Walt Cummings

Walt Cummings was the White House Chief of Staff for President Charles Logan during Day 4 and Day 5.

Before Day 4
Cummings worked for Logan for fifteen years before Day 4, often doing dirty work for him. Logan entered into a system of accepting this and looking the other way.

Day 4
When Logan took over the acting duties of President after John Keeler was no longer able to perform his duties once Air Force One was shot down by Mitch Anderson, Cummings went to the White House to assist Logan. Cummings became increasingly concerned with Jack Bauer after Bauer led a raid on the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles to track down Chinese national Lee Jong, who had extensive information about the terrorist plots of Habib Marwan. During the raid, the Chinese Consul Koo Yin was killed as a result of friendly fire (CTU fired no shots during the raid), which outraged the Chinese and resulted in a serious diplomatic problem. China wanted to extradite Bauer and hold him responsible for the death of the Chinese Consul. The United States initially resisted this idea but eventually capitulated to the demands of the Chinese and agreed to hand over Bauer.



Cummings was worried that the Chinese would be able to extract important National security information from Bauer that could one day end up harming the United States. Cummings ordered Secret Service Agent Dale Spalding to kill Jack Bauer once he was in CTU custody. However, Cummings' plan was foiled when Presidential advisor Mike Novick overheard Cummings' phone conversation with Spalding. As a result, Novick went to former President David Palmer, a long time friend of Bauer's, to figure out a way to save Bauer's life. Palmer immediately went to President Charles Logan's office and warned him about Cummings' plot to kill Bauer. Logan refused to intervene, claiming that he had already set Cummings straight and that Cummings would not take action (Palmer assumed that in actuality, Logan simply believed that it wasn't his problem and that Cummings was doing the right thing). Palmer called Jack and warned him that he was a target for assassination.

Palmer's warning allowed Jack to fake his own death with the help of his fellow CTU colleagues Tony Almeida, Michelle Dessler, and Chloe O'Brian.

After Day 4
After the events that took place in Day 4, Walt Cummings met several times with Audrey Raines, mostly business related meetings. They both ended up in the same hotel one evening and they decided to share the same room. They slept together, but Audrey broke it off, as she had not finished mourning the apparent death of Jack Bauer.

Cummings later became involved in a conspiracy that would increase America's interest in Central Asia. Since the plot had communications with terrorist factions, it would be considered treason by many federal courts. Members of the plot were Alan Wilson, Graem Bauer, President Charles Logan, Christopher Henderson, and James Nathanson. Nathanson served as a middleman, so Cummings wouldn't know about Logan's involvement.

Day 5


During the opening moments of Day 5, Walt Cummings was briefing President Charles Logan and Mike Novick on the preparations for the day. As Mike took a call, Logan asked Walt about his wife. Walt assured him she was okay and that he had been in contact with Dr. Hill for any eventuality. As they were about to walk away, Mike informed Logan and Cummings that President David Palmer was assassinated in Los Angeles. CTU Los Angeles briefed the president on the news and requested for him to postpone the Anti-terrorism treaty signing with Russian President Yuri Suvarov, but Logan refused.

When First Lady Martha Logan was late getting to a press conference, Cummings decided to see what was going on. After knocking on her room, he asked her assistant, Evelyn Martin. After she told him about her state, Cummings asked Evelyn if she had told Martha about Palmer's assassination. Evelyn told her she hadn't, and Cummings dismissed her to tell her himself. After Evelyn left, Cummings broke the news about Palmer's death to Martha, who was very close to Palmer. After hearing about the assassination, Martha realized that it might have something to do with her. She quickly ran outside claiming she had to speak with her husband. Cummings quickly told Agent North to inform Agent John not to let her reach the stage. As Martha tried to get past John, Walt and Mike arrived and calmed her, convincing her to wait until Logan's press conference was over.

After Logan talked to Martha, Walt asked him if everything was ok. Logan told him that Martha was having another one of her delusions of conspiracies. When Walt asked him what to do, Logan told him to do nothing. However, Martha kept insisting to Walt about Palmer's call and his warning of national security. Walt went to the President and informed him of these. Although Logan tried to dismiss the matter, Walt offered to investigate the call arguing that it might help bring Martha back into reality.

At this point, Logan received a call from Audrey Raines informing him that Jack Bauer was the main suspect in Palmer's assassination. As they stood in disbelief, they asked why would Jack kill Palmer. Audrey informed them they were still investigating, and Walt argued that Bauer did had a history of insubordination, erratic behavior, and even heroin addiction. Audrey contested that Jack had also a history of serving his country. She then recommended Logan to postpone the summit, but he again refused. Walt then asked Logan if he should warn Suvarov about the possible threat, but Logan told him he wanted everything to remain a secret. Walt then went to Martha's room to ask her about Palmer's call. As he questioned her, she asked him if Charles still didn't believe her. Walt refused to answer, but Martha realized he didn't. Walt then left and looked for the recording at the communications center. He then managed to alter it to hide any evidence about Palmer trying to warn Martha. After that, he brought the tape to President Logan.

At around 8:45am, Walt and Mike Novick tried to convince Logan to postpone the summit, after CTU told them about a growing threat in the next minutes. Logan still refused to do so and ordered Mike to make sure that law enforcement did their job to ensure their security. Some time later, Walt contacted James Nathanson and informed him that he had managed to alter Palmer's call to hide any evidence of his warning to Martha. Nathanson then informed him that the Ontario Airport was already secured and that Logan would soon receive their demands.

