Henry McCord quotes from Madam Secretary

Elizabeth

She just wanted their first time to be special and romantic, and I guess Jason went along with the plan, right down to Luther Vandross and chocolate covered strawberries

Henry

It's like they wanted to have sex in the 80s.

Russell

I don't need to ask what the meaning of life is, because I already know.

Henry

You do? Well, hey, I'm all ears.

Russell

Be good to the people you love, work hard at the things you care about.

Henry

Well, that's great, except it's killing you.

Elizabeth

This whole ordeal has reminded me of the importance of civic duty. It's reaffirmed my faith in the process, you know?

Henry

I do.

Elizabeth

We got this enormous thing done, Henry, and I feel a responsibility to make sure it doesn't get undone. When the time comes...I want to run for president.

Henry

I know.

Henry

Okay, let's use the Socratic method.

Elizabeth

Oh, please, no.

Elizabeth

You know the last Secretary of State to become President? James Buchanan. 150 years ago.

Henry

Well, even the Cubbies eventually won the World Series.

Elizabeth

Is this what I think it is?

Henry

Yeah. Booty caller strikes again. You think we should talk to her?

Elizabeth

That's your funeral.

Elizabeth

I hate asking for money.

Henry

Remind me why you're running for President?

Elizabeth

I heard it comes with a chef.

Elizabeth

Theresa can't be the leaker. She's too much of a political animal to sabotage her own career.

Henry

When family's involved, you'd be surprised.

Russell

According to cable news, we're running a baby mill out of the Lincoln bedroom.

Henry

Everyone knows that cable news runs towards the hyperbolic.

Russell

No kidding. That's why people watch it, Dr. McCord.

Dr. McCord, I like my life here. What's going to happen to me now?

Henry

You're going to go out the back door with these intelligence agents and answer some more questions. If your story checks out, you'll be free to go. But either way, your life is going to be under the microscope for a while.

Henry

I don't want to be the guy who's known for blowing the whistle and getting people axed because of it.

Russell

There's only one team, and now everyone knows you're on it.

Henry

Tell Didi I said no problem. But I am going to have to file a report.

Of course. Protocol, I guess? [takes out ornaments] Didi says these are yours? It was an isolated incident, Henry.

Elizabeth

We're renewing our vows.

Ah. This is an American thing. Why do you do these things?

Henry

Well, we never really got the wedding we wanted. I was about to deploy to the Marines and, uh, Yeah, we just sort of rushed in a little. We didn't get exactly what we wanted. I wanted a church wedding.

Elizabeth

I wanted the dress and my bridesmaids and the... veil...

Henry

Yeah, and I wanted the first dance to be a tango.

Elizabeth

And I wanted it to be "Baby, I Love Your Way," because that's the best song ever, but anyway, we didn't get any of that. What we got was a cranky judge at city hall.

Henry

And 126 years of wedded bliss.

Elizabeth

We did get that, and three lovely kids.

Henry

Lao-tzu said: "An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox."

Russell

What the hell does that mean?

Elizabeth

I came here to see for myself and to help Ambassador Lopez see what's going on behind these walls. What I saw is an affront to decency and an assault on our country's core values. Children separated from their parents, in cages, crying, terrified, lacking basic care. And the governor believes it's a deterrent...

Stevie

Are you seeing this?

Henry

Yup. That's your mom.

Elizabeth

... But it is child abuse. Plain and simple. No deterrent is worth trading our humanity.

That's enough.

Elizabeth

No policy, no matter its goal, is worth lowering our moral standing in the world. Nothing can justify harming children.

Ma'am, you are on state property.

Elizabeth

And the governor wants me to shut up.

Yes.

Elizabeth

But I won't, because what he is doing is immoral and un-American, and every American needs to know about it.

Elizabeth McCord, you are under arrest for criminal trespass in the first degree in violation of section 13...

Russell

No. No!

Elizabeth

Well... if desperate asylum-seekers aren't free from being detained unfairly in this state. Why should I? (while she's being cuffed) Officer Stevens, I'm guessing this isn't how you thought your day would go.

Stevie

Has anything like this ever happened before?

Henry

Not in the United States.

Russell

Not here. Never.