Ripped By mstoll
(ALARM)
(ALARM STOPS)
(DISTANT SCREAM)
(VOICES AND GUNFIRE)
(GUNFIRE)
WOMAN: Ready in 15 seconds.
Jason, why don't you turn that off? Come on, get some breakfast.
- Enough carnage for 7 am. - Let me save it.
- I'll save it for you. - Wh... Dad! Come on!
Hey, don't act like you got some big problem with my game.
You play it too. OK. Oh, come on!
- Breakfast. - The discovery of hypocrisy.
Bitter moment in any young revolutionary's life.
Kid's got a point but when he's not telling me how much I suck at this game,
he sometimes tells me something about his life.
- Right. - Hey, you OK?
Yeah, I'm good.
Cos you've been just going non-stop since you got back from Iran.
(SIGHS) I'm a little jet lagged still, but I'm good. I'm fine.
Promise.
I'm just saying going back to school is gonna be a big adjustment
after lying around here all day playing video games.
- Yeah, you should know, dropout. - Ooh, burn!
Good comeback, Padawan.
If you get kicked out of two schools in a row,
you have to go to military school. It's, like, the law.
- I can handle military school. - Yeah, right.
- What about home schooling, pal? - I'll stick with public school.
Just think, you and me studying all these great books,
spending hours having philosophical discussions.
- Shoot me now. - Jason.
What did I say?
I'm glad that you're on board with public school
because that is where you're going.
Oh, we have that orientation meeting at 11, OK?
I know. I cleared my schedule out this morning.
- You want to take the time off? - I can't. I've got meetings.
Then I've got meetings after those meetings so I gotta go.
- Bye, guys. - Bye, Mom.
- Love you. - Bye, Mom. Love you.
Ow!
- Nice sensitivity, dumbass! - Cut it out, both of you.
The desk officer is waiting to brief you on your first meeting.
- Ecuador? - Yes, ma'am.
And Matt and Daisy are here to have a word with you this morning.
Yes, I'm getting that.
Ma'am, we need to prep you for Face the Nation.
Can't. I got a thing at my son's school.
You've been at the center of everything that's happened.
Unearthing Director Munsey's plot, thwarting the coup in Iran.
The White House wants you front and center
to reassure the public that everything is OK.
Is it? News to me.
The point is, ma'am, I mean, if there's a hero in this story, it's you.
What did you just say? Because what I thought you said
is that I'm the hero of this story?
NADINE: Excuse me, ma'am.
- Daisy didn't mean... - Excuse me.
See, what's confusing is how you could possibly say something like that
just days after you attended Fred Cole's funeral.
The man who literally threw himself in front of bullets to save me
which is the very definition of heroism.
You come at me with this win-the-cycle crap again,
it'll be the last time you do. You understand?
Yes, ma'am.
Why is there a nurse in my waiting area?
Oh, she's here to follow up on the exam you received at Landstuhl.
You kept rescheduling, so I had someone from Walter Reed sent over.
I had said I would go to my own doctor when I had the time.
They needed a follow-up ASAP, ma'am.
It's literally doctor's orders.
Et tu, Blake?
WOMAN: You're healing well, Madam Secretary.
Stitches should be ready to come out in a few days.
Fantastic.
- Are you having any pain, ma'am? - No. None.
Then I just need to draw your blood.
I'm on a tight schedule. I hope you don't mind if I multi-task.
So what does the CEO of one of America's biggest oil companies
want from a peon like the secretary of state?
Chip Harding is here because he believes you should be doing more
to help Ashmont Petroleum secure drilling rights in Ecuador
as opposed to the Chinese.
But the proposed area of the Amazon is highly sensitive,
which is what our desk officer from the region is here to discuss.
- It's Laura, right? - (COUGHS)
Yes, ma'am. Let me first say how thrilled I am to finally meet you in...
...person.
Uh... You OK there, Laura?
Yeah. Just have a little thing about... blood. Um...
LAURA: Very sorry but I'm fine.
Quite alright. Why don't we just get right to it then?
