Elizabeth McCord quotes from Madam Secretary

Henry

What went wrong? Nothing about Shamekh presents as Jihadi. Somehow they played us.

Elizabeth

Because that's what they do. They sit around and think about how to kill people all day long.

Jareth

Good morning. I come bearing delicacies of my homeland.

Elizabeth

Oh, God, I hope you mean scones.

Jareth

Well, it's not bangers and mash. Madam Secretary, hi. Dr. McCord, pleasure. I'm Jareth, like the David Bowie movie.

You won't silence me again. What I'm doing is legal.

Elizabeth

So is this.

The U.S. Refugee Act of 1980?

Elizabeth

Section 207. It gives the president authority to admit refugees to the U.S. in emergency situations.

Doesn't apply. My injunction is about his executive order.

Elizabeth

True. You can still ban these 243 refugees, specifically. But when the president pledged to accept 20,000 Libyans, he also will have the authority to place them in any state he sees fit. For instance, they might feel right at home in the dry desert climate of your great state. And they'll have you to thank. Well, some of your constituents might not see it that way. But then again, one of those young refugees could grow up to become a United States senator. And isn't that what America's all about?

Elizabeth

Okay, who is excited for some college tour action?

Um, maybe you should hang back. Stevie said she could take me.

Elizabeth

What?

Stevie

I actually wouldn't mind a break from studying.

And it does sound like you have your hands full.

Elizabeth

What? That? That's uh.. it's a little kerfuffle at a gold mine in Chile. Just ten minutes at the office. That's it. Okay?

It's just... college is supposed to be my thing, and if we show up in a motorcade with diplomatic security and you and Blake constantly on the phone...

Elizabeth

I know, total bummer. Which is why I got us down to two cars, and I asked Blake specifically to tell the school not to make a fuss about anything. Because I get it, Ali, you want to be normal, but that goes for me, too, you know. And this is a really big deal, and I don't want to miss out on it, and I really want to come.

Okay. Let's go.

Elizabeth

Okay! Okay, okay. And you know what? I'll tell you what. Stevie'll come, too. It'll be... Look at that, you already packed a bag.

Stevie

Yeah, you know, just in case.

Elizabeth

G'morning.

Blake

Morning. Here's a copy of today's agenda.

Elizabeth

Thank you. And did you get the--

Blake

Four lemon-blueberry and a vegan scone, in case Stevie joined us.

Stevie

That's just eerie.

Blake

Mm. Thank you. Uh, also, I took the liberty of highlighting various students' online reviews of professors at Rafferty College. The debate professor is wonderfully polarizing.

Mom, I don't think you pay Blake enough.

Elizabeth

Oh, I am sure I don't.

Nadine

And the White House has made it clear that this is a priority.

Elizabeth

Ah. Well. Now I understand why I'm here. Okay. Um, Matt... Draft a statement to Foreign Minister Torres reminding him of his country's responsibility to protect our workers. Emphasize the impact on Chile's economy should they jeopardize their trade agreement with us.

Matt

So threaten to break up with them if they cheat on us.

Elizabeth

Or at least stop hitting us with rocks.

Okay. I am off to try and figure out how in the world I'm going to pay for three liberal arts educations before I retire.

Nadine

French horn.

Elizabeth

Huh?

Nadine

It's a guaranteed scholarship.

Elizabeth

Oh. Well, somehow, I don't see Alison jumping on that. But Jason could be in for a surprising birthday present.

Uh, and to your right, you will see a display of what we here at Rafferty nobly refer to as the Wasting of Time.

Elizabeth

Wow. That's an important part of the curriculum, if I recall. (she gets laughs from the group)

Blake

You're killing it with the college crowd, ma'am.

Stevie

Mom. Forget it. They're not listening.

Elizabeth

I always listen to the voice of protest.

Stevie

I give up. Want to watch a crappy pay-per-view?

Elizabeth

Why can't I just explain it to them?

Stevie

Because they grew up thinking that all conflict is injustice. That's what you get for giving everyone a trophy for showing up.

