Mike Novick

Mike Novick was the Chief of Staff for Senator (later President) David Palmer. Whereas Palmer tended to be bold and idealistic, Novick was more cautious and pragmatic. Nevertheless, Palmer still 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 after Palmer learned that Novick had been involved in a well-intentioned, though misguided, attempt to remove Palmer from office following an unpopular decision. He was succeeded by Wayne Palmer.

He was later an advisor to Vice President Charles Logan during President Keeler's term. Logan called in Palmer as an advisor after becoming acting President, which led to something of a reconciliation between Novick and Palmer. Novick was grief-stricken upon learning of the Palmer assassination. When Walt Cummings was exposed as a mole in Day 5, Novick was appointed as President Logan's Chief of Staff.

Before Day 1
Mike practiced law before getting involved in politics; he studied politics and government at Harvard University before enrolling in Yale Law School. He eventually found himself working alongside David Palmer and became his Chief of Staff. Two years prior to Day 1, Mike Novick was collaborating with Senator Palmer on the covert Operation Nightfall.

Day 1


During Day 1, Mike Novick served as the chief of staff to Senator David Palmer, who was running for President. During the course of the day, Novick helped Palmer with many different situations, as Palmer had several assassination attempts made on him.

Stationed in Los Angeles hotel for the California primary, Palmer got a call from reporter Maureen Kingsley, who planned on exposing a story. She claimed that Palmer's son Keith was responsible for the death of Lyle Gibson, the man who raped Nicole Palmer several years earlier. While Palmer's wife Sherry want to bury the story, Palmer had other plans.

During a morning breakfast, the Secret Service became aware that an assassination attempt would be made on Palmer. Tony Almeida from CTU Los Angeles called and told them Jack Bauer may possess a possible threat. A Secret Service agent attempted to apprehend Bauer, but Bauer ended up grabbing his gun. Bauer was taken into custody by the FBI and Novick informed Palmer. Palmer tried to think of where he heard the name from and eventually Bauer escaped from FBI custody.

A few hours after the breakfast, Palmer decided to visit George Ferragamo, his son's therapist. Ferragamo was the one responsible for leaking the story to Kingsley, which in turn is illegal. Mike strongly suggested for Palmer to reconsider visiting Ferragamo, but David wouldn't budge. When they arrived at Ferragamo's building, they learned the Ferragamo died in a fire. Reports indicated that the death was from a broken gas line, while Palmer was convinced it was arson.



When Kingsley decided to back off the story, due to threats from Carl Webb, Sherry and Mike were relieved that the issue would be behind them. David wasn't on the same page as them, as he wanted to tell the truth about Lyle's death in a press conference. Though Mike didn't necessarily agree with David's decision, he decided to stay loyal to him and let him do what he wants to do. After telling the public that Keith killed Lyle in self-defense, Palmer's poll ratings went up.

When Jack Bauer was brought back to CTU, Palmer requested to speak with him, while Novick didn't agree with that idea. Eventually Palmer learned that Bauer grabbed the gun to create a diversion, as Jonathan Matijevich was the real assassin. Bauer's wife and daughter ended up getting kidnapped by Ira Gaines, who was behind the hit. Eventually Bauer and Palmer realized that they were both targets, for being involved in Operation Nightfall two years earlier.

Hours later Bauer was held hostage by Andre Drazen and Victor Drazen, who let him go in exchange for Alexis Drazen. Bauer requested to speak with Palmer and despite CTU feeling this was a bad idea, Palmer agreed to meet with him. Jack handed Senator Palmer a phone and Victor Drazen spoke to him. Jack realized a bomb was planted inside it and he tossed the phone out the window, saving Palmer's life.

Learning that Jack's daughter Kim was being held hostage by the Drazens, Senator Palmer agreed to stay quiet and let the press think that he was killed in the explosion. Though both Sherry and Mike felt this was a bad idea, as it might possibly jeopardize the election, Palmer was convinced him staying quiet could save Kim's life.