Yes, ma'am. As you may have read in your briefing book,
the Selva region of eastern Ecuador
is one of the most bio-diverse areas of the Amazon and indeed the world.
Home to, count them, ten primate species, including the rare titi monkey.
There's an image for you.
Developing it would be extremely damaging to the local...
But also...
But also it is important to remember
that the Amazon is the world's carbon sink
where much of the CO2 we produce is absorbed by the trees of...
(GAGS)
Sorry. Excuse me, ma'am.
OK.
Hope she makes it to the porcelain sink in time.
Why don't you and go see if she's OK?
Right, the point being if a tract this big is developed,
it will speed up the deforestation process
which will ultimately lead to what?
Ocean acidification, species die-offs,
larger and more unpredictable weather events,
increased climate-driven conflicts and refugees.
Your typical 21st-century end-of-the-world buffet.
Got it.
LAURA: Sorry! False alarm.
Ma'am, there are more tree species in a single hectare of the Selva region
than in all of North America.
If there's a cure for cancer or HIV, we will probably find it there.
Counterpoint. Chip Harding donates millions of dollars each election cycle
which will either be used for or against your president.
Just something to weigh against the sad monkeys and magic trees.
And it is part of our job to promote US businesses abroad,
but if we want a voice in the decision, we need to act now.
The Ecuadorians are planning whether to develop the Selva within a month.
ELIZABETH: Oh, plenty of time.
Alright, why don't we go see what we can do for Mr Harding?
Darn!
- BLAKE: Have fun. - I got it.
OK. What are you even doing here?
I'm attending your meeting with Chip... Chip Harding, ma'am.
Isn't Abby about to go into labor any second?
- Literally any second. - So go, go.
I can handle Harding by myself.
If I need more information, I'll get it from Laura...
Brilliant. She wanted to make an impression.
Oh, she did. It's all set. Go. Right now.
OK. There you go. Tell Abby to get the epidural early!
- You got it! - Key word. Early.
Madam Secretary, I'm busy and I'm sure you are too,
so I'll get straight to the point.
I would love it if the government would just get out of our way.
Or better yet, help us out for once.
There's a concept.
What is it that you feel isn't being done for the oil industry, Mr Harding?
The SEC and Justice are breathing down our neck
about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
They do take a dim view of bribing foreign officials, yes.
Come on, you know full well
that that's the way business gets done in places like Ecuador.
And let me tell you something.
The Chinese aren't wringing their hands about doing business.
Given that I can't help you bribe anybody,
what exactly would you like the State Department to do?
Offer them aid. Help in developing vital infrastructure.
We do give them aid. $218 million last year to be exact,
but it does come with anti-corruption safeguards built in.
So sorry if that's not helping you grease the wheels.
Look, the Selva's too valuable not to be developed. That's just the facts.
Who do you and the president prefer to see do it? Us or the Chinese?
I guarantee you we care very deeply about what happens in the Selva region
and I will bear your concerns in mind
when I meet with the Ecuadorian ambassador.
Thank you so much for coming in.
A great game is afoot, Madam Secretary,
and we can't win it with one hand tied behind our back.
I hope the president understands that. Thank you for your time.
You bet.
Everyone OK?
Well, it's not like we have hurt feelies.
Although that was quite an outburst.
I understand she's been through a lot
but the fact is she needs to prep for Face the Nation.
I'll block out some time in her schedule for this afternoon.
MATT: We're not being overly dramatic.
Rogue CIA director starts a coup in Iran under the White House's nose?
The only reason it fails is because she puts herself in the line of fire.
- That's a huge story. - Huge.
- I'm aware. - And so is the public.
But they haven't seen her since the funerals three days ago.
The longer they don't, the more she'll be pulled
into the morass of suspicion and blame.
She needs to tell her story and she can't just wing it.
(BELL)
As it says in your packet, drop-off is between and 7:30 and 7:50
but there can be a bit of a line sometimes
so it's worth getting here early.
HENRY: Maybe if we had a different kid.
Well, that covers it. Welcome to Monroe Junior High.
I'd like to revisit the security issue, if I may.
