Brian Jaffe
as portrayed by Jason.
Brian is a Washington political operative in his late thirties. He's young, organized and charismatic. He's got brown hair that's a touch too long to be conservative, hazel eyes and a twist of a smile. He's the sort of guy who looks good in a suit, and he's almost always in a suit.
From a well-off Connecticut family, Brian did his undergrad in Political Science at Yale. He got his law degree from Harvard, where he specialized in International Law, and spent a year of it in Oman on a Fullbright Scholarship. In the 8 years between when he passed the bar and September 11, 2001, he had been Deputy Minority Council for the House Committee on International Relations (2 1/2 years), Floor Manager for the House Minority Whip (2 years), Majority Council for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (2 years) and, finally, Chief of Staff for Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee (1 1/2 years).
Brian loves politics and on his best days he really does believe it can make the country a better place to be. He has political ambition of his own and was building connections for a bid for the House in 2004 when September 11th hit. In the aftermath of four years away from the world, he's starting to think he's going to have to find a different way to make the world a better place.
Out of the core group of Survivors, Brian's the most physically changed, at least in outward appearance. He's grown by more than a foot, so that now stands at some 7 and a half feet tall, and his frame's filled out to match. What used to be the soft pudginess of a man who's daily exercise was pacing around an office has hardened into what seems to be sculpted muscle over a pair of broad shoulders. Brian was always an impressive speaker; now he's a pressence
Brian's dealing with the changes The Survivors are undergoing through political action; in other words, he's throwing himself into his work. But more than that, he knows Washington and he knows the press. He knows what could happen to all of these poor, defenseless people if they don't have someone to look out for them. Right now, he feels that he has to be that someone.
Brian Jaffe, early-thirties (33?) beltway insider. He's young, he's organized, he's charismatic. Brown hair that's longer than it should be, hazel eyes, a strong jawline that's starting to sag just a little with age. He dresses standard Washington suit when he's on the job and comfortably in jeans and a sweater when he's not. He's solid New England, and while he can't say his family came over on the Mayflower or that his mother's in the DAR, he knows that set more than in passing. His father, David, is a lawyer (still practicing) and his mother, Miriam, is a teacher (high school History and Civics). Brian was always involved in politics (student body president, of course) and extra curricular athletics (baseball and tennis in high school, intramural crew in college). He did his undergrad in Poli Sci at Yale and then went to Harvard law. He loves what he does and on his best days he really does believe he's helping to make the country a better place to be. He has political ambition of his own and is currently building connections for a bid for the House in four years (he wants to see his current boss to re-election once more in 2007 before he runs for office himself).
Job or current life activity? Brian is the Chief of Staff for Senator Senator Lincoln Chafee [ http://www.issues2002.org/Senate/Lincoln_Chafee.htm], [1]. Brian's job consists of directing the Senator's staff in all things (bill research, press releases, travel, etc.) and advising him on public opinion, policy/voting decisions, etc., as well as taking interviews and meetings on the Senator's behalf when necessary.
Senator Chafee himself is a Republican Senator from Rhode Island, born in 1953 (making him 52 years old at present). He stepped up to fill his father's Senate seat when the Sr. Chafee died in 1999 and ran for reelection in 2000 (with Brian as his campaign manager, in this game) and won. He's socially liberal, environmentally moderate, fiscally conservative and militarily conservative (these are all political views that Brian shares). He sits on the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations, the Environment and Public Works, and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Brian lives in a nice apartment in Georgetown, earns a decent salary (he could be making much more, of course, if he were actually practicing law, but it's not about the money) and drives a nice, but not extravagant, car (still deciding on that). If he's not taking a lunch meeting he hits the gym, but time for that has been rarer and rarer these days. He's had a few girlfriends since moving to Washington, some of whom he's really liked, but he's too married to his job for anything really serious to happen. He regrets that, when he has time, but he's doing some real good here...
Special skills or training?
The usual run of a politician's skills: public speaking, debate, knowledge of the US Political "Who's Who," backroom deals, etc. Also is a trained lawyer with a license to practice from the Connecticut bar.
Biggest secret? He might have gotten his girlfriend pregnant while they were in college; he's not sure what happened, though (Was she really pregnant? Did she keep the kid? Did she get an abortion? Did she give it up for adoption?) She dropped out before he could find out for sure and she never spoke to him again.
Motivation be once you're GODLIKE with powers?
Truth, justice and the American way. ^_^ It's not about America taking over the world (and Republican or not, believing in a strong national defense or not, Brian doesn't really trust the current administration. He liked Bush Sr. /much/ better than Bush Jr., if you know your politics.), it's about helping them out when they ask for it.
