuclear submarine. The ambassador of Fayed's country called to speak with Palmer, and it was revealed that General Mohmar Habib was arrested, as he worked with Fayed. Palmer called off the strike and asked the ambassador to come to the bunker. Lennox is shocked that the government of Fayed's country withheld information from them. Admiral John Smith then reveals the ballistic missile was unarmed; it was all a bluff.

President Palmer later confronts Lennox on Daniels' withdrawal of his affidavit. Palmer asks Lennox if he has something on Daniels, but this conversation is interrupted when Palmer collapses. Before Palmer collapses, he tells Tom to not tell anybody about his medical condition. Dr. Welton arrives in Palmer's office and is able to bring him into a conscious state. Welton advises him to seek medical attention, but Palmer refuses. When Palmer asks for another shot of adrenaline, Welton says he will submit his resignation before he administrates the drug. Before Welton leaves, he asks Tom to talk some sense into Palmer, but Lennox insists it is Palmer's decision to use the adrenaline.

After Palmer collapses again, Daniels confronts Lennox on the recording. The two agree to continue to work together; Lennox also agrees to not blackmail Daniels should they disagree on policy matters.

It is later revealed that Lisa Miller is cheating on Acting President Noah Daniels with Mark Bishop, a lobbyist who used her position with Daniels to provide secrets to the Russians. Lennox and Daniels then force Miller to feed Mark Bishop misinformation so he can relay it to the Russians. When Lisa Miller begins attacking Mark Bishop, Lennox and his men rush in to save her. By the time they get there, Bishop has nearly strangled Miller to death. Lennox then forces Bishop to send the critical information to the Russians. The Russian President isn't fooled by the information, however, as he was monitoring his own operative, Bishop. After returning to the White House, Lennox receives a phone call from Phillip Bauer. Bauer wishes to strike a deal with the White House: Josh Bauer and safe passage to a country of his choosing for the Russian component. Lennox advises that Daniels take the deal — which promptly falls through, as Phillip sabotages the exchange (with a fake circuit board rigged to explode) and absconds with Josh anyway. After Hayes, who had never approved of the deal, asks Lennox for his help in springing Jack Bauer from custody so he can help, Lennox says that he is unable to do anything about it, but that he will look the other way if Hayes decides to try anything.

After Karen Hayes is caught and imprisoned, Lennox asks Daniels to pardon her. After some deliberation, Daniels agrees. Lennox also turns over to Daniels the recording that he had made of the conversation with Lisa Miller.

24: Redemption

Tom Lennox made a brief appearance in 24: Redemption, set on President Daniels' final day in office.