Elizabeth McCord quotes from Madam Secretary

Elizabeth

And President U Khaing?

Might as well be back under house arrest. He's completely under the thumb of the generals.

Elizabeth

Who are getting away with murder-- In a private jet.

Henry

Mom's really tired. Let's do this some other time.

Jason

Oh, sure. Yeah, that won't leave us lying awake in bed all night wondering if she has cancer.

Elizabeth

Okay. Um... there's this article coming out in the next few days, and it's going to imply that when I was at the CIA--

Henry

(cutting Elizabeth off) It's a hit piece accusing Mom and President Dalton of having an affair 20 years ago.

It is not true.

Stevie

What? Who's behind it?

Elizabeth

We don't know.

How can they just say that with no proof?

Jason

Isn't that slander?

Henry

Libel if they publish it.

Elizabeth

Look, we just want you guys to know that it's going to be out there for a few days.

Jason

That's disgusting.

Elizabeth

And, we're not responding, so it just goes away with the next crisis, and I am so sorry.

Stevie

You do not need to apologize to us.

Jason

Wait, wait. So you're just gonna let them say that?

Elizabeth

I'm gonna get attacked a lot.

Jason

(scoffs)

Elizabeth

Just means they're nervous about me.

Mike

I waited in a stupidly long line for what's supposed to be the next Cronut.

Nina

(rushing in behind Mike B) Uh, Mike Barnow, ma'am.

Mike

Thanks, Blake. (waves Nina off and hands Elizabeth the pastry) This is to keep you off-line for the two days, possibly the week.

Elizabeth

The article came out.

Mike

Drops within the hour. Stay inside, don't look at any memes or tweets, and for God's sake, don't read it.

Elizabeth

Why would I do that?

Henry

Look, I know we were supposed to ignore it. But... after I read the article...

Elizabeth

Is it bad?

Henry

Uh, it's all "alleged" and "rumored." So as long as there's no evidence to back it up...

Elizabeth

Are you asking me if I had an affair with Conrad?

Henry

No. Of course not. (clears throat)

Elizabeth

See, this... This is how it works. This is the poison.

Henry

I don't doubt you. But you were halfway around the world. It was a rough time for us. I would've understood--

Elizabeth

Nothing Happened! Ever! I--

Henry

I know!

Elizabeth, I'm here tonight to ask you to seek the nomination of the Republican Party for president.

Elizabeth

Wow. That's... (chuckles) Can I-- I speak frankly, John?

Please.

Elizabeth

I work for a president who turned his back on both parties. Why come to me?

Because you're a worthy candidate.

Elizabeth

Well, I appreciate that. I do. But... I got to tell you, when I look at your party's current platform, I-- I... I mean I-I'm about to host a global conference on climate change, and your party can't even agree that climate is changing.

We need to evolve. We'd see your candidacy as an opportunity to do that and, at the same time, come back to the party of Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower. A square deal and a strong national defense. I think you fit that platform. And it's a platform we believe the majority of Americans will vote for.

Elizabeth

Well, that's inspiring. And flattering. But if you're so alarmed by Owen Callister, why not denounce him? Where are the public statements?

We don't want to alienate the people Callister's talking to. We want to reach them. We think we can do that with you.

Elizabeth

Well, Governor, you uh.. you have given me a lot to think about.

Mike

What is there to think about?

Jay

For Starters, the fact that she's aligned with a president who won as an Independent.

Mike

For the first time in history. The chance of that happening a second time are about the same as my son's chances of getting into Harvard.

Elizabeth

Well, the governor makes one good point: if I join the GOP ticket now, we have a better chance of knocking Callister out early.

Jay

What if the governor represents a small faction of the party and you don't win broad support? And then we're dead in New Hampshire.

Mike

Have you forgotten who you're working for? Um, Elizabeth schooled America about nationalism, and her-- And her popularity went up five points. This country is totally ready to be spanked by Hot Mom.

Jay

What do you think?

Elizabeth

I think that I do line up with some GOP policy positions. I think privatization is sometimes more efficient than government bureaucracy, and I'm all for a strong military. And I think... we do all win when the government steps back and allows responsible businesses to thrive. But I don't think that that means that corporations should pay a lower tax rate than school teachers

Mike

Of course not. You can-- There's always a way to frame it.