Later that evening, Sherry leaked to the press that David survived the explosion. Luckily, Kim managed to escape from the Drazens, and Jack ended up killing them. Despite the many flaws of the day, it was overall a major success for the senator.

Day 2


During Day 2, the US government learned that a nuclear bomb would detonate in Los Angeles sometime during the course of the day. After learning about this crisis, Mike Novick took a plane from Washington, DC to Oregon, in order to help President David Palmer handle the crisis. A few hours later, Lynne Kresge gave some documents to a staffer at the O.C. and said that they had to be on Novick's desk immediately.

Mike arrived at Oregon around 2pm, while CTU Los Angeles was still tracing the location of the bomb. It became apparent that the terrorist group Second Wave was responsible for the bomb, and a Middle Easterner, Syed Ali, was funding their actions. When arriving in Oregon, Mike was shocked to see that President Palmer was using his ex-wife Sherry Palmer to get information. Due to the fact Sherry manipulated past situations, Mike wasn't sure Sherry could be trusted.

Evidence soon surfaced that Roger Stanton, the director of the NSA, had been concealing the bomb's location. Mike urged President Palmer to relieve Stanton of his duties and have him interrogated. Palmer agreed with Novick's advice, and Stanton was placed in a holding cell. After being interrogated by Ted Simmons, Stanton confessed to being involved in the conspiracy and he also implicated Sherry, as he claimed she knew the bomb's location.



Eventually the bomb was located and George Mason, who was dying from radioactive poisoning, flew the bomb to the Mojave Desert, where it detonated. Aside from Mason, there were no other losses, but bigger issues arose. Palmer and Novick were informed about audio recordings that were found in Syed Ali's possessions. The Cyprus recording implicated three Middle Eastern countries in the funding of the bomb, and the Cabinet all agreed that they needed to retaliate.

However, Palmer was contacted by Jack Bauer, who believed that the recordings were doctored when Ali told Michelle Dessler those conversations never occurred. President Palmer decided to hold back on retaliating against the countries, feeling he shouldn't commit to war without 100% certainty that the recordings were authentic. Vice President Jim Prescott, Mike, and members of the Cabinet all agreed that it would be best to strike against the countries immediately. Only advisor Lynne Kresge stood by Palmer's decision.

Mike began covertly working with Vice President Prescott in gathering the Cabinet to evoke the 25th Amendment. Though Novick didn't agree with Prescott's opinion on Palmer being incapable of running office, Novick agreed that Palmer's decision to pull back on retaliation was a foolish decision. Lynne Kresge soon learned that Novick was working with Prescott, and she planned on warning the president. Novick, with help from a Secret Service agent identified as Jesper Isberg, locked Lynne in a room, and did not inform the president about it.

When President Palmer began to look for Lynne, Mike told her she wasn't feeling well. Meanwhile Lynne had triggered a fire alarm, and managed to flee. While running down the stairs to escape Isberg, Lynne tripped and fell. In critical condition, paramedics arrived on the scene to bring her to the hospital. Lynne insisted on talking to the president before being brought to the hospital. Planning on exposing Mike by pointing at him, Mike grabbed her hand and told her everything would be fine. Lynne was then brought to the hospital, and Mike continued to betray Palmer.



After all the members of the Cabinet were contacted, Prescott asked for Mike to bring Palmer in to have the 25th amendment invoked. When Palmer learned his own administration were trying to relieve him of his duties, he became furious. Prescott presented his evidence to the Cabinet, and many of them disagreed on Palmer being mentally uncapable of running the country. When they heard a testimony from Stanton, who was tortured under authorization from Palmer, the Cabinet voted in favor for the amendment and Prescott was sworn in.

President Palmer was detained and Aaron Pierce was assigned to guard him. When Palmer learned that Mike knew about the meeting before hand, he felt personally betrayed by his close advisor. Eventually Aaron was able to see that Palmer made the right decision and he got him access to a satellite phone. When Mike learned that Aaron helped Palmer get into contact with Jack Bauer, he placed Aaron under arrest.

