Dick Richardson

Dick Richardson (voiced by Jeffrey Jones) was the President of the United States from 2220-2242, at the time of Fallout 2.

Background
Dick Richardson was initially a Congressman of the Enclave, rising to power (a process beginning in 2215) with help from his father, Richardson Senior, who served as the President of the United States in the term that preceded his son's own succession to the office. This process ended up with Dick Richardson being elected by the Enclave in 2220 for his own first term as the President of the United States. By 2242 Richardson was serving his sixth term in that office, leading the Enclave towards a new era of American prosperity and mutation-free humanity. However, he did so at the cost of his own health, as he had become a thin, nervous man as tired and frayed as the suit he was wearing.

Richardson controlled the military forces of the Enclave descended from the United States armed forces, and was the head of a patriotic propaganda campaign targeted on the pure strain humans who inhabited the Enclave's Oil Rig off the coast of California. He oversaw the Enclave's master plan to free the wastelands of the United States from the grip of all mutants by killing nearly all intelligent life on the North American continent with a genetically modified biological weapon. By his own claims, President Richardson did not find any joy or pleasure in the Enclave's plan of exterminating the people on the mainland using the a modified strain of West-Tek's FEV, but was calmly accepting of what he saw as a necessary evil to ensure the survival of the Enclave's "pure" version of humanity.

The destruction of the Enclave's oil rig in 2242 by the tribal known as the Chosen One would seem to have erased all trace of President Richardson from history, with the title of "President" now simply used as a term to frighten the children of the Core Region. However, President John Henry Eden from Fallout 3 refers to President Dick Richardson as one of America's many leaders that he studied for inspiration.

Interactions with the player character
Despite that he is one of the shortest living characters in the entire game, he practically reveals all the background storyline questions regarding the Enclave, their reason behind digging up Mariposa Military Base, and their connection with the Vaults, as well as the reasons for the kidnapping of the Chosen One's fellow tribesmen. The President seems to be somewhat gullible in both his willingness to reveal so much to the player and that in one dialogue option the player can claim to be the Emperor of the Planet Quetzl and the President believes the player.

He holds the Presidential Access Keycard (which may only be obtained by killing him, though there are several ways this can be achieved without alerting the entire Enclave), which allows you to turn the turrets against their former master. This only works on the turrets in the Entrance hall.

Appearances
Dick Richardson appears only in Fallout 2.

In Fallout 3, Richardson is also mentioned in the Enclave Soldier deserter's computer terminal in Grayditch, at the opposite side of the Wilk's house, as well as by Owyn Lyons. He is also mentioned by John Henry Eden when the PC meets him "face-to-face", or "face-to-screen."

Behind the scenes
In the movie Clear And Present Danger (1994) the President of the United States says a similar line near the end of the movie: "How dare you come and barge in to my office!" to the movie's main character Jack Ryan. In Clear And Present Danger the president was portrayed as a corrupt and power hungry politician.

His name may also be a reference to former US president: Richard Nixon, considering that Dick is short for Richard. However it is also likely that his name is a simple play on words: Richard Richardson.