House of Cards (2013–2018): Season 6, Episode 1 - Chapter 66 - full transcript

Previously on House of Cards...

What did the girl say to you?

She said she hopes I die,

and that you become the President.

I want a woman in the White House.

We need you to implicate yourself
in the death of Zoe Barnes.

I don't think your husband
should be front and center.

What I want is for Francis Underwood
to go to jail.

I'm guilty.

I killed Zoe Barnes.

You have all used me far long enough.



So, I shall resign the office
of President of the United States.

You've made me look
absolutely ridiculous...

- No!
- ...ill-prepared and ignorant.

We're a few hours away
from my official resignation,

and you still have not agreed
to pardon me.

I was going over our list
for Vice President.

A lot of the people I spoke to
suggested me.

It's hard to know
who to trust these days.

If she doesn't pardon me,

I'll kill her.

My turn.

Stop. Claire Hale. Stop!

"I'd like to fry her eyeballs.

"If no one else steps up
to kill the President, I will.



"I'd enjoy it."
A tweet out of North Dakota.

What else?

"God never intended a woman
to rule this land.

"She is the Antichrist. And, a Jew."

A Jew?
Do we really need to hear all of this?

Yes.

An unpublished editorial.
Someone pointing a gun at your likeness.

Lots of other online stuff, including

- a contest...
- For?

For the most creative way to kill you.

- And the winner?
- Rather not say, ma'am.

I want to hear.
Just hand me the report, Rick.

It involves, essentially, skinning you.

Cutting your body into dozens of pieces

and arranging them in the shape
of the American flag.

Flesh for the white stripes,
blood for the red.

What else?

Lot of threats
involving the C-word, ma'am.

Lots and lots
of the C-word, unfortunately.

You mean "Claire"?

It's a long list.
If you really want me to, I'll...

Listen, I am not the first President
to face threats.

I know with Francis, sometimes,
there were several a day.

Is it about the same?
What we're dealing with here?

It's significantly up.

- By how much?
- There are roughly

four times as many threats on
any given day since you took office.

Now, it's twice that,
since Francis died.

I thought everyone loves a widow.

Well, not if she's also
Commander-in-Chief, I guess.

These are not rational people,
Madam President.

But, ma'am, as far as today's threat,

regarding your first
scheduled appearance...

We're canceling the appearance.

We're not canceling.
It's a military base.

That's got to be the safest place
on Earth for a President.

An anonymous soldier
has made a serious threat...

To shoot me in the cunt on behalf of
the United States of America.

Yes, Mark, I heard.
The threat's unconfirmed.

He says he's among those
shipping out today.

- Anyone can claim that.
- And that you have no right

waging war in Syria. You, in particular.
I think we stay away.

Rick, don't you agree?

There's no proof the threat
is credible. Isn't that right, Rick?

Our Intelligence Division
is investigating,

and the advance team is already there,
but it'll take at least a day

- to comb through that base.
- At least a day.

I think what the Vice President says
is the best course.

Maybe by tomorrow, you could...

- Tomorrow is the 5th of July.
- Yes, ma'am.

So, what do you suggest I do?

Wish the nation
a happy belated birthday?

- Our only concern is your safety.
- We're not canceling.

I am sending those soldiers
onto a battlefield.

The first female President
of the United States

is not gonna keep her mouth shut
on the Fourth of fucking July.

Lieutenant General Gallagher
would understand.

- I could appear instead. Speak for you.
- Stop.

Is it my safety that concerns you,

or my potential endorsement
of Gallagher?

Your safety, first, of course.

But singling her out,
that's a provocation.

And so? I can't provoke them?

You're forwarding a candidate
the Shepherds are against,

in their home state,
after months of negotiation.

This is not a negotiation,
this is an ultimatum.

Sign the bill, or what? Or what, Mark?

When Francis was looking
to finance his foundation,

why did you point him
towards Bill and Annette?

- I didn't. Raymond Tusk arranged it.
- Or maybe they reached out to him?

I don't remember. What does it matter?
They're working with you now.

I need to meet
with the Shepherds directly.

Madam President?

I'll see them before
my appearance at the base.

- You can't.
- I what?

- I'll let them know.
- Thank you.

You're due at the base by 4:45,

which will have you back here by 8:30.

The fireworks show
begins right after 9:00.

And the Examiner would love
your okay on the photos.

Is there any progress
on the source of the sound?

The GSA is still looking into it.

They're checking the floorboards
above and below, in case there's...

I don't want to wait anymore.

Please tell the executive housekeeper

I'd like the former President's
belongings packed up.

I'll have it taken care of.

It's not true what he told you,
all those years ago.

That there are two kinds,
useful and useless.

There's only one kind. Pain is pain.

Francis, I'm done with you.

There. No more pain.

