House of Cards Season 1 quotes

Remy Danton

When I left, Frank begged me to stay. Power vs. money, he said. Don't reduce myself to a tax bracket.

Jackie Sharp

He was right. And I doubt he begged.

Remy Danton

He was half right. Power is better than money, for as long as it lasts. But it never lasts.

[to Doug] All you have ever done is fuck up my life! You fucked up the Fellowship. You fucked up what I had with Lisa! Even when I did what you asked! Your sick fucking visits and reading to you like a fucking child! What is wrong with you?! Why can't you just leave me be?!

Frank Underwood

[at his father's grave] Hey, pop. Been awhile. Did you see that motorcade pull up? It's the first time that the President of the United States has visited Gaffney. Can you believe it? [to audience] Oh, I wouldn't be here if I had a choice, but I have to do these sorts of things now. Makes me seem more human, and you have to be a little human when you're the president. He couldn't even afford his own gravestone. I paid for it, out of my own scholarship money from the Sentinel. Nobody showed up at his funeral, except me. Not even my mother. I'll tell you this, though, pop: When they bury me, it won't be in my backyard, and when they come to pay their respects, they'll have to wait in line.

Frank Underwood

There's nothing like a death in the family to separate the wheat from the bullshit.

Claire Underwood

What if you lose?

Frank Underwood

I will not be a placeholder president, Claire. I will win. And I will leave a legacy.

Claire Underwood

You mean we will.

Frank Underwood

[about Dunbar] She sees me as the bank robber who made it to the county line, but she's smart enough to leave her badge at the door.

Frank Underwood

I've always said that power is more important than money. But when it comes to elections, money gives power... well, a run for its money.

Frank Underwood

Good evening. For too long, we in Washington have been lying to you. We say we're here to serve you when in fact, we're serving ourselves. And why? We are driven by our own desire to get re-elected. Our need to stay in power eclipses our duty to govern. That ends tonight. Tonight, I give you the truth. And the truth is this: the American Dream has failed you. Work hard, play by the rules? You aren't guaranteed success. Your children will not have a better life than you did. Ten million of you can't even get a job, even though you desperately want one. We've been crippled by Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, by welfare, by entitlements... and that is the root of the problem: entitlements. Let me be clear: You are entitled to nothing. You are entitled to nothing. America was built on the spirit of industry. You build your future, it isn't handed to you. And the problem with Washington is that we haven't given you the tools to build it. The only way for us to serve you is to give you the means to serve yourselves. That's exactly what I intend to do. Not handouts - jobs. Real paying jobs. In the next few weeks, the Democratic leadership will introduce a bill called America Works. Its goal is simple: to put the ten million Americans who are unemployed to work. All of them. If you want a job, you get one. The cost is $500 billion. Now, that's a lot of money. To pay for it, we'll have to rethink Social Security, health care, and benefits from the ground up. We can't maintain the welfare state as we know it. Now, that's not a popular thing to say. Anyone running for office wouldn't dare utter those words. Every adviser and consultant and staff member would beg a presidential candidate not to say them. But I can say them... because I will not be seeking the Democratic nomination in 2016. Candidates are cautious. They must equivocate. They dodge and tip-toe. But I'd rather leave this office having accomplished something of value than secure another four years having done nothing at all. Franklin Delano Roosevelt ushered in an era of hope and progress when he proposed the New Deal, and at the time his reforms were considered radical. But he once said, 'This country demands bold, persistent experimentation.' It is common sense to take a method and try it and if it fails, admit it frankly and try another. Roosevelt would have understood better than anyone the necessity for trying something different. The New Deal succeeded for many years, but we must now try something newer before it fails us. If America Works succeeds, we will reinvent the American Dream. If we fail in our attempt, we will admit it frankly and try another. But above all, we must try something. Thank you, and God bless the United States of America.

Frank Underwood

You can't turn a no to a yes without a maybe in between.

Viktor Petrov

So, this is what he does. He leaves the seduction to you. Isn't there a word for that in English...?

Claire Underwood

For what?

Viktor Petrov

Pimping. He's pimping you out.

Claire Underwood

How charming you are.

Viktor Petrov

Thank you. And you make a much better First Lady than ambassador, from what my people tell me. [uncomfortable pause] Only teasing. More wine for the ambassador, please.

Frank Underwood

Tell me, do you kiss the wife of every president?

Viktor Petrov

Not every president's wife looks like yours.

