Madam Secretary is an American political drama television series. It aired on CBS from 2014-2019 and stars Téa Leoni, Tim Daly, Keith Carradine, Erich Bergen, Patina Miller, Geoffrey Arend, Sebastian Arcelus, Wallis Currie-Wood, Kathrine Herzer, Evan Roe, Željko Ivanek, Bebe Neuwirth and Sara Ramirez.
Overview
Main characters
Elizabeth McCord
Henry McCord
Professor (Dr.) Henry McCord is the husband of United States Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord and the father of Stevie, Alison, and Jason McCord. Upon his wife's election as President of the United States, Henry becomes the First Gentleman of the United States. He is portrayed by Tim Daly.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Henry is the son of Patrick McCord (Tom Skerritt), a steel worker, and an unnamed mother. He has three siblings: Maureen, Shane, and Erin. Henry is Catholic, and was an altar boy in his youth.
After graduating from high school, Henry attended the University of Virginia on a scholarship, where he met his future wife, Elizabeth Adams, and was a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. He was commissioned in the United States Marine Corps after graduation and served five years on active duty. He was assigned to the 3rd Marine Air Wing out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and he flew F-18 Hornets during Operation Desert Storm. Henry mustered out of the Corps with the rank of Captain.
After leaving the Marines, Henry returned to academia, where he earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy and became a world-renowned religious scholar. He has published eight books (as of the first season). He has worked as a professor at the University of Virginia, Georgetown University, and the National War College, where he serves as chairman of the newly created Military Ethics Department.
Not long after his wife was appointed Secretary of State, Henry found himself back in government service, working for, among others, the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Central Intelligence Agency as both a consultant and an operative. At the end of the third season, Henry was named head of the CIA's Special Activities Division. He resigned in "Reading the Signs" after failing to receive Congressional support for his operations in Afghanistan, and upon taking his leave, Henry and his team were awarded the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation (having turned down the individual National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal believing he wasn't in service long enough to qualify for such an award).
In the fifth season, Henry is hired by President Dalton as his personal Ethics Advisor, which requires him to step down as Chairman of the National War College's Military Ethics Department.
Conrad Dalton
Conrad Joseph Dalton is the President of the United States. He is portrayed by Keith Carradine.
A Marine Corps veteran, Conrad serves as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Vietnam War, where he earns a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Before entering politics, Conrad is the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, where he serves as the mentor and boss of then-CIA Analyst Elizabeth McCord. After the death of Secretary of State Vincent Marsh, President Dalton appoints Elizabeth to succeed Marsh.
In 2008, Conrad runs an unsuccessful campaign to become Governor of California; after the loss, he meets his future White House Chief of Staff Russell Jackson (Željko Ivanek).
In the third season, Conrad fails to receive his party's nomination for a second term as president, losing to Pennsylvania governor Sam Evans, after revamping the United States' entire foreign policy for military base locations. Nevertheless, Dalton remains popular enough with certain parts of the population that Elizabeth convinces him to run as an independent. After a hard campaign, Dalton narrowly wins the swing state of Ohio, deadlocking the Electoral College and staging a contingent election in the House of Representatives. He eventually wins the election after defusing a military confrontation between Iran and Israel, and negotiating a framework for peace between the two countries.
In "Sound and Fury", Conrad takes a medical leave of absence under Section 3 of the 25th Amendment, leaving Vice President Teresa Hurst serving as acting president. He returned to the Presidency after two months.
Between the fifth and sixth seasons, Conrad completed his term in office and has been succeeded as president by Elizabeth.
Conrad is married to Lydia Dalton, with whom he has a son, Harrison, who struggles with drug addiction. He also has a brother, John Dalton.