Of course.
As I mentioned, student safety is our number-one priority.
We have two full-time security officers, metal detectors at every entrance,
and a zero-tolerance policy on weapons and bullying.
Jason will be in good hands here, Mrs McCord.
- I'm sure he will be. - ELIZABETH: The thing is, I'm not.
I'd like to provide Jason with a security detail.
HENRY: Wait. What?
Nothing obtrusive, just one man.
Given who I am and what I do, I feel that it's necessary.
- Will you excuse us for one minute? - Absolutely.
Do you want to tell me what's going on?
Just what I said! I think Jason needs extra security.
The threat assessment guys at Diplomatic Security don't think he does.
I'm their boss.
Not when it comes to assigning a security detail.
Besides, you said you wanted Jason to have as normal a school experience
as possible, as did I. We settled this.
I am fourth in line for the presidency of the United States.
- He doesn't get to be a normal child. - OK.
- Is this about what happened in Iran? - No.
Because if you want to talk to me then...
Why can't you just back me up on this?
OK.
I'll tell you what. I will call Diplomatic Security
and have them send me over a couple of candidates. How's that?
Thank you.
I have to get back to work, so I'll see you tonight.
- Professor McCord? - I'm thinking you're the bodyguard.
- Call me Henry. Come on in. - Kevin Boyd.
You've got quite a résumé. Six years doing security at State.
Before that ten years as a recon marine. Oorah.
Yes, sir. Forcecon, 2nd Division out of Lejeune.
You serve in the Corps?
Third MAW out of Miramar. I flew Hornets in Desert Storm.
- You know, the original. - Oorah, sir.
I did a couple of tours in the sequel myself.
But the question is, has all your extensive combat experience
prepared you to take a 13-year-old to school?
Let's just say no one will be taking Jason's milk money.
(CHUCKLES) I'm gonna be honest with you.
This is really less about an actual security threat
and more about an abundance of caution.
Peace of mind. Copy that, sir.
Let me ask you something.
You saw a lot of action so I'm sure you know guys
that came back with issues, yeah?
- PTSD? - Yeah.
In your experience, how did that manifest?
Well, due respect, sir,
with your experience, you must have seen a fair share yourself.
My buddies and I were dropping ordinance from 30,000 feet.
Now that's a thing, but it ain't Fallujah.
I'm just curious how it looked to you.
Well, a lot of guys don't sleep, temper's on a hair trigger,
usually they're having flashbacks, they're hyper-vigilant.
I got a buddy can't drive anymore.
Thinks every piece of trash he sees lying in the gutter is hiding an IED.
There's not much you can do besides be there for them.
You can try to get them help but they're not gonna talk until they're ready so...
But just so we're crystal clear here, sir, I don't have...
Oh, I trust you. Hey, listen, the job is yours if you want it.
I'm just concerned you're a little too inconspicuous.
That's usually the deal breaker.
ELIZABETH: I am meeting the Ecuadorian ambassador in five minutes.
- What don't I know? - International conservation groups
have a plan that would pay Ecuador to turn the entire Selva region
into a protected preserve.
So essentially they would bribe Ecuador not to despoil its own rainforest?
That's the idea, ma'am, yes.
And the Ecuadorians have actually been receptive to the plan.
Well, who doesn't like a bribe? OK, but...
So far no one's been inclined to kick in the start-up costs
which are in the low billions.
Especially when the potential oil revenues could be a hundred times that.
So what are you pitching me?
You want us to do nothing with the Selva?
Not nothing, Ambassador Calderon. I'm suggesting you move forward
with the plan to turn it into a protected preserve.
Please! Your current Congress would never allot such a large sum
for rainforest conservation.
Maybe coca eradication but let's ask our neighbors,
the Colombians, how that's working out for the environment.
I know it's a stretch and obviously there are some trust issues.
To put it mildly.
We're still cleaning up oil spills American companies caused in the 1970s.
But if I could get the money, which I am working on right now,
would your government consider
preserving the entirety of the Selva region?
If you could match the Chinese offer, perhaps.
