- "When everything seems to be lacking in integrity, you know what you do? You find it in yourself. You change the world right from where you're standing."
- ―Henry McCord to Elizabeth McCord.
Henry McCord, Ph.D is the current First Gentleman of the United States and a retired United States Marine Corps captain and the husband to the President of the United States and the former United States Secretary of State, Elizabeth McCord. A former pilot, he previously worked as a professor of ethics at the National War College and as an ethical advisor to former President Conrad Dalton.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Henry was raised in Pittsburgh. He is the son of Patrick McCord, a steel worker, and an unnamed mother. He has three siblings: Maureen, Shane and Erin. After graduating from high school, Henry attended the University of Virginia on a scholarship, where he met his future wife, Elizabeth Adams. Henry and Elizabeth have two daughters, Stephanie McCord and Alison McCord and a son, Jason. He was a professor at UVA along with Elizabeth prior to her appointment as Secretary of State.
United States Marine Corps service[]
Henry served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, achieving the rank of captain. He was assigned to the 3rd Marine Air Wing out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, where he flew F-18 Hornets in Desert Storm. He eventually retired and returned to civilian life.
National Security Agency[]
Henry was recruited by the NSA, when he was a fighter pilot in the USMC. He was later reinstated by the NSA and used his position as an Ethics Professor in Georgetown as his cover until he accepted a new position in the National War College where he would work for the DIA.
National War College[]
In "Spartan Figures (S01E19)", he was approached by Brigadier General Mitch Sarno, who asked him to work at the National War College in D.C.. Starting in Season 2, Henry works in the War College's Strategic Studies Department teaching military ethics class. In that class, he meets Ivan Kolashkov, and Dmitri Petrov, who would later be his DIA asset.
By accepting the job in the War College, he is introduced to Jane Fellows, who is Henry's main contact with the DIA. He also meets Cooper Ralston, and Perry Thomas in the DIA safe house.
Murphy Station In the latter half of the second season, Henry begins to work directly for the White House as part of the 'Murphy Station', working in counter terrorism tasked with finding and stopping the terrorist group Hizb-al Shahid and its leader, Jibral Disah, who was the mastermind behind the dirty bomb terrorist attack which Henry and his children were involved in.
White House[]
During season 5, Henry is offered a job as an ethical advisor to the President which he accepts. He continued in this postion presumably until his wife won the presidency and he became the First Gentleman of the United States.
Trivia[]
- No theologian has ever been known to crack the CIA ranks to the level of Dr. McCord
- No theologian in the history of the world has had near personal meetings with POTUS to discuss matters of national security
- He is No. 3 on TMI Magazine Top 10 List of Arm-Candy US Government Edition.
- He liked Gunsmoke as a child.
- His DS code name is Cardinal.
Physical Description[]
Brown short hair, brown eyes, Caucasian, and 1,85 m tall.
Characters met[]
Behind the Scenes[]
Henry McCord was portrayed by Tim Daly in Season 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Madam Secretary.
Appearances[]
Madam Secretary - "Pilot" (first appearance)- Madam Secretary - "Another Benghazi"
- Madam Secretary - "The Operative"
