Chris Bratton

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Lore & Background

Chris Bratton is a fictional character introduced in the TV series *Billions* as a powerful conservative media executive. His portrayal draws inspiration from real-world media figures but is not a direct biographical representation. Bratton's actions and storylines are crafted for dramatic effect, including his interactions with other characters like Chuck Rhoades and Axe Capital. Unlike the real Chris Ruddy, Bratton's career does not include investigative journalism, the Whitewater scandal, or any association with Newsmax. The character serves as a satirical take on media influence and political maneuvering.

In Their Own Story

Ruddy's relationship with Bill Clinton underwent a remarkable transformation. During the 1990s, Ruddy was a fierce critic of the Clinton administration, investigating the Whitewater scandal and the death of Vince Foster. But by the 2000s, Ruddy had re-evaluated the Clinton years. In the fall of 2007, he published a positive interview with former president Clinton on Newsmax.com, followed by a positive cover story in Newsmax magazine. The New York Times said with reference to the event that politics had made 'strange bedfellows.' Ruddy and Scaife had a private lunch with Clinton, which Ruddy says was orchestrated by Ed Koch. Ruddy told Newsweek they shared the view that Clinton was doing important work representing the U.S. globally. Ruddy and Scaife again met Clinton for lunch at his office in September 2008. 'We had a great time with him,' Ruddy said. 'We consider Bill Clinton a friend and he considers us friends.' During a 2010 campaign swing through Florida, President Clinton departed from his schedule to make a visit to Newsmax's offices in West Palm Beach. In July 2012, Ruddy was a member of the official delegation that accompanied President Clinton on his five-nation tour of Africa, reviewing Clinton Foundation initiatives.

Reader's Guide

Ruddy describes himself as a libertarian conservative and 'Reaganite,' although he is not registered as a Republican. Throughout his career, he has often staked out positions at variance with the Republican Party. For example, Ruddy broke with the Bush administration on the Iraq War, and was one of the first conservatives to do so. 'I came out very strongly against the war in Iraq when it wasn't in vogue, back in 2004,' Ruddy told The Palm Beach Post. 'I lost some subscribers. But we are close to spending a trillion dollars on the war and there is no exit strategy,' he added. 'Lots of Republicans and conservatives are not that gung-ho on the war anymore and I think we broke the ice.' Ruddy serves on the board of directors of the Financial Publishers Association (FIPA). He is a member of the International Council, chaired by Henry Kissinger, at the CSIS. Ruddy also served as a representative on the U.S. delegation headed by Senators Joseph Lieberman and Lindsey Graham to the NATO 44th Munich Security Conference. In 2010, Britain's Daily Telegraph ranked Ruddy as one of the '100 Most Influential Conservatives' in the U.S. From 2009 to 2013, Ruddy served on the board of directors of the American Swiss Foundation. In 2015, he was elected to the board of directors of the Zweig Fund and the Zweig Total Return Funds.

Did You Know?

• Chris Bratton is a fictional character, not based on any single real person.
• The character is a composite parody of conservative media figures like Chris Ruddy.
• Unlike the real Chris Ruddy, Bratton has no connection to Newsmax or any real-world media company.
• Bratton's storylines in *Billions* focus on media manipulation and political power plays.
• The character's background and career are entirely fictional and not tied to actual events or biographies.