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You dim little shit. I hired you out of pity and this is how you repay me. But you know, tomorrow, when people find out that your precious president helped a maniac open the nuclear football, who do you think they're gonna believe? You or me? Well, let's see now, you, you would be a nobody. But me, I'm the president of the United States.
~ Eli Raphelson revealing his true nature while taunting John Cale
You know, you're not fit for office, you son of a bitch! You're selling this country out to the Arabs! THIS ISN'T OVER! I'VE GOT FRIENDS!
~ Eli Raphelson's last words as he is taken into custody for his crimes.

Eli Raphelson is the main antagonist of the 2013 epic action thriller film White House Down.

He is the corrupt Speaker of the House and the mastermind of the attack on the White House, who plotted to become President of the United States and start World War III with the Middle East.

He was portrayed by Richard Jenkins, who also played Gary Sitterson in The Cabin in the Woods.

Personality[]

At first, Raphelson appears to be very supportive towards Sawyer and Cale in general, but it was not until the very end of the film that his true colors were exposed: that of a scheming, malicious, conniving, corrupt and treacherous politician, willing to do anything to get what he wants, even it means resorting to genocide against other countries or betraying Sawyer to become the new President.

He also did not care much about losing his conspirators during his plot, as he considered them as merely tools who have outlived their usefulness when he ordered an air strike on the White House to erase all evidence of his crimes, even considering Martin Walker to be a "maniac", despite the latter's tragic loss of his son Kevin and the arrest of his wife Muriel.

After his true nature is exposed while being arrested for his crimes, Raphelson proved to be vengeful as he swore vengeance against Sawyer and Cale for foiling his plans.

Biography[]

After John Cale saved his nephew's life from an IED explosion in Afghanistan, Raphelson seemingly felt bad for him, so he gave him a cushy job as a Capitol Policeman and his bodyguard.

During the majority of the film, Raphelson seems to be a pretty solid and honest guy, affiliated with Carol Finnerty and President James Sawyer during the takeover of the White House planned by Walker and a group of mercenaries led by Emil Stenz. Raphelson verbally opposed the U.S. federal authorities' decisions on regaining the White House, being the only man making disagreements about this. The authorities could only comprehend Raphelson's arguments as illogical rather than backstabbing. Once Skip Tyler destroys Air Force One with Vice President Alvin Hammond in it, Raphelson was immediately promoted to becoming President of the United States and swore his oath in.

However, it wasn't until the end that he is revealed to be a ruthless mastermind, as he was the one who planned the attack on the White House and had Walker and Stenz do his dirty work in their attempt to take over the White House and hold Sawyer hostage. It is also revealed that Raphelson secretly (but strongly) disapproved the peace treaty that Sawyer had written up for many countries, believing that he is making their country vulnerable to foreigners. This led him into planning the attack to have Sawyer and Hammond assassinated, so that he can be sworn in as President himself. The hit on Hammond was a success, but Sawyer remained alive, thanks to the efforts of Cale himself.

During the climax, Raphelson secretly sent Walker the nuclear launch codes to activate the nuclear football for Raphelson's true plan: to lay down a series of attacks against various cities in Iran, which will result the retaliation of many countries and the start of World War III. Around the same time, Raphelson ordered an air strike on the White House seemingly to eradicate the threat, but his true intentions were to destroy any trace of evidence regarding to his true plan. However, Cale foiled this after killing Walker, Stenz, Tyler and the remaining terrorists, and figured this out after looking upon Walker's pager. Also, Cale's daughter Emily manages to call off the air strike with a flag signal, as the pilots refuse to endanger a young girl's life.

When Raphelson arrived at the scene following the aftermath of the attack, Cale deliberately lied to him that Sawyer was killed. Raphelson then revealed his plans to discontinue the peace treaty, but Cale confronted him with the information that he planned the entire attack to destroy the peace treaty and start World War III. Cale proves this by having Carol to dial the call-back number on Walker's pager, which then caused Raphelson's phone to ring, thus exposing him as a traitor and the real mastermind.

Despite being exposed, an angry Raphelson threatened Cale by taunting him of the fact that the American citizens would never believe that their current President would help a group of psychopathic terrorists open a nuclear football against a country. However, overhearing this, Sawyer reveals himself to be alive and berated Raphelson for his actions, considering his taking of the Presidency as a coup d'etat. Without hesitation, Sawyer ordered several soldiers to arrest Raphelson on the charges of conspiracy to mass murder, terrorism, treason, and crimes against humanity: all punishable by death.

As he is taken away to face trial for his crimes, Raphelson angrily accuses Sawyer of being unfit for office and making their country vulnerable to terrorists. He swore revenge, saying that he's got friends to help him get back on Sawyer and Cale, and possibly even Emily, for this, only for Sawyer to retort that he will make sure all of them will meet Raphelson in prison if they try to do so.

Trivia[]

  • Eli Raphelson is an allegory and satire of real-life U.S. right-wing politicians who pursue military action towards the Middle East.

External Links[]

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