As the hours passed, Mike began to feel guilty for betraying Palmer and he realized that Palmer's decision may have been the right one. Mike eventually learned that a businessman named Peter Kingsley wanted the US to go to war with the Middle Eastern countries, so his oil pricings would sky-rocket. Kingsley was responsible for doctoring the conversations, and Mike ordered Ryan Chappelle to help Bauer, Dessler, and Tony Almeida in proving the conversations were falsified.



Eventually Palmer gained his position as the president back and he called off the strike against the Middle Eastern countries. The situation with Kingsley was handled by CTU, and no more lives were lost. Nearly everybody in Palmer's administration offered their resignation, but he refused to accept it. Despite Mike coming through in the 11th hour, Palmer felt personally betrayed by him and had Mike fired. Although saddened, Mike accepted the President's decision.

Day 4


During Day 4, Mike was serving as an advisor to Vice President Charles Logan. When Mitch Anderson stole a Stealth figher and shot down Air Force One, President John Keeler was critically wounded and was no longer able to lead the country. Logan was sworn in as president, with Novick and Chief of Staff Walt Cummings standing by his side.

When terrorist Habib Marwan is able to gain a section from the Nuclear football, he gains access to the location of nuclear warheads around the country. Logan is unable to deal with the National Security crisis, and Novick suggests in bringing someone in to take control of the situation. Still having difficulty getting over Keeler's incaptivity, Logan allows Mike to bring someone in as an "assistant" to the Acting President.

President David Palmer came to the White House and took control of the situation. Mike offered to leave if Palmer didn't want to work with him, but Palmer told Mike to put the past behind them and to stay, much to Mike's relief. When things went wrong, Logan blamed Palmer, but when things went right, Logan took all of the credit. Soon CTU Los Angeles got a lead and brought Joe Prado in. An attorney named David Weiss came in and stopped CTU from inflicting a physical interrogation on Prado. When CTU called the president to get permission to use force on Prado, Logan refused to do so.

With no other options, CTU let Prado go and Jack Bauer knocked out the US Marshal guarding Prado. He used physical force to get information out of Prado. When Bill Buchanan contacted Novick to confirm they have a new location on Marwan, Novick learned they used force on Prado. He told Buchanan that the president wouldn't approve and Jack Bauer will have to pay for his actions. Jack and CTU would have had Marwan in custody, but Secret Service agents, sent by Logan as a show of power, arrived to arrest Bauer. This caused the operation to be jeopardized and Marwan escaped. Eventually Logan realized he was wrong and let Bauer free.



When Logan had a meeting with his Cabinet and other members of the government, Don Ashton, current Speaker of the House, questioned Logan's ability to lead the country and Palmer's role in the decision process. While Ashton was convinced Palmer was making all of the decisions, Novick told him that Palmer simply served as an advisor to the president. Ashton was next in line for the White House and had a personal agenda to prove Logan was uncapable of leading the country. Eventually it was proven that Palmer was serving as an advisor, and Logan was leading the country.

Soon CTU learned that Lee Jong could possibly lead them to Marwan, but Jong fled to the Chinese consulate. Palmer called Consul Koo Yin to get permission to question John, but the consul refused to these actions, saying he would need approval from his government in Beijing. Since the time was critical to stop Marwan, both Palmer and Novick authorized Jack Bauer to lead a covert operation. The operation had Bauer leading a team into the consulate and apprehending Jong.

However, the operation went wrong when guards began firing at Bauer's men. In the process, the Chinese consul was shot in friendly fire and died. Cheng Zhi was convinced the government was behind it, but Palmer refused to admit any involvement in the covert operation. Cheng eventually went over to CTU to question Bauer and his location at the time that the consulate was stormed.

Eventually CTU apprehended Marwan, but a nuclear missile was launched at Los Angeles. Chloe O'Brian and Edgar Stiles tracked the missile's trajectory, and a jet fighter was able to intercept the missile before it detonated. However, Cheng Zhi was determined to prove the US government was behind the raiding of the consulate and he sought out to prove it.