Frank Underwood

I'd push him down the stairs and light his broken body on fire just to watch it burn, if it wouldn't start a world war.

You know what I dreamed of when I came here? Choking you with my bare hands.

Frank Underwood

Mr. Mahmoud, you may hate me. You may hate the office I hold. But here's the reality: I must make decisions every day that I hope are just. I don't know right from wrong all the time. I wish I did. But what I can't be is indecisive.

It says in the Quran that the taking of one life is like the taking of all mankind.

Frank Underwood

It also says that the saving of one life is like the saving of all mankind.

You didn't ask me here to apologize. You asked me here to forgive you.

Frank Underwood

I didn't order the strike to-

I won't forgive you, Mr. President. I don't want to make it any easier for you to sleep at night. Knowing a few lines of the Quran does not absolve you.

Frank Underwood

I have a duty to this nation, Mr. Mahmoud. I swore an oath.

There's a fine line between duty and murder. Only you have to power to stop what happened to me. The next time you wield it, I hope you'll think twice.

The president just made a statement about free speech. Now you're going to start kicking reporters out of the White House?

Seth Grayson

No. Just you.

No, not just me! You're fucking with the second largest daily in America. You can get rid of me, but not the institution I work for.

Seth Grayson

You done?

Don't let your 15 minutes of power go to your head, Seth,

Seth Grayson

You can keep the plastic if you want, as a souvenir. That's all it's good for now.

My letter of resignation.

Frank Underwood

I can't accept that. You're too valuable to us.

I can't run for office as a Solicitor General.

Frank Underwood

Then you should reconsider running for office.

It's too late for that, I think.

Frank Underwood

I don't understand, Heather, I offered you a seat on the Supreme Court.

If Jacobs was stepping down, which he isn't.

Frank Underwood

You spoke to him?

As Solicitor General, I'm friendly with all of the justices. I keep those relationships private, so no one will suspect any bias toward me. But Robert and I are very close. He and Ruth have me over for dinner once a month.

Frank Underwood

So you already knew about the Alzheimer's.

He told me the day he was diagnosed.

Frank Underwood

I've never had anything but his best interests at heart.

You don't care about Robert. You wanted to sideline me.

Frank Underwood

So you actually think you have a shot at this office.

Yes I do, and so does the leadership.

Frank Underwood

You're in over your head Heather, no matter what Birch or Womack are telling you.

Why should it concern you, Mr. President? You've announced that you're not running.

Frank Underwood

Is this personal for you?

Don't flatter yourself!

Frank Underwood

You got Walker, but you couldn't get me!

I don't have to run to make sure you leave office, you couldn't win anyway. I'm running because I know I'd make a good President.

Frank Underwood

Oh you might very well make a good President, but right now you're being delusional.

When Birch approached me, I wasn't sure. I was tempted, but I knew it was a long shot. And when you offered the nomination I was overwhelmed. It's what I've been working toward my entire career. But then I spoke to Robert and when he told me how you threatened him I knew I had to run. Someone needs to scrub the stink from this office.

Frank Underwood

I didn't threaten him.

What would you call it?

Frank Underwood

I was trying to save him, the same way I'm trying to save you now, once the news of his Alzheimer's gets out, which it will, because no matter how much we all try to lie about it, it's gonna leak. Can you imagine, what that's going to do to his reputation? He deserved better than that and you deserve being an also ran. Help me convince him. Take the seat on the Court where you belong.

Is this how you live with yourself? By rationalizing the obscene into the palatable..

Frank Underwood

I haven't excused you yet!

See you in Iowa.

Frank Underwood

I understand the Old Testament God, whose power was absolute, who ruled through fear. [points to the Cross] But Him?

There's no such thing as absolute power for us, except on the receiving end. Using fear will get you nowhere. It's not your job to determine what's just. It's not your place to choose which version of God you like best. It's not your duty to serve this country alone, and it better not be your goal to simply serve yourself. You serve the Lord, and through Him you serve others. Two rules: Love God, and love each other. Period. You weren't chosen, Mr. President. [points to the Cross] Only He was.

Frank Underwood

May I have a few moments for myself, to pray?

It's all yours. [leaves]

Frank Underwood

[to the Cross] Love. That's what you're selling. Well, I don't buy it.

Edward Meechum

Is everything all right, sir?

Frank Underwood

I was praying, and it just fell. Have someone come in and clean this up.

Edward Meechum

Yes, sir.

Frank Underwood

[to the audience] Well, I've got God's ear now.