Elizabeth McCord quotes from Madam Secretary

Russell

You really think you can reason with the guy in that video?

Elizabeth

Who said anything about reason? I'm gonna play to his ego, offer him up some military hardware to boost his superpower fantasy.

Russell

Give him drones. Everyone and their grandmother loves drones.

Nadine

Madam Secretary, I have your travel book for the trip.

Blake

And I have your briefcase.

Elizabeth

Oh. Well, it takes a village.

Blake

Well, there's nothing else you need here, and the car is waiting.

Nadine

As is the plane. They keep gently reminding me in all caps.

Blake

The window to visit Andrada in the Philippines and make it to Singapore in time is extremely tight.

Nadine

And the change of itinerary has caused a bit of, um, huffiness.

Elizabeth

Huffiness? Oh, well we better get going.

Elizabeth

(rushing into Jay's office) Hey, I need to talk to you about something that we're not really talking about.

Jay

Okay... I'm not listening.

Jay

You mean do what the CIA is probably already doing without the CIA finding out that we're doing it?

Elizabeth

I'm getting boxed out because it happened in my department and because I'm no longer in the CIA.

Jay

They can be funny that way.

May I call you Elizabeth?

Elizabeth

Sure. May I call you Datu?

I don't believe that's appropriate.

Elizabeth

President Andrada, what do you want?

Oh, what are you offering? (He chuckles obviously alluding to explicit activities)

Elizabeth

(Remaining firm in the negotiation) Military reinforcements. Five V-22 Ospreys.

(He stands as Elizabeth remains seated trying to gain control of the negations) We would need at least ten Ospreys.

Elizabeth

(She pretends to think it over and then stands to match him) I can authorize that.

And a new aircraft carrier.

Elizabeth

What about RQ-4 Global Hawks?

What about tactical nuclear missiles?

Elizabeth

I think you know that's just no on the table. (She takes a moment to back off) How do you feel about drones?

(He laughs and invades her personal space) I like what I am hearing. Do you have any idea how sexy it is to hear a woman talking about drones?

Elizabeth

(She backs away as she tries to laugh off his comment) I think if we can generally agree on the kind and amount of military reinforcements that you're interested in, then I think we can probably presume these--

I have to say, breaking the president's nose is a whole new form of diplomacy.

Elizabeth

So is groping the Secretary of State, in my experience.

But you're okay?

Elizabeth

(Sighs) Yeah.

Russell

I know this doesn't bode well for the Singapore Interchange. Then again, Sugar Ray McCord has put the world on notice about how we deal with bullies.

Elizabeth

That's not funny, Russell.

Russell

I'm not kidding. It's badass.

Elizabeth

(After finding out that Andrada has decided to go against their Defense Cooperation Agreement with the US.) Okay, wait, let's take a breath. Kicking the US Military out of a country doesn't happen in an afternoon. I think if I apologize to Andrada, suggest that he... caught me by surprise and I acted on instinct... I can grovel. I'm a decent groveler. And things were going so well up until I broke his nose.

Russell

Not a sentence you hear every day.

Elizabeth

Blake, what is it?

Blake

Uh, President Andrada wants us to leave.

Elizabeth

Yeah, I-I know. We're working to resolve that right now.

Blake

No, no. Us. You and me. He sent the military police to kick us out of the Philippines right now.

You sure you're okay?

Elizabeth

Yeah, should've seen the other guy.

Elizabeth

I did. Andrada's been posting all these photos of himself with his nose splint and black eyes.

Elizabeth

Really? Thought he's be embarrassed and lay low.

Henry

Oh, no. He's very proud of the fact that he got his nose broken at the gym by his sparring partner. A guy named Cobra.

Elizabeth

You're gonna start calling me Cobra no, aren't you?

Henry

As soon as it's funny.

Elizabeth

Well, that cover story works for me. He doesn't want to admit he got beat up by a girl. I'm not excited for a headline that says I clobbered a world leader instead of saving a major regional agreement.

Henry

Is there any point in even asking what the guy was thinking?

Elizabeth

When he tried to grope me or when he ordered the US military out of the Philippines?

Henry

He is a psycho.

Daisy

Ma'am, I hope you're aren't blaming yourself.

Elizabeth

Of course I am. It's my job to keep those talks alive.

Daisy

But Andrada sexually assaulted you. How are you supposed to turn that into a diplomatic discussion? I realize it's your call, ma'am, but I feel like we're covering up for him. (She receives a look from Elizabeth and Blake) I just think it's wrong that the world doesn't know what he tried to do to you.

Elizabeth

With no witnesses, it'd be his word against mine. I think we've all seen how that turns out.

Blake

It's the White House. They need you A.S.A.P.

Elizabeth

That's probably not a welcome home party.

The Filipino people rolled the dice on an erratic, self=obsessed strongman. Now they're paying the price.

Elizabeth

The irony being that, just like any other so-called strongman, he isn't strong at all. He's just insecure and weal, without any good policy ideas, so he has to bully his way into power and force himself on women to feel powerful...

I'm guessing this isn't just you working things out, Bess.

Elizabeth

Just to confirm we all heard the same thing, that was a clear offer for a covert assassination.

Russell

Well... that's one way to skin a cat.

So, besides the bribes and double sets of books that came out during the election, the only new information we found on Andrada is from hacking his computer. We retrieved some emails that led to five confidentiality agreements that were tied to some pretty large checks over $100,000.00 each. All to female employees, all paid from Andrada's private accounts.

Russell

Yeah, well, hush money is not exactly a startling revelation. It's certainly in keeping with a man who's had mistresses and is about to run for public office.

Elizabeth

Given his conduct with me, he could be covering up something worse.

That's true. And the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country. They might still frown upon a president who sexually harasses women.

Elizabeth

Well, we might as well track these women down, and try and find out what happened.

Russell

They didn't come forward before this, why would they now? Especially after getting paid off. ... I'm just asking.

Elizabeth

Strength in numbers. If they know they're not alone, they may feel freer to speak.

Russell

Plenty of religious, socially conservative countries still manage to turn a blind eye towards the sexual indiscretions of powerful men.

Elizabeth

Sexual assault isn't an indiscretion, Russell. It's a crime.

Why did I want this job again?

Elizabeth

Your house does have a bowling alley in the basement.