Wayne Palmer

Wayne Palmer is the brother of David Palmer. He serves as his second chief of staff following Mike Novick. By Day 6 he had been elected President of the United States.

Background
Before being employed by the President, Palmer was a member of the United States Marine Corps, though he did not see combat. He then worked for Anderson & Siebertz, Attorney at Law.

Palmer later worked for Alan Milliken, a high powered businessman backer of his brother. He served as Chief Operations Officer of Milliken Enterprises. While Milliken was in hospital, recovering from a stroke, Wayne embarked upon an affair with Milliken's wife, Julia.

Palmer attended Stanford University on a Baseball scholarship. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from that institution. He attained his Juris Doctorate from Yale School of Law.

Day 3
During Day Three, Milliken found out about the affair, presented the information to President Palmer, and ordered him to fire his brother as Chief of Staff; Palmer did not comply. In response to Milliken's threats, and against Wayne's arguments that he should resign, Palmer called in his ex-wife, Sherry to dig up the dirt on Milliken. In doing so, implicating evidence had been recovered, but Sherry failed to deliever. After causing Milliken's death and President Palmer provided an alibi for Sherry to the police, she had attempted to expose the truth. Wayne had brought in a specialist, Bruce Foxton to obtain evidence linking Sherry to Milliken's death. As they did so and the evidence was obtained, Milliken's wife, Julia, facing jail time, arrived at Sherry's house with the intent to kill her. Wayne attempted to stop the murder, but failed to do so. Julia later committed suicide. The events of this day led to President Palmer deciding not to seek his second term.

Day 5
On Day Five, Wayne had been helping his brother with his memoirs at Wayne's apartment. It was then that he had witnessed his brother's assassination. Later, as the FBI combed the crime scene, Jack Bauer quietly infiltrated the apartment but had been caught by Wayne, who had been under the assumption that Bauer had assassinated Palmer. After Bauer convinced him otherwise, Wayne helped to uncover information essential to the impending events of the day.

Later in the evening on the night of Day Five, Wayne contacts Secret Service Head Aaron Pierce and indicates that he has information that he must share with Pierce. Pierce agrees to meet Wayne. Wayne is stopped at a military checkpoint after a curfew had been announced for the city of Los Angeles. Vice President Hal Gardner is contacted and he is told that Wayne requested to come to the compound where President Charles Logan was staying. After being allowed through the checkpoint, Wayne's car is fired upon and run off the road by a dark, unmarked van. Wayne's car is flipped over, but he is able to escape into a rain duct.

After his escape he is chased by men working for Christopher Henderson, who want him dead. Palmer is able to get a hold of a high power rifle and later comes in contact with Agent Pierce. They try to return to the camp together, however they are attacked by Henderson's men. Pierce is able to save both of them by getting in the attackers van, and drive off. Palmer is hurt in the firefight, though he appears to be alive as Pierce rushes him to the Presidental Retreat.

Once he arrives back at the retreat, Palmer reveals that Evelyn Martin gave his brother information that led to his death. Palmer and Agent Pierce confront Evelyn, and she says that her daughter, Amy Martin, has been kidnapped. She tells them that she will not say who is behind everything until Wayne and Jack get her daughter back. Jack tries to talk Wayne out of joining him, saying that Wayne isn't a killer, but Wayne tells him that these are the people who killed David, and Jack is forced to bring him along. Later, Wayne takes out one of the guards, although he noticeably hesitates before doing so. He and Jack are able to save Amy but Henderson escapes and Evelyn is hurt. Jack asks her if the Vice President is behind it, but she says no. (Although it does not happen on-screen, it is assumed that after Jack asks about Gardner, Evelyn then tells Jack and Wayne about Logan's involvement.)

After Evelyn tells them about Logan and where the proof is, Jack and Wayne break into Carl Mossman's house and make him take them to the bank. Mossman helps them get in, and they listen to the recording. When Henderson finds out where they are, he positions his men outside the bank and orders them to kill Jack and Wayne. Mossman, however, helps them trip the silent alarm, and the ensuing fight between Henderson's men and LAPD creates a diversion for them to escape. Shortly after midnight, Jack introduces him to Bill Buchanan, who had left CTU after Homeland Security's absorption of the agency. He asks Bill to let Wayne stay with him, since Henderson's men probably still want to kill Wayne, and although Wayne has not been seen since then, it appears that he is still at Buchanan's house (although since Buchanan and Chloe O'Brian, who was also at Buchanan's, left the house after 2:00 AM, it looks like Wayne is alone at the house).

Memorable Quotes

 * Wayne Palmer: (to himself) I’m Chief of Staff to the President of the United States, and I’m committing a burglary.''


 * Wayne Palmer: (to Evelyn Martin) We're both in danger. Tell me what I need!''


 * Wayne Palmer: (referring to his brother David Palmer) I still can't accept talking about him in the past tense. I just... I just can't believe he's gone.''


 * Wayne Palmer: These are the people who killed my brother, Jack. They shot a bullet right through his neck, and then he died in my arms. Put yourself in my position. Could you just walk away?''
 * Jack Bauer: No.''
 * Wayne Palmer: Neither can I. I'm coming with you, Jack.''