Ted Bishop was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He was overwritten by an unnamed Traveler for the purpose of ascending to higher office.
Personality
The host Bishop is brash and entitled. He speaks in a confrontational and often rude manner, especially when talking to people of lower economic classes such as the flight attendant on the plane. Interestingly, the Traveler who later occupies Bishop's body shows many of the same mannerisms, with an added bitterness over his situation.
Averted Death
Bishop was fated to die when Flight 329 to Washington, D.C. experienced mechanical problems and crashed at 2:53pm - all 141 passengers and crew were killed.
History
Host
Shortly before his fated death Congressman Bishop attended the funeral of Hayes, a Cabinet official who had recently been murdered by his wife. Afterwards he boarded a plane back to Washington, D.C. where he was assisting in the passage of a bill authorizing an oil pipeline. Bishop sat in seat 1A in the first class section next to Grant MacLaren (who was surreptitiously on a mission to ensure Bishop's survival.) When the plane began to experience problems, MacLaren used a futuristic device to shield Bishop and Kathryn MacLaren. Bishop did not believe the device would work, but it did and he was transported to safety after the crash, prompting him to remark "that son of a bitch was telling the truth." He then collapsed to the ground and was overwritten.
Unnamed Traveler
Marcy Warton greeted the newly arrived Traveler who was surprised at the circumstances of his arrival - he had been expecting a team of EMTs. He left the crash site in the care of the aforementioned medical technicians who arrived shortly afterwards.
Bishop was given a long-term mission important to Version One of the Grand Plan. He was instructed to rise through the ranks of the House of Representatives and possibly seek a higher office (it is unknown whether this refers to the Senate or the executive branch). Unfortunately, Bishop had heart condition that was never diagnosed prior to his recorded time of death, and he was very likely to die prior to completing any long-term goals. Whether the Director had a contingency plan for Bishop is unspecified - but the Faction had a plan of their own.
The Faction, which at the time held total control of messenger technology and had been continuously impersonating the Director, ordered Bishop to prepare for his own assassination. Bishop came out in opposition to H. R. 939, a bill that would permit agricultural corporations to bypass the regulatory process for standard testing of their products. The bill in question historically permitted the spread of a seed that rendered large portions of formerly arable land untenable.
Bishop gave his speech to a small crowd of supporters and news crew:
Thank you. Thank you all for coming. We are gathered here at a defining moment in the history of our country. Today, the Senate will vote on Bill 939 Which, at its core, institutes provisions that seek to diminish corporate environmental accountability. As your congressman, I stand here as a comrade in arms. Ready to fight against irresponsible policies brought forth to the senate, that seek to place short-term profits ahead of the health and well-being of our planet. This... is a unique time in human history. Humanity is at a tipping point. This is a time in which people of the future will ask, "Did you act? Or did you stand idly by? Where were you when it was us or them?" Because we must protect...
At this point, Bishop gripped his chest in pain, and it became evident that he was having a heart attack.
We must protect humanity's future. Regardless of our political beliefs. Regardless of our religion or the color of our skin. Regardless of personal cost. Now is the time for us -
Bishop's speech ended mid-sentence when Carly Shannon shot him in the head. The crowd panicked and dispersed.