Charlie Wilson

Grew Up… in Lufkin, East Texas, the son of an accountant. When he was 13 years old, the town council chairman, a man named Hazard, murdered his dog by lacing dog food with broken glass. Young Charlie sought revenge first by burning down Hazard’s flowerbed then by single-handedly ensuring his defeat on Election Day. Reflecting back many years later, Charlie says: “That’s the day I fell in love with America.”

Living… the high life in Washington D.C. and Texas. They don’t call him “Good-Time Charlie” for nothing. For a congressman, he spends an awful lot of time in the world of cocaine and strippers. The man likes to party, from Vegas to the Caymans. But in his defense, these parties are a good a place as any in which to conduct the business of politics.

Profession… a former naval officer, Charlie is now a U.S. Congressman in his sixth term representing Texas’s 2^nd Congressional District. He selects his aides less for their ability to assist and more for their physical beauty. “Charlie’s Angels,” they’re called. Though described as a “congressman of no particular importance,” Charlie does sit on the House defensive appropriations subcommittee, which funds all CIA operations.

Interests… in his own words, “chasing women and drinking whiskey.” And he doesn’t discriminate between whiskeys. Canadian, rye – you name it!!

Relationship Status… divorced and paying $700 of alimony per week. Charlie prefers now to stay single and play the field than commit to himself to any one relationship. And so he dabbles with wealthy Texan socialite Joanne Herring, with his pretty young constituent Jane Liddle, and with multiple ladies in between.

Challenge… helping the Afghan mujahideen fight against the invasion of the Soviet Union. The Soviet gunships are decimating Afghan villages unopposed, and millions of Afghan refugees are fleeing to Pakistan. On a diplomatic trip to the Pakistan, he visits the refugee camps and takes the Afghan cause to heart. But the mujahideen are going to need a lot of monetary aid to fight the Russians, and Charlie must muster all his political tact to push funds through the subcommittee. All the while, he must survive a formal investigation of his partying, led by U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani. 

Personality… articulate, charming, fun-loving. His weakness for partying sometimes comes at the expense of his job. But he makes up for his ethical shortcomings with his steadfast commitment to his principles. In the words of the Pakistani president, Charlie is “a man of character flaws, but also a man who never promises anything he cannot deliver.”