The characters of the President and Vice President were named after the two actors who played those roles in Lurie's previous political thriller, The Contender. Teddy Bridges, named for Jeff Bridges who played President Jackson Evans, and MacKenzie Allen, named for Joan Allen who played Laine Hanson, his vice presidential nominee.
The scenes of Air Force two in flight during the pilot episode are from Air Force One (1997).
Kristin Scott Thomas and Joan Allen (I) were amongst the actresses approached to play Mackenzie Allen. Rod Lurie first planned the series as a sequel to Contender, The (2000) where Joan Allen would reprise her role as Laine Hanson.
The character Gilda Rockwell is loosely based on former White House Bureau Chief Helen Thomas
