Gregory Itzin Gregory Itzin is an actor who has appeared in five episodes spanning three spin - off series of the " Star Trek " franchise . He was first cast as McNary in the episode , but instead dropped out in favor of doing an episode of " L . A . Law " instead , something he later expressed regret for . Outside of " Trek " , he may best be known for his Emmy Award - nominated role as Vice President ( and later President ) Charles Logan on the hit Fox TV series " 24 " . His co - stars on this series have included fellow " Trek " veterans Jude Ciccolella , Glenn Morshower , Roger Cross , Peter Weller , Ray Wise , Tzi Ma , Daniel Dae Kim , Tony Todd , and Tom Wright . He once again popped up on the show for its sixth season in 2007 , during which time James Cromwell , Maury Sterling , and Itzin ' s DS9 co - star Alexander Siddig were also members of the cast . He also earned a Tony Award nomination for his role in the 1993 Broadway play " The Kentucky Cycle " , during which he acted alongside fellow " Trek " actors Scott MacDonald and Randy Oglesby . Television . Itzin began appearing on television in the late 1970s . One of his first roles was a bit part in the 1979 mini - series " Backstairs at the White House " , which also featured Ian Abercrombie , John Anderson , Bibi Besch , Robert Hooks , Bill Quinn , Noble Willingham , and Paul Winfield . He went on to become a familiar face in episodic television , guest starring on such shows as " Hunter " ( in an episode with Nana Visitor ) , " Falcon Crest " ( with Bibi Besch , Robert Foxworth , and Jonathan Frakes ) , " The A - Team " ( starring Dwight Schultz ) , " St . Elsewhere " , " Matlock " ( including a two - parter with Scott Bakula ) , " L . A . Law " ( working with James Avery , Corbin Bernsen , Bill Cobbs , Larry Drake , and Anne Haney ) , " Night Court " ( starring John Larroquette ) , " Murphy Brown " , " Beverly Hills , 90210 " , " Quantum Leap " ( starring Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell ) , " Picket Fences " ( with Roy Brocksmith , Ray Walston , and Paul Winfield ) , and " Murder , She Wrote " ( in an episode with Bill Smitrovich ) . He was a regular on the acclaimed drama series " Murder One " , which also featured Daniel Benzali , Barbara Bosson , John Fleck , Kevin Tighe , Donna Murphy , Conor O ' Farrell , Adam Scott , Ned Vaughn , Juliana Donald , and Bruce Wright in regular and recurring roles . Since then , he ' s been seen on series like " Chicago Hope " ( with Ethan Phillips ) , " Millennium " ( with Terry O ' Quinn and Bill Smitrovich ) , " The Practice " ( with Bruce McGill , Leon Russom , George D . Wallace , and Alfre Woodard ) , " JAG " , " Profiler " ( in a recurring role , working with the likes of Matt McCoy , Andrew Robinson , Raphael Sbarge , and Ray Wise ) , " CSI " ( with Glenn Morshower ) , " Wolf Lake " ( alongside Bruce McGill and Sharon Lawrence ) , " Firefly " ( alongside Ron Glass and Jordan Lund ) , " NYPD Blue " , " Friends " ( along with Cristine Rose , playing Paul Rudd ' s parents ) , and " The Lyon ' s Den " ( with Jim Beaver and Robert Picardo ) . He also appeared opposite William Shatner and Rene Auberjonois in the two - part second season opener of ABC ' s " Boston Legal " , along with Randy Oglesby . He also has a number of made - for - TV movies to his credit . In 1983 he was seen in " The Other Woman " , along with future star Robert Picardo . In 1998 he appeared along with Wil Wheaton , Donna Murphy , and Titus Welliver in " The Day Lincoln Was Shot " . And in 2003 he was one of the few " Star Trek " performers who appeared in " DC 9 / 11 : Time of Crisis " , in which he played US Attorney General John Ashcroft . His co - stars included Penny Johnson , Stephen Macht , Lawrence Pressman , and original " Trek " series star George Takei . Itzen appeared on the CBS series " The Mentalist " as California Bureau of Investigation director Virgil Minelli . He also reprised his role as Charles Logan in Season 8 of " 24 " - the final season of the show ' s run . Most recently , he has appeared as Senator Dwyer in " Big Love " , Dick Barrows in " Desperate Housewives " and Henry Wilcox in " Covert Affairs " . Film . Itzin is also no stranger to feature films , either . He made his debut in the medium with a role in the acclaimed 1980 disaster film spoof " Airplane ! " ( also featuring Jonathan Banks , Kenneth Tobey , and Jason Wingreen ) . This was followed in 1989 with a supporting role in " The Fabulous Baker Boys " , co - starring Albert Hall and Dakin Matthews . One of his largest roles came in the 1995 family movie " Born to Be Wild " , co - starring Alan Ruck , Titus Welliver , and star John Billingsley . Since then , he has had supporting roles " Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas " ( 1998 , with Larry Cedar , Jenette Goldstein , and Richard Riehle ) , " Small Soldiers " ( 1998 , with Kirsten Dunst , Dick Miller , Robert Picardo , and Wendy Schaal ) , " What ' s Cooking ? " ( 2000 , with Alfre Woodard ) , " Evolution " ( 2001 , with John Cho , Miriam Flynn , Michael McGrady , Jennifer Savidge , and Sarah Silverman ) , " Original Sin " ( 2001 , with Joan Pringle ) , and " Adaptation " ( 2002 , with Jim Beaver ) , among others . More recently Itzin appeared in a leading role in the drama " Float " ( 2008 ) , again playing husband and wife with Cristine Rose . Kyla Kuhner served as co - producer for this film . Itzin later acted alongside Mark Harelik , Jack Kehler , and Ron Perlman in " The Job " , a film which premiered at the San Diego Film Festival in September 2009 . He can currently be seen in the action thriller " Law Abiding Citizen " , which also stars " Star Trek : Voyager " guest actor Bruce McGill and TNG / DS9 regular Colm Meaney . He also appeared in the Steven Spielberg film " Lincoln " ( 2012 ) , documenting the efforts of President Abraham Lincoln to abolish slavery during the American Civil War , again appearing with Bruce McGill , as well as Grainger Hines and Dakin Matthews . Itzin was one of sixteen working character actors interviewed for the 2012 documentary " That Guy . . . Who Was in That Thing " . Several of the actors featured had made appearances in various " Star Trek " episodes ( a fact the documentary notes ) , including Bruce Davison , Zach Grenier , Robert Joy , Stanley Kamel , Matt Malloy , Mark Rolston , William Morgan Sheppard , Wade Andrew Williams , and Rick Worthy .