Elizabeth

What happens when I make wealth disparity my key issue? Or declare that the days of undermining democracy by gerrymandering are over?

Mike

You will trade horses like every other politician.

Jay

She's not every other politician.

Mike

One bonus: I make this call tomorrow, I am pretty sure this whole affair story goes away a lot faster.

Elizabeth

Okay, that... is exactly the kind of political gamesmanship that I hate. I know that both parties do it. But the GOP has a much darker history of playing up wedge issues like same-sex marriage just to fire up voters. When I went to Camp David to think about the candidate I want to be, none of that was on the list.

Jay

Seems like you know your way forward on this, ma'am.

Mike

Let's not make any decisions tonight. (grabs a beer) Let me-- Let me just-- Let me just say this: no one gets to shape this country by being the noble candidate who lost.

Henry, he showed up out of nowhere. He's obviously stirred up from reading about his wife sleeping with her boss. When your friend's husband asks you if it's true, you don't feed the fire.

Elizabeth

This whole thing...

Yeah.

Elizabeth

Do you have any idea who it could've been?

I mean, it could've been a lot of people, Bess.

Elizabeth

Weren't that many people out to get me.

Maybe not out to get you, but if they were asked? They all had eyes. Whether anything happened or not, he clearly favored you.

Elizabeth

Wait...

Look, I know you didn't cross any lines. I mean, I don't even think there's anything wrong with how you benefited from it. Uh...

Elizabeth

Wow. So you think I used Conrad.

No. I'm-- I'm not... No. I'm not saying you didn't earn everything that you've achieved, and believe me, I will be first in line to vote for you. I know it's totally unfair to you, but it's not hard for people who saw your dynamic with Conrad to think there could have been something to those rumors.

Don't tell me you're letting that ridiculous article get to you.

Elizabeth

It's my family I'm worried about.

Well, I'm willing to make a statement about the damn thing if it'll help.

Elizabeth

No, thank you, sir. But you decided to stay out of it, and I'm going to follow your lead. I hope Lydia isn't too upset?

One thing we learned about this job is that you need to keep yourself separate from the office. They are two different things.

Elizabeth

Conrad, do you think...? When we were at CIA, did you favor me?

Of course. You were smart, diligent, and you knew how to think for yourself. What kind of boss would I be if I didn't favor that?

Elizabeth

Guys enough. Enough. This whole routine between the two of you, undercutting, the jockeying for position, this has got to stop. This is exactly what George Washington hated about a two-party system. Two sides trying to dominate each other.

Mike

What does he know? He had wooden teeth.

Elizabeth

He was right. And so is Jay, by the way. My political identity is tied to Conrad's. I'm an independent. It's who I am, and it's how I'm going to run. I'm gonna call Governor Hayes, and tell him we're declining his offer. Either of you have a problem with that? (Both Mike and Jay shake their heads no) Good. I've also accepted an interview tomorrow morning where I'm going to put these affair rumors to rest, among other things.

Mike

Love it. Can we go over some talking points?

Elizabeth

I don't need talking points. I was there. Guys, this is gonna be a long, hard road. but it's the road I want to be on. So you either get on it with me or get out of my way. Okay?

It's ironic that you decry nationalism around the world when at home -

Elizabeth

Callister's running for President. I've heard it before.

That's the problem with your so-called free speech. It is another weapon that can be bought and sold.

Jay

The entire UN Security Council gone? What do we do now, ma'am?

Elizabeth

We go to the White House and get into a fight.

What would you say to the person whose job is stolen or who loses her life to one of these migrants?

Elizabeth

I'd say that you're making up hypothetical people to distract from the actual issue.

Elizabeth

I don't know. I feel like... I feel like these shoes are at a different party. You know? One where fun goes to die.

So less corporate, more red carpet?

Elizabeth

Just for one night, can we not think about fundraising or votes? Come on. This event actually has the potential to be fun.

Blake

You might be in the wrong profession ma'am.

Elizabeth

I said one night, Blake, I'm not having a vocational crisis.

Blake

Good to know.

Mike

If it gets out that a foreign government helped topple your opponent, the legitimacy of your presidency could be in jeopardy.

Elizabeth

This is a lot bigger than me. Our democracy was interfered with.