After President Suvarov and his wife Anya arrived at the retreat, Walt and Mike were informed about a hostage crisis at the Ontario Airport. They approached President Logan to inform him while he was talking with Suvarov. After they did, they told him that CTU Los Angeles was waiting to brief him on the situation. They were in the Situation Room when Anton Beresch, leader of the terrorists, started transmitting a live broadcast from the airport presenting his demands. After hearing that Beresch wanted him to repudiate the treaty, Logan angrily told Mike and Walt to solve the situation.

After some minutes, Walt was with Mike and Logan at the Situation Room were Bill Buchanan gave them the details of the situation. Logan informs Bill that he refuses to back down from the treaty and angrily tells Bill to fix the situation. When Bill tried to negotiate with Beresch, he ended up executing a hostage in front of the camera, as Walt, Mike, and Logan looked in shock.

Later, when news started reporting of an explosion inside the airport, Logan called Bill to see what was happening. Bill then revealed they had an inside man in the airport. Jack Bauer, who was a suspect in Palmer's assassination, was in the airport around the time the hostage crisis started and he has been sharing his intel with CTU. As they all stood in disbelief, they started arguing about Jack's involvement in Palmer's assassination that morning. However, Bill told them that there was evidence that indicated he might've been framed.

After this briefing, Walt called Nathanson and informed him of Jack's position at the airport. He also told him that Jack had a connection with one of the hostages, a 15-year old boy called Derek Huxley. As he finished with Nathanson, Aaron Pierce approached him and told him about Martha Logan being in the archives room looking for some transcript. Walt thanked Aaron for his help, and went to the archives room to see if she had discovered any evidence of the recording he altered.

Walt was present with the President and Mike Novick when a second hostage was killed by the terrorists. As Logan started to waver and considered walking away from the treaty, or at least postponing it, Walt encouraged him to stay his course.

After the hostage crisis was over, Walt Cummings was exposed as a mole, as he had been working with James Nathanson. They showed the terrorists the location of the canisters,allowing them to procure it. They planned to have it explode, by satellite, in their faces so interest in Central Asia would increase. When Cummings learned that Martha stole a transcript of her conversation with David, he knocked her out unconscious and stole the transcript.



Nathanson contacted Cummings and demanded for him to handle Bauer. Cummings revealed he had a man inside CTU and he called Spenser Wolff, asking for him to give Hank access to CTU. When Hank arrived, he killed Dr. Paulson and attempted to kill Bauer. Spenser was later exposed as a mole and while being interrogated by Jack, Buchanan, and Lynn McGill, he revealed that he was following Cummings orders.

Realizing he wouldn't be able to easily get to Cummings, Bauer called Mike Novick and asked for his help. Novick and Bauer met, and Cummings learned about it. He confessed to Logan for his involvement with the terrorists and ordering Palmer's assassination. After telling Logan that he committed treason in order to prove weapons of mass destruction were in Asia, justifying a stronger US military presence and increase in flow of oil.

Logan had Secret Service bring Bauer into custody, but Aaron Pierce let him out, in respect to David Palmer. Bauer confronted Cummings and demanded for the location of the nerve gas. After threatening to cut Cummings eye out with a knife, Cummings gave up the location. TAC units were sent to the location, but the gas was already gone. Ivan Erwich later contacted Cummings and told him he knew about Schaeffer, Cummings' inside man. Erwich was furious and told Cummings the US government would pay for his and Nathanson's betrayal.

With no other useful information, Logan had Agent Pierce place Cummings under arrest. A little after 1:40 pm, Novick called Logan and asked to meet him in the hallway. President Logan and Martha then learned that Cummings had hanged himself. In order to spare Walt's wife Suzanne any pain, Mike and Logan agreed to cover up Walt's involvement with the terrorists.

Later that day, President Logan was exposed as the high-ranking U.S. government official behind the day's events, authorizing the assassinations (except Palmer's) and the selling of the nerve gas. He authorized Bauer's framing but didn't authorize David Palmer's death. Knowing that Logan would object to this, Graem Bauer secretly ordered and paid off Christopher Henderson to hire assassins to kill David Palmer. Cummings co-conspired and arranged this with Nathanson. After a conversation with Henderson, it was Logan, who had one of his men kill Walt, under the request of Graem and his associates. Therefore, Cummings was selected to be the scapegoat in the conspiracy from the start to conceal Logan and Henderson's involvement.

Memorable quotes

 * David Palmer: Jack Bauer would never compromise national security.
 * Walt Cummings: As much as I'd like to believe that, everybody breaks. ("Day 4: 6:00am-7:00am")


 * Walt Cummings: (to President Logan) Suppose something happens to Bauer. Suppose he has an "accident".
 * David Palmer: That's an obscene suggestion! ("Day 4: 6:00am-7:00am")


 *  Walt Cummings: No, Mr. President, I am a patriot! ("Day 5: 12:00pm-1:00pm")


 * Walt Cummings: (his last lines) I don't want this weapon deployed on US soil any more than you do, but Nathanson cannot help you now and neither can I. These terrorists are operating on their own. ("Day 5: 1:00pm-2:00pm")

Background information and notes

 * Cummings shares many parallels with Jamey Farrell. Both characters were moles and were confronted by their bosses (Nina Myers and Charles Logan respectively) who also turned out to be moles. Both characters had no idea that the person confronting them was also a mole. Both characters were murdered an hour after they were exposed and both murders were made to look like suicides.

Appearances
Walt Cummings