Elizabeth McCord quotes from Madam Secretary

Elizabeth

Okay. Not that I don't love seeing your faces, but explain to me again why I had to be here to discuss protests at a gold mine in Chile.

Elizabeth

Alright. Good-bye, Madam Secretary; and hello, just another college mom.

Elizabeth

Chile is shutting down Hercutel because some college kids yelled at me?

Elizabeth

I can feel your sarcasm behind my back.

Elizabeth

Too much? Did I go on too strong?

Elizabeth

Oh. Russell Jackson. 'WHN.' ... WHN? ... Uh, White House now. Oh, for the halcyon days when he used to spell everything out.

Elizabeth

I have to admit, I've been dreaming about the stracchi for the past week. [high fives Matt, receives glare from Nadine] And the deal with Russia on tax avoidance.

Elizabeth

Uh, good morning. To those of you who were on furlough: welcome back. And there are fresh pastries on Uncle Sam, in that room.

Elizabeth

I mean, who knew that trying to end human slavery would be so controversial?

Elizabeth

Look where isolationism has gotten us in the past. Two world wars. Seventy million dead. Never again can we go back to those dark times when fear and hatred, like a contagion, infected the world.

Elizabeth

No reckless attack on our democracy will ever shake America's commitment to our core values. And any country that tries will face dire consequences so much worse than one lucky RPG hit.

Elizabeth

Okay, aside from all the obvious questions of humanity, decency, and shame, how can they even do that without blatantly encroaching on federal immigration law?

Elizabeth

I'm gonna kill Governor Barker. I mean talk to him... First, at least.

Elizabeth

There are reasons previous administrations have tried to pre-emptively ban this technology. Deploying it now could have consequences we're just beginning to understand. America has the finest military in the world. Let's use it.

Hey, can I talk to you about my thesis?

Elizabeth

Uh, sure. During office hours.

Yeah, your office hours don't really work for me.

Elizabeth

laughs Sorry to hear that.

Thing is, I don't really want to write about the Cold War.

Elizabeth

You're aware that the class is called "Postwar Politics and the Cold War."

Yeah, but I feel like it's been done.

Elizabeth

That's why they call it history, Jake.

Thing is, my theory is that we are living through a new cold war.

Elizabeth

All right, compare and contrast to the original and convince me.

Great. Also, I'll need an extension. My parents are coming to town and they're very needy

Elizabeth

Oh. My husband bought tickets to the opera this weekend. I mean, normally, I love the opera, but I got to tell you, it's been a hell of a week and the thought of sitting in a dimly lit room with a bunch of people singing at me in Italian... It's just going to make me fall asleep. I'm so sorry. I thought we were telling each other our problems. No extension.