After Howard Bern confessed to Jack Bauer leading the operation, Cheng demanded for the US government to hand over Bauer, or they would retaliate. With no other options, Logan agreed, but Walt Cummings was convinced that Bauer would give up sensitive National Security information to the Chinese. Logan authorized for Cummings to have Dale Spalding, a Secret Service agent, apprehend and kill Bauer.

Mike overheard the plot and he informed President Palmer about it. In turn, Palmer informed Jack about it and with help from Palmer, Tony Almeida, Michelle Dessler, and Chloe, Jack was able to stage his death. The rest of the world, including Novick, thought Bauer was dead.

Day 5
During Day 5, Mike Novick was in Los Angeles, preparing for the Anti-terrorism treaty signing between the US and Russia. A little after 7:00am, Mike got a call from Greg Porter informing him that President David Palmer was assassinated in Los Angeles. Shocked and grief-stricken, Novick informed Logan and Walt Cummings about what happened, and told Logan that CTU Los Angeles was ready to brief him on the situation.

At around 7:27am, Logan was offering a press conference regarding Palmer's assassination and the Anti-terrorism treaty. Mike was at the stage with him, when he heard First Lady Martha Logan screaming and trying to approach them. Calmly, Mike went to her as she was being held by Agent John. She claimed that she needed to talk to Logan urgently, but both Mike and Walt Cummings convinced her to wait until the press conference was over.

Bill Buchanan kept Logan on pace of their investigation on the Palmer hit, and Buchanan strongly suggested for the treaty signing to be postponed. Logan refused, as he was convinced the Russians wouldn't come back if it was postponed. When CTU told them there was a possible threat on President Yuri Suvarov's helicopter, Mike again insisted on Logan. However, he refused to have the helicopter land in another location and ordered Mike to make sure the law enforcement agencies did their job to ensure their security. Luckily no threats were made on the Suvarovs' helicopter as they arrived.

While Logan and Suvarov were with the press, Novick was informed that terrorists seized the Ontario Airport and have hostages. Novick and Walt informed Logan about the situation, who excused himself from the press conference. As they went to the Situation Room, the terrorists, who were Russian separatists, started transmitting a live broadcast were they demanded for President Logan to call of the treaty signing. If Logan didn't make an announcement calling it off, the leader - Anton Beresch - and his men would kill a hostage every 15 minutes, and then eventually kill them all.

Logan had trouble handling the situation, and Mike tried to keep him calm. However, Logan angrily asked him to fix the situation. Mike was later with Logan and Cummings, being briefed by Bill Buchanan, from CTU. After he gave them the details, Mike asked him if they had established any communication with the terrorists, but he told him they hadn't. Logan insisted on Bill handling the situation, so he tried to negotiate with them. As Beresch realized that the President wouldn't budge so easily, he shot a hostage in front of the camera. Mike stood in shock after witnessing it.

Some time later, Mike was still in the Situation Room with Logan and Walt, when Bill notified them that they had an inside man, Jack Bauer, working with them at the airport. When they argued about Jack's involvement with Palmer's assassination that morning, Bill told them that there was enough evidence pointing out that Jack might've been framed. Shortly after 10:00am, CTU informed Mike that they had lost contact with Jack and he informed Logan of it. As Logan grew impatient, they witnessed Beresch killing a young man live. With all the threats, Logan began considering to cave in to the terrorists, Walt persuaded him not to do so. Later, Suvarov approached Mike and told him he wanted to speak to Logan. Mike went to the Situation Room where Logan was pondering on what to do. After trying to keep the President calm, Mike informed him about Suvarov, and he went out to meet him.

As the President prepared for the signing of the Anti-terrorism treaty, Mike informed Logan that the rescue operation had been synchronized with the signing. Logan told him how the lives of the hostages depended on that, and then commented how that day was supposed to be the greatest achievement of his career. Still, he went on with the ceremony, while Mike called Buchanan to see the status of the operation. Bill asked Mike if he could stall the ceremony, but Mike told him it was impossible now with all the press there.

