Sydney Ellen Wade

Living... in Washington, D.C. She just moved there to take a new job and is living with her sister Beth temporarily.

Profession... environmental lobbyist. She's been hired to lobby for a bill that will help reverse the effects of global warming by requiring a 20 percent reduction of the emission of fossil fuels over the next 10 years. Her boss Leo said he needed her because she's a closer.

Interests... hanging out with friends, watching movies, and staying abreast of the news. But lately, her life has taken a more exciting turn: she’s been going to formal dinners at the White House, visiting Camp David, and meeting foreign leaders. That's because her new boyfriend is the President of the United States, Andrew Shepherd. It’s a bit surreal.

Relationship Status... dating the President of the United States. Sydney and Andrew have a passionate and undeniable connection. She first met him when she went to lobby for the Fossil Fuel bill. As she explains, "One minute I was calling him a mockery of an environmental leader. The next minute I had a date to the State Dinner." It might seem fun to date the leader of the free world, but Sydney is discovering that it’s also incredibly difficult. Everything she does is put under a microscope and broadcast to the nation. It was front-page news the first night she stayed with Mr. Shepherd.

Challenge... passing her environmental bill and surviving the political attacks of Andrew’s presidential opponent, Bob Rumson. Rumson will stop at nothing to get the presidency, going so far as to dig into Sydney’s past in an effort to discredit his opponent. Alas, it's an effective tactic, given that the president’s approval rating has dropped by eight points since he started dating Sydney. She has genuinely fallen for the President, and he for her, but lately the relationship has just been making both of their lives more difficult.

Personality... stubborn, principled, and fearless. Sydney is someone who got into politics for the right reasons; one only wishes there were a lot more political players like her. She’s a woman of integrity who isn’t willing to sacrifice what she thinks is important for short-term gains. Unfortunately it's a trait that seems destined to end her political career prematurely.