You do this all day?

I'm under psychiatric observation,
Seth. This is what you do.

- Who's your new tailor?
- You gotta look the part.

So, when do they decide,
whether you're crazy or not?

Because if you're not,
you should come work for us.

"Us"?

Have you been working there
for about five minutes?

It's been a month, actually.

So his body wasn't even cold?

It's what he would have wanted.

The Underwood Foundation was
basically gonna be modeled

after the Shepherd
Freedom Foundation.

I don't need the job.

Well, for a confessed murderer,
you're pretty confident.

- I'm about to be pardoned.
- Pardon?

You really think
that she's gonna give you one?

As usual, you don't know
what the fuck you're talking about.

You know, there wasn't the kind
of crowd that you'd expect for him

down there in Gaffney.

He wanted to be buried in Arlington.
Not next to his father.

That's not what his wife said.

Tell me something. She even shed a tear?

You know, I'm almost envious
to tell you the truth.

That even beyond the grave,
you'd do anything for Francis Underwood.

Doug, do you have my lighter?

Much obliged.

Was that who I thought it was?

Fred Amburg? He went off the deep end?

Everyone has problems, Seth.

Especially the ones
who think they don't.

- Claire.
- Annette.

Did you get my note?

I haven't had the courage
to read the condolences yet.

It's good to see you
finally out and about.

What you've been through.

You know all about it.

Well, for a long time,
I pretended he was still alive.

Out of town.

It was our son, Duncan,
that really saved me.

Of course, we weren't married
anywhere near as long as you and Frank.

Claire Hale. Nine years?

Late spring, Sun Valley.

You look exactly the same.

Well, it's cities that age you,
it's what I tell everyone.

Well, I hope you don't mind saying hello
to a few of our closest friends.

They're just here for a cocktail

before the sun goes down,
and the rest of the party shows up.

My sister's fireworks show
have become a bit of a tradition.

Don't worry.
They know how to be discreet.

Scotty here,
just got his hands on Nexis Security.

I heard you are speaking
to the Vice President.

It's a company of peacekeepers, mostly.

Tremendous potential
to create global partnerships.

Your husband helped me
secure the deal.

I wanted to bring him onto the board.
Bill was saying...

Yes, I was just saying.

Why in the world do they play
the 1812 Overture at a fireworks show?

It's Russian for Christ's sake,
in every sense.

- This is Tabitha.
- Peters, I know.

Frank. Wasn't he planning
on being here today?

He was.

You must miss him terribly.

I had some long and hard-fought
conversations with him.

He was going to help me resolve
this AFL-CIO thing

that's been going on forever out
in Nevada, with your help, of course.

When the union stands
in the way of innovation,

it's sentencing itself to death.

I do admire the way
you hang on to your party.

Your loyalty.

Did I hear that
Lieutenant General Nancy Gallagher

will be appearing with you later today?

I think she'd make
an excellent candidate,

if she decides to run, of course.

She's going to run.

The President is on a tight schedule.

Excuse me.

Well, this is a surprise.

You know how Midwesterners feel
about those.

Don't listen to him.
It's about time you came out.

Seems we have some things to discuss.

Yeah.

Well, as far as this special election
is concerned, Claire,

you need to know that the soon
to be retiring Miss Gallagher

is out of the question.

And I'm happy to see we're both fans
of the Declaration of Independence,

unalienable rights, and all that.

But it says down here in the speech
you're gonna give later, where...

Miss Gallagher has my support.

- I believe Mark conveyed our concerns.
- And communicated mine, I hope.

She's a tax and spend Democrat
underneath that uniform.

A patriot with a pristine resume.

- Claire, I'm...
- Who is very vocal

about keeping private contractors

- away from U.S. military operations.
- Even as a negotiating point,

you can do better than her.

And I am tired of these delays,
Madam President.

It is time for you to deliver.

Your husband and I had an agreement.

- Francis is dead, Bill.
- Promises were made.

Not by me.

Just like you,

I like to negotiate
my own agreements.

And make no mistake about it,

the Lieutenant General
is not an anomaly.

Well, I know that.

I've seen your list of candidates
for the midterms...

- Yes, mostly women.
- I don't care what sex they are.

And for the record,
nobody loves women more than me.

But this slate of yours,
it will bankrupt the country.

They will set us back a generation.

- They will completely...
- Support me.

And what I stand for.

- And what is that?
- Come on, Bill.

No, no, no. Tell me. I wanna know.
What's your mission?

- I wanna know what your platform is.
- Oh, please.

I know you'd like to drown D.C.
all at once.

But I'm gonna tell you right now,
I cannot let that happen.

I still believe in government and
its ability to make the everyday lives

- of its citizens better.
- Yeah.