But you can't. And certainly not within a plausible time frame.
So, and with all due respect, Madam Secretary,
we stick with the Chinese.
They're not your friends, you know.
But then they don't pretend to be.
(MIMICS BOB SCHIEFFER) Madam Secretary, welcome to Face the Nation.
Thank you, pretend Bob Schieffer.
Matt, not so much with the voice.
Oh, but he's so sadly proud of it.
Fine. Your loss.
Madam Secretary, recent events paint a troubling picture
of the Dalton administration.
Should America be worried about this president's leadership?
Not at all. Andrew Munsey was a very capable spy.
He managed to hide his traitorous acts for quite some time.
But the moment the president learned of them, he leapt into action
and saved the nation and the world from a dangerous fate.
Well, some would argue that you did that,
first by uncovering the conspiracy
and second by your unprecedented trip to Iran.
Come on, he's not gonna ask that.
Oh well, it's a fair interpretation of the facts, ma'am.
Uh, fine.
While I was glad to do my part,
the fact that we are now on the other side
of a constitutional and global crisis
is a testament to our president's courageous leadership.
Madam Secretary, you were present
when Iranian foreign minister Javani was killed along with several others.
Yeah. Yes, I was.
Tell me about that horrifying scene.
Who was there with you and what happened?
(DISTANT GUNFIRE)
MAN: Get down!
Abdul!
(SCREAMS)
Down! Abdul, stay down!
NADINE: Ma'am?
Ma'am?
You want to give me that again?
- Sure. - NADINE: You know what?
Why don't we take a break?
- NADINE: OK? - Yeah.
- MATT: What the hell was that? - DAISY: It's five seconds of dead air.
NADINE: Well, arguably, that was a little more than that, Daisy.
I understand that, but whatever it was
it wasn't exactly the image of calm stability
- the White House is looking to project. - We should cancel.
We can't risk her having an incident like that on television.
You want to tell her that?
Call the show, make her appearance subject to availability.
We'll take another run at this tomorrow.
If she's still tentative, we've laid the groundwork for a postponement.
- Got it. - OK.
ELIZABETH: Stay down! Abdul, stay down!
(BREATHES HEAVILY)
Jason, this is about your safety.
Then I'll be safe at home because I'm not going.
You guys can't just spring this on me.
You said I'd be a normal kid at a normal school. This isn't fair!
Yet this is happening so get your stuff and get on board.
- Can we have a couple of minutes? - Of course.
Jason, grab your stuff.
- No, I'm not... - Just do it, son.
- ELIZABETH: I love you. - Uh-huh.
- Well, he's right, babe. It isn't fair. - Well, life isn't fair.
- In this house, it is. - I knew it.
I knew you would make me the bad guy.
And then you had to pick, like, the biggest guy on the planet
just to push all of Jason's buttons.
OK, look, I know that you have been through a lot
- and you don't want to talk about it. - Don't psychoanalyze me.
Maybe that's behind your obsession with Jason's security.
- And don't condescend to me! - We don't talk to each other that way.
If you'd seen what I've seen, you would want him to have protection too, OK?
He doesn't need it. So we either keep our word
and let him go to school without security or he stays home.
OK, so it's OK for you not to fight fair.
Is that how we do it now? Is that it?
Yeah. We're not gonna let your issues...
- My issues? ...force Jason to be treated unfairly.
- What are my issues? - Are you ready to talk?
Let's talk.
Fine. I don't have time for this. You win. OK?
And the Italian embassy wants to honor you with a dinner on the 24th.
Well, it's worth saying yes just for the food.
What's this subject-to-availability BS I'm hearing?
Russell Jackson, ma'am.
Thanks for the heads-up, Blake. Which BS is that, Russell?
Face the Nation. You put a pin in your appearance.
I was wondering why.
Well, since this is the first time I'm hearing about it, so would I.
I thought it would be better to leave some flexibility there, ma'am.
RUSSELL: Why?
Hey, you don't get to interrogate my staff, Russell.
But I think they're just trying to protect me.
In prep yesterday I was still a little jet lagged, but I'll be fine on the day.
