History Characters / DesignatedSurvivor

** Shoved a reporter who was asking leading questions about the FBI investigation into his mother and grandmother -- and ending up on national news, creating yet ''another'' scandal for his father's administration to handle, until discovering that it was all a set up arranged by President Truman.

** Shoved a reporter who was asking leading questions about the FBI investigation into his mother and grandmother -- and ending up on national news, creating yet ''another'' scandal for his father's administration to handle.

* UndyingLoyalty: Was Kirkman (possibly only) staffer for the three years he was HUD Secretary, and is his fiercest supporter when he becomes the President.

* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:Kirkman has his ass thrown in jail and charged with treason, a capital offense. Royce was himself rounding up and imprisoning his state's Muslim citizens without trial, while ignoring federal authority within his state, basically trying to ''secede''.]]

* BadassPacifist: He's stated that he has never hit anyone, not even in grade school, preferring to play peacemaker instead, and he absolutely refuses to enact any sort of aggressive action until and unless it is the last possible option. He will also stare down any GeneralRipper or uppity Governor trying to intimidate him otherwise.

* BadassPacifist: Absolutely refuses to enact any sort of aggressive action until and unless it is the last possible option, and he will stare down any GeneralRipper or uppity Governor trying to intimidate him otherwise.

* XanatosSpeedChess: Considering that he's been thrust into a chaotic situation with a thousand priorities screaming for his attention [[spoiler:plus a consipracy seeking to use and undermine him]], he turns out to be an expert at countering his opponents with a little bit of guile and a lot of nerve. And emphasis on the 'chess' part too. Kirkman sometimes uses chess motifs in his conversations, and implies he did play once.

* XanatosSpeedChess: Considering that he's been thrust into a chaotic situation with a thousand priorities screaming for his attention [[spoiler:plus a consipracy seeking to use and undermine him]], he turns out to be an expert at countering his opponents with a little bit of guile and a lot of nerve.

** Openly and flagrantly defy not him, but the authority of the Presidency, and he will strip you of your position as a General or throw you in prison even if you're the Governor of Michigan with batting an eyelash.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: He is an extremely kind and compassionate man, takes his job as leader of an entire nation very seriously, but most important of all, treats everyone else around him, from the highest ranked Admiral to the lowest staffer with dignity and respect. He's even very gentle, even gracious to people who have been trying to destroy him, or staffers who bungle badly, mostly because he's had to make many difficult decisions in his job and knows better than anyone the price of failure.

* HonestAdvisor: The main reason why Kirkman kept him as an advisor is that Seth told the truth about what he thought of Kirkman's ability to lead in a time of crisis (see RightBehindMe below), yet continues to be a loyal supporter throughout everything.

* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:Kirkman has his ass thrown in jail and charged with treason, a capital offense. Given he was ignoring federal authority within his state, basically trying to ''secede,'' and was brutally repressing his own citizens, it's ''entirely'' warranted.]]

* {{Adorkable}}: He really is kind of endearing, especially in his scenes with his daughter.

* BadassAdorable: For over three years, he was the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; after the attack, [[YouAreInCommandNow you guessed it]]. And is a {{Adorkable}}, sweet father.

* {{Adorkable}}: Geeks out over getting to fly in Air Force One, and gets a former president to take a picture of him with the current president on the steps of the plane waving so that he can send it to his mom.

->'''Played By:''' {{Creator/LaMonica Garrett}}

->'''Played By:''' Mariana Klaveno

* TooDumbToLive: Siding with the governor of Michigan over the commander and chief? Not a smart move. Kirkman could easily have him shot if he wanted to for defying his orders.

* AffectionateNickname: Tom refers to her as "Little Pea."