You don't want to support my slate,
that's fine

- Claire...
- All I ask is, stay out of the way.

There's a bill sitting on your desk.

A bill that took years and money
to get passed.

You sign that,

and I know I got a friend
in the White House.

If not,

- then I don't.
- Enough.

Nothing good happens to you
when she's around. Nothing.

Why did you come out for Francis?

For his foundation?

I don't think you ever
really liked him.

Probably never respected him.
Why back him now?

Because he gave us you.

Tell our friends I'll be back down
in time for the fireworks.

Just so you know,
I always liked Frank.

His desperation.

I'm sorry you can't stay.

I do enjoy curating our little show.

I collect a variety of
fireworks shells as I travel.

Italy. Spain. China.

Do you know what the hardest color
to make is?

- Red?
- No, red's easy.

White's easy.

It's blue.

Very tricky chemistry,
involving copper and heat.

A truly bright blue
is extremely elusive.

Whatever Francis promised or did,
is buried with him.

No, I know.

We all need to let him go.

Start from some kind of scratch.

Though it must haunt you,

the fact
that he died next to you, in bed.

Hon,

be patient.

Are you saying
she doesn't like the name?

I think she finds it incomplete.

What's wrong with
the "Comprehensive Safety Act"?

"Comprehensive Chemical Safety Act"?

Or we could go back to
the "Smarter Safety Act".

Would she like "Smarter" better?

No, we need a good acronym.

Mr. Vice President? Mark?

Yeah. Agreed.

At one point, we talked about
the Repeal Unsafe Regulation Act.

That's "RURAL"
if we come up with an "L."

Legislation?

That doesn't make sense
with the rest of it.

No, "RURAL."
Rural is too hard to say.

"SAFE" is good. "SAFETY."

- "FUTURE?"
- I like "FUTURE".

Federal Universal Toxic and Unsafe...

- Regulation Eradication.
- Okay.

- The FUTURE Act.
- That could work.

May I ask, Mr. Vice President,
does her hesitation go beyond the name?

She'll come around.

I'm guessing by the end of the day.

Because in one form or another this
bill has been on her desk since...

She'll sign it, Henry.

Bill?

What do you want me to do?
Yank her from her own military base?

When in the course of human events,
it becomes necessary

for one people
to dissolve the political bands

which have connected them with another,
you just have to do it.

Sever the relationship.

Our nation's founding document,
The Declaration of Independence,

America's independence,
was hard-fought and hard-won.

Are you still there?

Our Founding Fathers imagined
a nation that was free.

Free from despotism.
Free from absolute tyranny.

Free from an oppressive king.

Do you miss Francis?

Tyrants come in many forms.

From the American oligarchs trying to
change the very fabric of our society,

to autocrats threatening from abroad.

Now, each one of us
has to defend our destiny.

And as I see it,
the fight against tyranny

is the only justification for war.

My first one hundred days
as President have been difficult.

I lost my husband.

We were about to celebrate
30 years together.

But I know what he would want.

For me to stop mourning, and carry on.

With the help of women like
Lieutenant General Nancy Gallagher,

my presidency will not rest.

Nancy has been an inspiration to me.
A tireless warrior.

I promise her and all of you that
I will work on behalf of the rights

and freedoms earned over
the last 241 years of our democracy.

As I look into the eyes of you brave
soldiers standing before me today...

Here's the thing...

I'm feeling so proud right now.
Proud to be your Commander-in-Chief.

Whatever Francis told you the last
five years, don't believe a word of it.

Our country is 241 years old,
my friends.

Let's wish this great nation
a happy birthday. Say it with me.

Happy Birthday, America!

Happy Birthday, America!

It's going to be different
for you and me.

One more time.

I'm going to tell you the truth.

Happy Birthday, America!

- Thank you for your service.
- Thank you.

Thank you for your service.

- Thank you for your service.
- Thank you.

I want you to know how wonderful
it is to be here,

and meet all of you new recruits.

So, thank you.
Thank you for your service.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you for your service.

- Where are you from, Private?
- Kalamazoo, Mister President.

- Excuse me, Madam President.
- That's quite all right.

I actually hate "Madam."

Makes me sound like I'm running
a brothel, and not a country.

- Thank you for your service.
- Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you for your service.

And where are you from,
Private Burton?

South Bend, ma'am.

I love Indiana.

I enlisted right before
you took office.

Well, I promise you,
and every woman in this country

that during my presidency,

the key components of
the Equal Rights Amendment

will finally pass.
I'm going to make sure of it.

I want you to know I support you.

- Do you even have a plan?
- What did you say?

One that won't get us all killed.

Would you have asked me that
if I were a man?

- Madam President, I've got a question.
- Madam President. Madam President!

One question, please!

How much longer
till we get to the plane?

Just another 25 minutes or so,
Madam President.