And just to be clear, I'm doing the show.
- Yes, ma'am. - Wonderful.
You have a second to talk about Ecuador with me?
Sure. Laura, will you join us, please?
I also hear we're handing over one of the biggest oilfields
in the hemisphere to the Chinese?
Got a testy phone call from Chip Harding, did we?
(SIGHS) Is there any other kind?
You know the president is committed to weaning us off Middle Eastern oil.
He's also committed to preserving the Amazon.
Which is why we are signatories to RACTO or whatever the hell that is.
Rainforests of the Americas Conservation Treaty Organization, sir.
- You're the fainter, aren't you? - (GROANS)
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
It's just that nothing funny ever happens in this town.
Don't worry. You'll bounce back.
Look, for a few billion dollars,
we can save one of the most ecologically important areas on earth.
If you've got a few billion dollars lying around, go for it,
because Congress won't.
And at least Ashmont Petroleum would be bound by the treaty
- to develop the oilfield as... - ELIZABETH: Come on!
We're not seriously falling back on the mighty RACTO?
...as non-invasively as possible. Isn't that correct?
Theoretically, sir.
Which is more than the Chinese can say.
Look, I'm all for saving the planet
but the bottom line is, if we can't get our company in,
we should at least keep the Chinese one out.
These are independent countries. I don't have many cards to play.
So find more cards.
- Thank you, Laura. - Yes, ma'am.
And technically, sir, I vomited. A little.
Good to know.
(SIGHS) Look, Bess, this coup business
is the worst body blow to the presidency since Watergate.
The public needs to know their government hasn't slid off a cliff,
which means you need to go on Face the Nation.
So...
You up for the damn show or not?
Absolutely.
ELIZABETH: Do you have any ideas about what I might do
or are the taxpayers just shelling out
for another one of Gordon's expensive walks?
Saving a little piece of the Amazon probably won't matter in the end anyway.
Best to win Dalton some goodwill with Chip Harding.
How? By getting Justice off his back so he can go back to Ecuador
and bribe his way into winning the bid?
Yes. But just in case I'm ever deposed, no.
I'm not doing that.
Besides, you literally just called him a pompous tool.
MIKE: He really is. Even other pompous tool CEOs hate him.
Like my friend Owen Walton.
Pompous tools run the world. You might as well get on their good side.
And hope that the tiny sliver of the Amazon that's left
is protected by RACTO?
The T, by the way, stands for toothless.
There you go.
How can the Chinese purport to be a responsible actor in the Amazon
when they're not even a party to the treaty charged with its protection?
I was being you there.
So tie up China by officially protesting their non-membership?
RACTO may be toothless but Ecuador is a signatory.
China would be forced to respond.
Whew. Talk about poking the bear.
The White House wants to keep them out of our backyard.
It would take China at least a year to unstick themselves from the red tape,
- during which time... - The Selva isn't developed.
Ashmont Petroleum gets its ducks in a row and wins the contract.
So both the earth and America win.
Until America actually wins.
(DISTANT VOICES)
(SHOUTING AND GUNFIRE)
HENRY: It's late.
I didn't even hear you come in.
Just winding down.
By playing a video game you've never shown any interest in
at 3:30 in the morning?
Yep.
OK, babe, your Titan is ready.
See? Here, press this button, get your Titan.
You play this game way more than you cop to.
(LAUGHS) Possibly true.
WOMAN: Transferring control to pilot.
- Sorry I was such a bitch before. - It's OK.
- How was Jason's first day? - It was fine. Everything's fine.
No, it isn't.
- Minister Chen is waiting for you. - (SIGHS)
Took a detour from his White House visit to let us know how pissed he is
about our little Ecuador maneuver? I'm guessing.
Well, that would be a safe guess.
Ma'am, pardon me, but... you look a little tired.
(LAUGHS) Thanks, Nadine.
- No, really. Are you sleeping alright? - Like a baby.
Congratulations again, Jay. She's gorgeous. Here's the secretary.
- Abby had the baby. A little girl. - Oh!
My gosh!