Eventually CTU stormed the airport and killed all of the hostiles. Once Mike found out, he went to inform Logan about the successful operation. Logan then addressed the press and informed them of the results. Despite this, Novick learned of a bigger threat. A man named Ivan Erwich was posing as one of the hostages which allowed him to gain access to a buried cache of Sentox VX nerve gas in one of the hangars at the airport. He went to President Logan and informed him of the new development. He also tells Logan that CTU is coordinating an inter-agency effort to track the man and the nerve gas.



While discussing the National Security matters about the nerve gas with Logan and Cummings, Novick got a message from Jack Bauer to get to a secure line. Bauer asked to meet with Novick in private, and Mike asked what the situation was about. Jack revealed that it had to do with Walt Cummings and the selling of the nerve gas to terrorists. Mike agreed to meet with Jack, in a safe location within the retreat.

As Mike arrived to the meeting place and greeted Jack, a team of Secret Service agents and a helicopter surrounded them detaining Jack. Mike ordered the agents to stand down, but he was taken into custody as well. Jack, angered, asked him who had he told about their meeting, but Mike assured him he had told nobody.

With help from Aaron Pierce, Jack was able to interrogate Cummings, but Logan revealed he already knew about Cummings' actions. Logan was convinced that Walt knew no further information, but after being tortured by Jack, Cummings gave up other information he possessed. With Cummings labeled as a traitor, Novick was released and earned the position as White House Chief of Staff.



When Walt Cummings committed suicide, Mike argued that it would be best to cover up Cummings' involvement with the terrorists, in order to protect Logan's administration from receiving criticism. First Lady Martha Logan disagreed and thought it would be best if the public became aware of Cummings' act of treason. President Logan agreed to tell the public about Cummings, if Martha was able to break the news to Walt's wife Suzanne.

After talking to Suzanne, Martha wasn't able to tell her the truth and she agreed with Mike's decision to cover up Walt's criminal activities. Mike came up with a cover story that had Walt committing suicide due to the stressful events of the day, particularly the assassination of Palmer and the attack on the Ontario Airport.

Shortly after 3pm, Logan and Mike were contacted by billionaire businessman Vladimir Bierko, the leader of the Russian separatists who had been attacking the country. Bierko revealed that he intended to smuggle the nerve gas out of the country, but it seems like it will be harder than originally planned. Bierko threatened to release the gas and use it against civilian targets, unless President Logan gave up the motorcade route for the Suvarovs.

Making the decision that the American public was more important than his relationship with the Russians, Logan instructed Mike to give the motorcade route to Bierko. Mike came into contact with Bierko and gave him the route, but Martha soon became aware of the situation. She was horrified of Logan giving the route up, and wanted him to stand up to these terrorists. She claimed what he was doing was murder.



Shortly after the Suvarovs left the presidential retreat, Novick learned that Martha entered the Suvarov's limousine and decided to ride to the airport with them. President Logan demanded for Mike to have someone pick her up, but Mike insisted that would just implicate them if the Suvarovs end up getting killed. Realizing that his wife is going to die with-in the hour, Logan asked for Mike to pray with him.

After Lynn McGill is relieved of his duties at CTU, Bill Buchanan earns his position as Special Agent in Charge and he contacts Logan about a possible attack on the motorcade. Logan is at a loss of words, and Novick tells Buchanan that the first lady is in the motorcade. Novick then informs the president that Bierko and his men will think he warned the Secret Service, and will retaliate.

After Aaron Pierce killed all of the hostiles and saved the life of Martha and the Suvarovs, Bierko contacted Logan and told him that if the Russian government couldn't pay with the life of their president, the US government would pay with the lives of their citizens. Bierko had a canister of nerve gas released in a hospital, but Curtis Manning and a TAC team were able to have the gas released in a contained area.

Mike later interrupted a tender moment between Aaron and Martha. Aaron insisted nothing happened and Mike told him whatever happened, it can't happen again.

After one of Bierko's men released Sentox in CTU, killing 56 of their personnel, Logan gave Karen Hayes permission to bring a team from Homeland Security to CTU. Mike and Logan were both shocked when Vice President Hal Gardner arrived at the retreat. Gardner strongly suggested that Logan should evoke Martial law in Los Angeles.

