chief of staff to a peccable president

The trivia section says that the full name of the president in the movie is William Harrison Mitchell and William Henry Harrison was a real president elected in 1840, and that the vice president in the movie is named Nance and John Nance Garner was F.D.Roosevelt's vice president for two terms. One might add that John Mitchell was Attorney General under Richard Nixon and went to prison for his involvement in the Watergate cover-up. I imagine the name of Chief of Staff Robert Alexander was chosen to pay tribute (if that is the expression) to Robert Haldeman and Alexander Haig, who served successively as Chiefs of Staff under Richard Nixon. Frank Langella's physical appearance in the film is I think rather reminiscent of both of these gentlemen, but more the former. Come to that, Robert Alexander's character also seems rather closer to the former (who did time for similar reasons as Mitchell). I get the impression Gary Ross is not a great admirer of the Nixon administration, but very possibly a fan of Futurama.

I beseech ye in the bowels of Christ, think that ye may be mistaken.