- Well, hey, sweetheart. - Hey, boss.
Not you.
- What's her name? - Wait for it.
Chloe Elizabeth Whitman.
What a suck-up!
It's her grandmother's name, jerk. Hey, come on.
Say hi to the secretary, sweetheart.
Oh, she's... She's beautiful, Jay. She's just...
Ma'am. Minister Chen.
Listen, you bring her in really soon, OK? I want to meet her in person.
Madam Secretary, this protest you've lodged with RACTO
is clearly a stalling tactic.
You want to help Ashmont Petroleum win a bid they couldn't win
honestly or fairly.
You really want to accuse Ashmont Petroleum
of being the only unscrupulous actor here?
I would suggest you tread carefully, Madam Secretary.
So you're saying that it is not common Chinese business practice
to get at the resources of developing nations by bribing their elites?
The West did just that for centuries, including to China.
Just because it's your turn now doesn't make it right.
While fascinating, this philosophical discussion is hardly germane.
I strongly urge you to retract your protest.
There are so many other fascinating subjects to discuss.
Your currency devaluation, unfair export subsidies,
intellectual property theft. I mean...
- Madam Secretary... - Your labor and environmental...
Can we even call them laws?
- More like suggestions. - Madam Secretary!
This inflammatory performance will not help your cause in Ecuador
or in any other area.
Perhaps we should talk at a later time.
My apologies. Let's...
Let's talk about something less inflammatory.
How are your children?
- They're fine. - Good, good.
- Kids are a blessing. - Indeed.
Course, when they look back at the Amazon and what we did to it,
they'll think we must have hated them.
Again, ma'am, these remarks...
No, it's interesting because, you see, if we chop it all down,
we pretty much guarantee that the planet overheats
and our kids will live in a totally destabilized world.
(LAUGHS) Well, then, at least they'll be able to go to war
with each other over fresh water. That'll be kicky.
- Madam Secretary, are you alright? - Are you not hearing me?
Your children and mine will suffer because of choices we make today!
They will suffer and there will be nothing that we can do to help them!
Is that what you want? Is that...
(GASPS)
Will you excuse me for a minute, please?
(BREATHLESS) Call 911. I think I'm having a heart attack.
46-year-old female presenting with chest pain,
shortness of breath, sinus tach and hypertensive,
on two liters of O2 aspirin and EKG on the bus.
MAN: Get her an X-ray, blood draw and sublingual nitroglycerin
- then take her to cardiac care. - Elizabeth? I'm here.
We're going to take good care of you, Madam Secretary.
- How is she? - We're taking her to run some tests.
It's OK, sweetheart, I'm here. It's gonna be alright.
Well, the good news is that you're fine. You didn't have a heart attack.
- HENRY: So what was it? - Most likely a panic attack.
- You have got the job for it. - ELIZABETH: Oh, God.
Is it bad that I wish that I'd actually had a heart attack?
DOCTOR: Going forward, I'd recommend you go easy on the coffee,
take a few personal days.
From what I see in the news, you've been pretty busy.
HENRY: Thank you, Doctor.
Navy SEALs get this, you know. You tougher than a Navy SEAL?
Maybe, like, a really runty one.
OK.
I think maybe I got a little bit more affected by Iran than I thought.
But it was one incident and it passed and I'm fine.
Look, I know you think you can tough this out but guess what, you can't.
You have got to get help now before this really takes hold and gets worse.
I can't just drop everything and take a spa day because I'm sad.
You don't have to drop everything, you just need to talk to someone.
I know. I'm all messed up.
One minute I'm fine, and then the next I'm furious
then I'm numb.
Well, considering what you've been through, it's totally normal.
(LAUGHS) Really? Because it feels totally crazy.
The truth is...
I'm just not ready to talk about what happened yet.
OK.
But you heard the doctor, yeah?
- You need to take a few days off. - I can't. It would be a whole thing.
So what? This is your health we're talking about.
I hear you. I do. I really do.
But we're OK, right?
Yeah.
Sorry I've been screaming at you a lot.
No, it's totally good. It's fun.