Elizabeth

Well, for someone who got quite a few of those trophies, you turned out way cool, you know that?

Stevie

Thanks, Ma.

Elizabeth

Tell me this isn't real.

Blake

It was posted by an indigenous human rights group in Chile. He made the same video in Spanish and his native language.

Stevie

It says he'll be doing a live feed until he reaches the top or dies, whichever comes first.

Elizabeth

He could die?

Blake

Well, temperatures at the peak at this time of year average negative forty degrees, so yes.

Elizabeth

If he's right, if Chile violated a treaty with their own indigenous people, then everything these kids are yelling could be true.

Stevie

I hate to say it, but if this thing's up already, it kind of doesn't matter if it's true or not.

Blake

Not going there yet.

Stevie

No, she's right. Nobody cares about the legal sale of mineral rights, but you give 'em an indigenous James Franco taking his righteous cause up the mountain with a GoPro?

Nadine

Ma'am, there's one other thing. Uh, one of the students from the confrontation yesterday has filed a lawsuit against the State Department.

Blake

I'm sorry. Come again?

Nadine

He feels the DS agent violated his personal space.

Elizabeth

It's the confetti-bomb guy. They were a little rough taking him down.

Nadine

Uh, no, no, it was another one. The, uh, vocal one.

Blake

The guy who was just standing there yelling at us?

Elizabeth

The screamer feels we violated his personal space?

Matt

The government made me yell and now my throat hurts?

Daisy

Guys! Do you know how fast something like this could turn an election? I mean, it's just ridiculous enough to get way more coverage than it deserves.

Elizabeth

What's the kid's name?

Nadine

He's choosing not to reveal that in the suit.

Blake

Brian Andrew Lindstrom. He lives in Foster Hall.

Nadine

We'll take care of it.

Elizabeth

No, no, no. This one I want. Don't worry, I'm not going to violate his personal space as much as I would love to.

Elizabeth

Hey, Brian, Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord.

Uh, yeah, I know.

Elizabeth

I wanted to follow up on our conversation yesterday.

Uh, look, if this is about the harassment suit, you'll have to talk to my lawyer.

Elizabeth

Right about that. Um, I understand that you felt threatened by Matt here. And he's an intimidating guy, especially when he think I'm in danger. But he was just doing his job.

Sorry if I violated your safe space, Brian.

Nice try guys. But you can't just show up to my door and intimidate me like I'm some developing nation you can't control.

Elizabeth

That's right. I can't. But I think I know someone who can. Blake?

I have a right to a safe learning environment. That's what you guys are paying for.

We're paying for you to get an education. And I'm starting to wonder if it's money well spent.

And a lawsuit against the U.S. Government. Who's paying for that?

There's a legal aid clinic in town. They fight against injustice.

Will you listen to this kid? Some security guy bumping into you is not an injustice.

I was exercising my right to free speech. They were trying to silence me.

God, it's like he's two. You're dropping the lawsuit, Bri. Or you can pay your own tuition.

Elizabeth

If I may, um, I think the thing getting lost here, uh, Mr. and Mrs. Lindstrom, is your son's passionate commitment to social justice. Young people rising up against the abuse of power has been a force many times in this country, and Brian was right. Not about the mining contract-- that was legitimate. But about the larger issue. The brutal legacy of colonialism asserting itself once again in Chile. That turned out to be true. And, Brain, without you guys and the Chilean citizens rising up against what you thought was wrong, the Inhawoji people might not have dared raise their voices, too, and found a world ready to listen.

Thanks, Mrs. Secretary.

Blake

Madam Secretary.

Elizabeth

Don't stop speaking truth to power. But maybe the best way to call upon our better selves is for you to show us yours.

Matt

Come on, don't hold back. How'd you get college baby to drop the lawsuit?

Daisy

Was it a total smackdown?

Elizabeth

Let's just say his parents helped him see reason.

Blake

She's being modest. It was a smackdown.