Mike strongly opposed to this idea and he decided to use Martha to change President Logan's mind. The president was sticking with this idea and held a press conference. In order to avoid getting permission from congress, Logan decided to call this new action a curfew. Gardner and Novick stood by Logan, as he gave his speech.



After being missing for several hours, Novick resurfaced around 12am and he spoke to Logan about the arrest warrant put out for Jack Bauer. Novick learned that Logan obtained new evidence that implicated Bauer in the assassination of Palmer. Novick felt he was being kept out of the loop on some issue, but Logan insisted he had nothing to worry about. Novick later spoke to Gardner about the warrant for Bauer, as Gardner also disagreed with Logan's decision to have him arrested.

Later that evening, Novick was contacted by Karen Hayes, who was asking about Bauer. Karen asked if Mike had seen the evidence, and he claimed nobody but the president has seen it. Not long after his conversation with Karen, Novick became aware of a distress signal from Flight 520. Admiral Kirkland revealed that Bauer was on the plane and would intend to use it as a weapon.

Logan gave Kirkland permission to have fighter jets shoot the plane down. Novick was convinced that Bauer wouldn't use the plane as a weapon, but Logan refused to listen to anyone's opinion on the matter but his own. When Bauer had the plane land on a Los Angeles highway, Logan demanded for the plane to be shot down. However, both Novick and Kirkland stated that having the plane shot down was no longer necessary.



When Martha began to cause a scene, Mike went to her and asked what was wrong. Martha told him she couldn't tell him and that she needed his medication. Mike decided to confront the president about the matter, who told it was none of his business. Mike demanded that any matter of National Security deserves his attention. Logan revealed that he and Martha were having marital problems. Novick then got Martha her medication.

Novick then becomes aware that Bierko escaped from CTU custody and is planning on using the Russian ship the Natalia to launch warhead missiles at targets. Logan and Novick stood-by, as CTU handled the situation. A team lead by Bauer was able to storm the ship and stop the missiles from launching. In the operation, Bierko and all of his men were killed, along with Christopher Henderson.

Mike was then confronted by Martha, who needed to show him something. Mike was shocked to see Aaron bruised and beaten, and he asked what happened. Aaron revealed that Agent Justin Adams attempted to kill him, under the orders of the president. Martha and Aaron then revealed to Mike that Charles was responsible for Palmer's assassination, the selling of the Sentox, and the deaths of many to cover the whole thing up.

Realizing that Aaron would be in jeopardy if he stayed on the ranch, Mike decided to drive Aaron to a secure location. While dragging Adams' body through the fields, Jack called Mike asking where Aaron was. Aaron had the phone placed on speaker and he told Jack that Mike could be trusted. Jack revealed he planned on bringing Logan to justice and would need their help.

While Aaron went to meet with Jack and help him gain access to a helicopter, Mike went to Martha in order to delay the president from getting to his helicopter flight. Martha agreed to help slow down Charles, and Jack was able to get on the helicopter. However, Jack was unsuccessful in getting Logan to confess to his crimes, and he was placed under arrest.



Moments before Logan's public eulogy of Palmer, Mike told Martha that Jack's attempt to get her husband to confess failed. Martha became very distraught and spoke with her husband in a secure area. After giving the eulogy, Logan was placed under arrest by his own Secret Service and marshal Holtzman. It was the conversation between Logan and Martha that implicated Logan in the death of Palmer and the selling of the Sentox. Mike stood with Martha, triumphantly watching as Logan was discreetly taken away.

Background Information and notes

 * Although it's never been acknowledged that he is married, Mike has worn a wedding band in every season he's appeared.
 * Jude Ciccolella has the highest episode count for an actor that was never a part of the main cast.
 * His phone number during Season 5 is 555-1664
 * On the season 5 DVD set, Mike's name is misspelled as Mike "Novak".
 * Given that David Palmer was a Democrat, it can be assumed that he was one as well. However, he served as Charles Logan's Chief of Staff who appears to be a Republican.