- I'm gonna go get Stevie. - OK.
Hey.
- Is she OK? - She's fine. She's totally fine.
- Just go in and talk to her. - STEVIE: OK.
I'll be right there.
Russell, are those for me? You shouldn't have.
- How is she? - She's fine.
Good. I'll just go in and convey the president's best wishes.
I said she's fine, Russell.
Tell that to the Chinese.
Thank you for coming.
Hope you're right, Henry. I really do.
But if she's not fine, then you're not doing her or your country any favors
by keeping it from me.
Give her these for me, will you?
The doctors concluded the secretary is in good health and was simply exhausted.
MIKE: No, they didn't.
Guys, she can't be exhausted. Ed Muskie was exhausted.
Exhausted is Washington code for complete mental freak-out,
you 12-year-olds.
BLAKE: Please say exhausted more.
Hey, she flew to Iran, thwarted a coup,
then flew home and went right back to work.
I think America would understand if she's tired.
- Mike is um... - Right.
(SIGHS) Right.
Listen, the story the White House is peddling is "nothing to see here."
Implying that the secretary had some sort of breakdown
is definitely something to see.
I'll bet my second house that Russell Jackson is at the hospital right now
trying to find out if our beloved Bess has gone around the bend.
He actually is at the hospital right now.
- I heard from her detail. - MIKE: Look at that, I'm psychic.
And if he decides she is, she'll be tossed overboard but quick.
Fine, no exhaustion. We'll just stick to the facts.
She was unwell, she went to the hospital. Doctors say she's fine.
And answer any follow-ups with, "I don't speculate, I'm not a doctor."
Now you sound like you know what you're doing.
Oh, drop dead, old man.
The real question is, do we really think she's actually OK?
Oh, of course she is.
Based on what, Blake? The fact that she bawled out
the foreign minister of our biggest creditor?
She's OK until she tells us she isn't. Got it?
Obviously we need to push back Face the Nation
for at least a couple of days.
Meanwhile, I've got to try to put out the fire with Minister Chen.
- So let's get back to work. - (PHONE RINGS)
That's M Sec now. I know what you're all thinking.
"Why is she calling him and not me?"
Well, shame on you, petty, petty people.
Hello.
I'm so relieved the secretary is feeling more like herself.
Please convey my warm regards.
I certainly will and thank you again for your understanding and for stopping by.
Think nothing of it.
But if the secretary continues to push forward
with this attempt to stymie our rightful and lawful investment in Ecuador,
that, China might not be so quick to forgive.
Well, I would not presume to speak for the secretary on such a serious issue
but I will certainly convey your concern.
See that you do.
Because if the secretary's words were not a moment of unreason
but rather indicative of an official attitude toward China...
- I assure you they were not. ...then China in turn
might begin to feel that the United States' debt
is a less-than-reliable investment for our surplus.
Yes, sir.
- Good day, Ms Tolliver. - Good day, sir.
- Oy! - Yeah.
Wait till you see how inspired the lowly grunts are by their unsinkable leader.
Bounces back from heart attack same day.
- Imaginary heart attack. - Huzzah, huzzah.
It's better than a real one, believe you me.
- Are you up for this meeting with Owen? - Yes, absolutely.
It took a lot of wrangling to get him into the room under short notice.
- I'm not going to embarrass you. - Good, because if it were up to me,
the only person you'd be in a room with is a psychiatrist.
(LAUGHS) Well, thanks for the vote of confidence.
I'm withholding that until we see if your plan actually works. So you set?
(EXPLOSION)
(DISTANT SCREAMING)
MIKE: You good?
What?
- Are you good to go? - Yes.
Yeah, absolutely. I just...
I'm gonna... One thing...
No, no, I got it. I got it. I'm... good.
Henry? Yeah. (SOBS)
So...
Turns out you were right.
Maybe coming back today wasn't such a hot idea after all.
Owen, it's been too long! St Moritz, right? How the hell are you?
Confused. I thought I was meeting the secretary.
We were walking in the door,
she got a call from the White House. Big mess in Russia.
