Madam Secretary quotes

Russell

You think I'm working against you. I'm not. I work for the President. It's my job to protect him.

Henry

And it's my job to not care what your job is.

Elizabeth

You okay?

Henry

Yeah, I'm just trying to wrap my head around normalizing the number of dead children that is acceptable.

I'm not going to tolerate any more Russian expansionism. It's time we had a very tough talk with Syria.

Russell

A country with which we have no diplomatic relations.

Just because history repeats itself doesn't mean we have to keep making the same mistakes, not if people are willing to fight for something better. It takes time and courage to step outside our comfort zone and forge new paths.

Elizabeth

Yes sir, but the end result is always worth it.

Elizabeth

There were no easy choices then. Deaths under Stalin and Mao and Pol Pot numbered in the hundreds, whether by privation or outright murder. How could we not push back against that?

I guess you're right, but my God we made some horrible decisions. Myself included. Sandino Junior might not have turned out be such a monster if we hadn't killed his mother.

Stevie

Do you have a few seconds to approve some more fun posts for social media?

Russell

Oh yeah. The president of Nicaragua is about to start a war and Congress is trying to kill health care for millions of children but Real Russell Jackson wants to post about his latest set of golf clubs!

Elizabeth

I'm out of moves. If you have any ideas, I'm open to them.

You might not like it, but you did say you'd try anything.

The story of how the US Secretary of State has kidnapped an Afghani girl and held her in the embassy is all over the news. Until the girl is released, this deal is on hold.

Elizabeth

You don't want to do that. This deal is important for both our countries, not to mention that there's 10 billion in aid on the table.

The Taliban will seize the opportunity to paint my government as weak. They will take over and we will again be mired in war and terrorism.

Matt

I'm sorry, ma'am.

Elizabeth

No, don't beat yourself up. You couldn't have known.

Matt

I know the culture. And I know there are cameras everywhere now.

I don't know what to do.

Elizabeth

Declare martial law, get everyone to staging points and follow instructions.

I don't know what to say.

Elizabeth

The truth, even when it hurts.

Elizabeth

I'm not your puppet. If I see a chance to change the paradigm, I'm going to take it.

Mike

Why can't you trust me?

Elizabeth

Because I'm not a politician.

Mike

And that's why you're going to lose.

Daisy

The alternative is prison.

Prison? What do you mean?

Matt

Jail.

You're seriously overextended, Bryce.

You told me islands were a good investment!

Mom is all clear, but Joanna tested positive for the measles virus.

Daisy

No, that's impossible. She had the vaccine.

The vaccine protects 93% of people. That's why we give the booster at age 4. Because she is contagious, we're going to move both of you to a quarantined location.

Daisy

But she's going to be okay, isn't she?

We'll do everything we can to get her through it, but she's going to be very sick within the next few days.

Measles was eradicated in the US. How did we get back here?

Because measles is awesome...at being a virus. It is not as sexy as Ebola but the virus can stay in the air for 12 to 18 hours after the infected person has left the room. That's why vaccine resistance is so serious.

Jay

The United States is willing to take its share of climate migrants.

We're all eager to hear your version of taking your share.