Daisy Grant quotes from Madam Secretary

Daisy

Three words that can never go together in this town: "Boss", "Internship" and "Sex".

Daisy

Because real talk? It doesn't get any easier from here. You know better than most that sometimes this world, this country is not going to be fair. You won't always be seen for the creative, enthusiastic young men and women you are. So on the bad days, when you're tempted to give up you're going to have to find that belief in yourself. Because you can make it. I know, because I made it and you all are definitely smarter than me and I know because I read your essays.

Daisy

I mean, a bunch of white guys were so enraged by the prospect of making space for someone like my daughter, like me, they would literally rather blow up the White House, rather destroy the country than share it. And also I can give you the names of at least five unarmed black people who have been killed by the police in the last six months. Just driving along and get pulled over and, boom, that's it.

Daisy

The press loves stuff like this. The guy's flamboyant, exotic.

Elizabeth

Polygamist.

Matt

We're not using that word.

Elizabeth

We're not? What are we calling it?

Matt

It falls under cultural diversity.

Elizabeth

I see. Well, is it important to have all the wives? You think maybe we could cut it off at say three?

Matt

Who’s she in there with?

Blake

I’m not at liberty to say.

Daisy

Well I got it straight from security that it’s the director of the CIA.

Blake

Can’t confirm or deny.

Daisy

Just so you know, there’s a tradition of sharing information in the outer office.

Blake

Oh well, in that case I heard you guys tongued in the supply closet at the Christmas party and it’s been a little awkward ever since, because you’re both with other people.

Daisy

Madam Secretary, we need to review your statement about the King of Swaziland visit.

Elizabeth

OK.

Matt

Yeah, I have a rough first draft. I’m still working on the adjectives, right now you’re happy and excited.

Elizabeth

You need to work on the adjectives.

Daisy

Well I have to get something to the press by tomorrow.

Elizabeth

Can I be resigned and conflicted?

Daisy

You can never be either of those things.

Matt

You can be eager and optimistic.

Daisy

No she can’t be eager, that’s too Jimmy Carter.

Elizabeth

Can I be cautiously optimistic?

Matt

Well that’s for more serious world events.

Daisy

You can be forward thinking.

Matt

You know what, I’ll do the writing, thanks!

Elizabeth

What if I’m grateful for the opportunity to expose the world to a variety of cultural differences as we move toward a more global thinking society?

Matt

That’s really good.

Elizabeth

Should I write it down for you?

Matt

No, I’m the writer, I can do it.

Elizabeth

Just as long as our roles are clear.

Daisy

That exchange with the king is already trending Madam Secretary. Twitter is blowing up. People love it.

Elizabeth

Well, not everyone's going to love it. Matt, prepare a statement for tomorrow. We may have to call a press conference.

Matt

I'm already on it.

Nadine

Do you want this to become an issue?

Elizabeth

Yes! I think we've spent enough time on my look.

Daisy

World health, education, war on women... How do you want to frame it?

Elizabeth

All of the above.

Jay

It's a strong message. It'll play well in the polls. Not that I, you know, care about polls.

Elizabeth

Fine. You want me to talk to her and explain why the Secretary of State's daughter can't be doing things like this?

Daisy

And we need to release a statement.

Matt

Explaining your mystery daughter.

Blake

Not a mystery daughter.

Elizabeth

By 'mystery' do you mean born out of wedlock or sired by aliens?

Matt

Well, we'd like to remove all doubt about either of those speculations.

Elizabeth

Knock yourself out. Can we talk about matters of national security now please?

Elizabeth

I'd like to think about hiring private security contractors.

Jay

I mean. come on.

Matt

You mean, like Vesuvian?

Elizabeth

I mean exactly like Vesuvian.

Matt

That might be a problem.

Elizabeth

I'm aware.

Daisy

We are talking about the people you referred to a year ago in a national publication as 'the latest guise of Satan, bloodless mercenaries who serve and protect and kill out of naked ambition rather than honor or duty while cashing a check three times the size of anyone in military service.'

Elizabeth

I really thought I'd cut the satan line.

Daisy

It's an easy spin. There's a difference between philosophical thought, academia and practical application... work in action

Matt

Well, if it's so... easy, why don't you give me the headline to that? Uh, "Secretary of State Discovers that Doing is More Challenging than Talking About Doing"?

Daisy

And we still have to explain the mystery daughter.

Blake

Not a mystery daughter.

Nadine

Blake... everyone appreciates your allegiance to your boss.

Blake

Well, she is not my boss, she's our boss.

Jay

It was a private email!

Elizabeth

You really believe there's such a thing anymore?

Daisy

There's thousands. Twittersphere is calling them the Viper cables.

Elizabeth

Viper?

Daisy

Fisher's source. She's claiming he's a State Department employee.

Elizabeth

Oh, great. Our very own Snowden.

Jay

What happened to at least giving us a heads up?

Elizabeth

Hey, Jay. Daisy's about to tell us that that gotcha video is blowing up on social media. Which was clearly the point. Right now, I need you to focus on fixing it.

Daisy

Madam Secretary Schaeffer's capture by the Pakistanis just hit the wires.

Matt

It's wall-to-wall on the cable outlets.

Elizabeth

Everyone needs to stop ambushing me on my way in.

Daisy

We thought you'd want to know right away.

Elizabeth

Well, we might need to redefine "right away."

Daisy

So, how do you want to spin it?

Elizabeth

Schaeffer? I don't.

Matt

So, we're going with, "Yeah, he was spying on their nukes, our bad?"

Elizabeth

We expect Pakistan to treat all prisoners, including U.S. citizens, humanely and in accordance with the third and fourth Geneva Convention.

Nadine

(While the staff is gathered around a bottle of Cognac gifted to Elizabeth by France) Madam Secretary, protocol explicitly states that foreign gifts remain in the gift room.

Elizabeth

Noted. I decree an exception.

Nadine

Oh, thank God.

Matt

I second the decree.

Daisy

Uh, Uh, decrees don't need seconding.

Matt

Uh, this one felt like it did.

Elizabeth

Let's have a toast to Roy Schaeffer. Welcome home.

Welcome home.

Elizabeth

Listen, I have to go to my friend's memorial service. I'll be back by this afternoon.

Daisy

Okay, have fun. (realizes) Oh, God... you're going to a memorial service. It's the opposite of fun. So... have whatever the opposite of fun is.

Elizabeth

Hey Daisy, you're rambling. Please don't do that in the press room.

Blake

Why does Daisy have on a weird face?

Matt

That's just her face.

Blake

No, that's her freaked-out face.

Daisy

Can I show you something over here?

Elizabeth

Yeah. There's some debate about whether or not you have on your freaked-out face or your regular face.

Daisy

Fu Xinpei, visiting Chinese high school genius, just stood up at Dulles and declared she wants political asylum. Now the news has got hold of her. I'm worried that she's gonna mess up the signing of the treaty, but I'm probably being paranoid. This is my paranoid face.