Mike Novick

Mike Novick was the campaign manager to Senator (and later President) David Palmer. Whereas Palmer tended to be bold and idealistic, Novick was more cautious and pragmatic, though Palmer nonetheless valued his counsel. When Palmer sought nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate, Novick stayed alongside the Senator as his Chief of Staff.

He was fired from his position following Palmer learning that Novick had been involved in a well-intentioned, though misguided, attempt to remove Palmer from office following an unpopular decision. He is succeeded by Wayne Palmer.

He was later chief of staff to Vice President Charles Logan, who used Palmer as an advisor after becoming acting President. This led to something of a reconciliation between Novick and Palmer. Novick was grief-stricken upon learning of the Palmer assassination.

Day 1
During Day 1, Novick is Palmer's campaign manager and is called in to advise and assist David Palmer after a news reporter reveals that Palmer's son may have killed a man. He continues to advise Palmer through out the day, and seemed to be Palmer's right hand man.

He often disagrees with Palmer, suggesting that perhaps he should stay out of the buisness of Carl Webb and the other people manipulating the events of the day. He feels that once Palmer is President he will have the power to manipulate the events, but for now these people can ruin him. Palmer didn't take his advise, and told the press the whole thing, which surprisingly improved Palmer's poll numbers.

While Novick often agrees with Sherry Palmer on principle, he is loyal enough to David not to go behind his back and manipulate the events like Sherry does. He is forced to get in the middle of the argument when David becomes enraged with Sherry for leaking to the press he was alive. Mike later sets up the meeting where Palmer breaks up with Sherry.

Day 2
On Day 2, David Palmer is now President, and Mike has become his Chief of Staff. When Novick learned of the possible nuclear bomb attack on Los Angeles, he immediately flew out to the West coast. Once he arrived he was surprised to find Sherry Palmer there. Novick didn't think she could be trusted.

When Roger Stanton was discovered to hindering the investigation, Novick urged Palmer to relieve Stanton of his duty and interrogated, which implicated Sherry Palmer. In addition, a recording was found implicating three Middle Eastern countries. Retaliatory strikes were immediately planned against the three countries. Palmer, however, suspended the attack when Jack Bauer contacted him with tentative evidence that the recordings were false.

This disturbed Novick enough to conspire with Vice President James Prescott to take over the White House. This included locking up Lynne Kresge, who was eventually hurt trying to escape. However, when Novick discovered that the plot was not planned by Middle Eastern countries, he orders Ryan Chappelle to help Jack Bauer. Despite his last minute help, at the end of the day David Palmer fired Novick for his lack of loyalty.

Day 4
Before Day 4, Novick joined the administration of Charles Logan in the John Keeler presidency. It was Novick who again had the cabinet install Logan as president after the attack on Air Force One by [[Mitch Anderson]. When Logan seems unable to make decisions, Novick suggests bringing Palmer in, which he does.

Novick and Palmer began to work closely together, while beginning to alienate Logan. Logan eventally kicks Palmer out of the White House, while keeping Novick on.

Later, Novick overhears a conversation where Walt Cummings orders Dale Spalding, a secret service agent to kill Jack Bauer. Novick calls up Palmer and warns him what's going to happen to his longtime friend Bauer, and is able to lead to the events that save Bauer's life. It is unclear if he understands what occured, or if he knew Bauer was alive.

Day 5
On Day 5 Novick is still on the staff of President Charles Logan, and is in Los Angeles when Logan is signing an anti-terrorism bill. When he learns of David Palmer's assassination, he is drawn to tears. Jack Bauer discovers that Walt Cummings was involved in the terrorist actions earlier in the day, and sets up a meeting with Novick. A group in the government finds out about the meeting, and Bauer and Novick are arrested.

Mike Novick was released after Bauer was able to meet with Logan, and called in to decide how to handle Cummings' betrayal. Martha Logan wanted Charles to come out to public, while Novick wants to cover it up. Logan agrees to work with Martha, however Walt Cummings hangs himself, which, afterwords, causes Novick to convince Logan to cover it up. With Cummings' death, Novick becomes Logan's Chief of Staff.

Novick is with Logan when Vladimir Bierko demanded to know the route of the Subarov's motorcade. Novick didn't have much an opinion on the events, but wants Logan to make a decision either way. After Martha joins the Subarov's in the car, Mike is forced into an awkward position when Logan asks Mike to pray with him that Martha will be saved. Mike is uncomfortable with this, but indulges Logan. When CTU agents discover chatter on the route, they are able to inform the Secret Service of the attack, and Martha's life is saved.

After the second threat, Novick is disturbed to discover that Vice President Hal Gardner has shown up. Knowing that Gardner wants to make a move on the Presidency, tries to to convince Charles Logan to not heed his advice to install Martial Law.

Gardner accuses Novick of trying to undermine him, but Martha Logan overhears this, which results in Martha and Mike working together to prevent Gardner from trying to take the Presidency.

Later in the night, Karen Hayes calls Novick about Logan's decision to pull CTU off of the search for Bauer, telling them that he has the military on it. When Novick calls the military general asking about the search for Bauer, the general does not know what Novick is talking about. Novick is concerned. He asks Logan about it, and Logan says that he doesn't answer to Mike and is using a covert team to get Jack.

At this point, Mike was unaware that Logan himself had been complicit in Palmer's assassination, as well as the entire day's horrific events, and was attempting to prevent Bauer from coming forward with evidence implicating him. His suspicions about the President's behavior were further reinforced when Karen Hayes, interim Special Agent in Charge of CTU-Los Angeles, voiced her concerns about Logan's task delegations as well.

Mike had the unenviable task of informing Logan of Bierko's escape from CTU custody. He and Logan monitored the situation until its conclusion. Mike was congratulatory toward the president, but still appeared to suspect that the truth was being kept from him. Shortly thereafter, Martha Logan and Aaron Pierce enlisted Mike's aid in bringing the president to justice. The three of them orchestrated Logan's abduction at the hands of Jack Bauer.

After Bauer's failure to obtain a confession, Mike appeared alongside the president during his eulogy over the body of David Palmer. During the speech, Mike was clearly disgusted with Logan's insincerely positive comments regarding Palmer. While Logan was arrested, Mike and Martha smirked triumphantly.

Memorable Quotes
Mike Novick: (to President Logan and Walt Cummings) David Palmer has been assassinated.