Very big, very messy. But you didn't hear it from us.
Nadine Tolliver, Secretary McCord's chief of staff.
Thank you so much for coming in.
And this is Laura... something something.
Vargas. Pleased to meet you.
Look, I don't want to be rude or whatever,
- but I've got a gala to go to. - Oh, Mr Walton, please.
The secretary had hoped to discuss an opportunity with you.
The chance for your charitable foundation
to save over 4,000 square miles of pristine Amazonian rainforest.
While that's an important number unto itself,
the positive impact on the health of the planet would be exponentially larger.
Look, this is super cool and I'm all about the environment.
I mean, my foundation is already doing this whole thing with reefs.
Or maybe sharks. But either way, it's amazing.
- Set up a meeting with them. - Let me put all this another way, Owen.
How would you like to win a Nobel Prize for sticking it to Chip Harding?
Chip wants to drill down there?
I'm listening.
- Russell. - Evening, Henry.
Look... I come in peace.
Good fix you had on the Ecuador thing.
Sounds like your team handled it well. I shouldn't have doubted you.
Thanks.
- I mean, China's not happy. - Yeah, well, they lost.
And because I screamed at Minister Chen.
Nadine calmed him down.
And the vice president's taking him bowling or some damn thing.
Summer after junior year of high school, my big brother Kenny took me fishing...
...for getting straight As.
My dad took off when we were kids so...
Anyway, we were driving back at night
and this drunk hunter T-boned us with his truck.
I was a little banged up.
But Kenny died at the scene.
Makes it back from Vietnam in one piece...
...and dies right there on the side of the highway
with the paramedics working on him
and the looky-loos slowing down and gawking.
Anyway, I'm mostly good now. I won't bore you with my triggers.
Suffice to say I haven't been fishing in a while.
Here's someone who can keep her mouth shut.
Welcome to the club.
Thanks, Russell.
Take care of yourself, Bess.
I wonder how she's doing.
Well, her last text said she was resting and bored.
So, Laura, way to hit it out of the park on your first at bat.
MATT: Welcome to the bigs.
He's terrible at sports, by the way.
Most of my friends from grad school are still writing their dissertations.
We actually did something today.
To that rarest of Washington feats: Actually doing something.
- Hear, hear. - Salud.
I just hope the media noise about the hospital visit will die down.
Honestly, I don't think it will until she does Face the Nation.
If she does Face the Nation.
MAN: That's a double kill.
(GUNFIRE)
Do you want to tell me about it?
Fred Cole and the guys in my detail died because I went to Iran.
They died saving me.
They died saving their country from a war. They died doing their duty.
They died because of me.
Babe, you did not force Fred Cole to run toward the gunfire.
That was his choice. And you know he would do it again.
And then there's Abdul.
Javani's son, right? What about him?
He was there.
He was there in the room too.
I didn't tell you. I didn't tell anyone.
Cos I couldn't get to him.
I wanted so badly to protect that boy.
Or at least keep him from seeing his father
murdered in his own living room.
But I couldn't.
Fred was on top of me.
And I couldn't get to him.
How in the world is that boy supposed to go on?
We do all these horrible things to each other.
And there are always, always kids in the middle.
Henry?
What have I done to our sweet children?
Madam Secretary, you made an unprecedented trip to Iran
to save the nuclear deal between the Iranians and the United States.
ELIZABETH: Yes, I did.
And while you were there, of course,
a coup that was eventually foiled began.
You were in the room
when the foreign minister Javani was killed.
That's right.
Who else was there and what happened?
We were at Minister Javani's house when it happened.
Several members of my security detail were wounded or killed.
Their courage was awe-inspiring
and I deeply mourn their loss, as does the entire country.
Minister Javani's son witnessed his father's death.
As a mother I would have given anything to protect that child.
Which is why I am determined as ever to see through the nuclear agreement
that his father gave his life for.
ELIZABETH: Because I think that's our greatest responsibility in this life,
to leave a safer and more peaceful world for our children.
- BOB: Madam Secretary, thank you. - ELIZABETH: Thank you, Bob.
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