Okay, thank you.

Shit!

- Is she shot?
- Stay down! Stay down!

Shots fired! Shots fired!

Are you okay, Madam President?

- Are you all right?
- Yes.

Lone Star is safe.

Sir, someone just tried
to kill the President.

I just got the alert. Is she all right?

This way.

Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley,

Kennedy.

Successful assassinations,
total of four.

The attempts, nine?

Jackson, both Roosevelts,

Truman. Ford, twice. Reagan,

the first Underwood, and...

I will say, whoever tried to kill me,

perversely, it's the first sign
of real respect I've gotten in 100 days.

Somebody tried to kill her.

Bill?

Can you blame them?

The Underwoods have
always been hard of hearing.

She's not him.

Oh, no, no. She is not.

You know that better than anyone.

- Is it public?
- Secret Service shut it down.

Standard procedure, apparently.
Threats beget threats.

Bill,

were you behind this?

We're gonna miss the show.

- How are y'all?
- Madam President.

Hi. I'm so sorry. I want to apologize
for the late departure.

I know you all have families
and festivities waiting.

Madam President,
may I ask what happened?

The Beast was re-routed due
to security concerns. Pretty routine.

I know it's been a while,
since I've been back here.

I just wanted to wish you all
a very happy Fourth,

even if you're gonna be
celebrating it on the fifth.

I'm so sorry.

- Your speech, afterwards with...
- Yes, the new recruit.

If a new recruit, especially
a female one, can't speak her mind,

I don't know what kind of country
we actually are.

And be sure to tell us
if you run out of beer.

Because I am sure
there's a couple of cases left over

from the Carter administration.

And you're new.

Yes, ma'am. Melody Cruz.
I'm with Beltway Television.

Well, I hope
everyone is making you feel at home.

Very much so. It's an honor
to finally meet you.

I'm a bit overwhelmed, sorry.

Don't worry, I don't bite.

No, I know.

It's strange, I was supposed
to interview your husband.

It was scheduled for a few days
after he died.

It was going to be an exclusive.
We'd had a number of pre-interviews.

Questions we'd agreed on.

Questions like?

Like, was the President
going to pardon him, and when?

Will you? Even now, posthumously?

I know you did an exclusive
with The New York Examiner,

but I'm guessing that's only
going to scratch the surface.

I bet you have more to say

- about the state of your marriage.
- Miss... Cruz, is it?

I don't know if anyone's told you,

but when the President
visits this part of the plane,

it's usually considered off the record.

But you can ask my Press Secretary
anything you like,

once we're back on the ground.

You're especially quiet this evening.

Maybe I'm a little agitated.

Our patients don't do too well
when it comes to fireworks.

Pardon me.

Yes?

I don't understand why you
leave that on when we're meeting.

Well, it's not like you're saying
anything different, or new.

Your dedication to your script
would be admirable.

If it weren't so concerning.

In a few weeks, I'll be appearing at
a hearing regarding your state of mind.

And when it comes to your confession...

Even a guilty man changes his story
now and then.

Who do you answer to?

I mean, who do you work for?

You.

That's the idea, anyway.

Everybody works for somebody.

I worked for a man
who refused to fail.

I respected that.
I appreciated it.

- I'd be dead without him.
- Why?

I was working as an aide
for a congressman.

He was idealistic and naive.
Had one term written all over him.

But I needed a job, a place to be.

I was barely keeping it together.

Francis and I met at some function.

You know, the kind you stand up at.

I don't know how he knew,
but I had eight bottles in my trunk.

I got through four that night
when he came to my door.

I don't remember much. Not clearly.

He took me to his home. But Claire...

Francis got me dry.

I shook so badly,
I thought I was gonna die.

And then when I finally got clean,
he gave me my first job.

As an aide?

Sort of.

He asked me to go talk to
Congressman Kyle from Iowa.

To what end?

To persuade him.

And I did.

But Claire,

the way she treated him,

in life and in death...

You pay a price when you work
for somebody like him.

Somebody you owe.

Somebody close to me died
in a car accident.

That's how I broke the terms
of my house arrest.

I went to see the site of her wreck.

It was twisted on the side of the road.

I just stood there.

An accident?

So they say.

And Zoe Barnes?

I killed her.

For the President?

That's what he used to do when he won.

What did he leave you with?

Last thing that Francis gave me
was the letter opener from his desk.

I mean, I chose it, but...

But I guess really, the last thing
he gave me was an apology.

I spoke to him the night he died.

...my presidency will not rest.

Nancy has been an inspiration to me.
A tireless warrior.

I promise her and all of you that
I will work on behalf of the rights

and freedoms earned over
the last 241 years of our democracy.

Tyrants come in many forms.

Pathetic.

From the American oligarchs
trying to change the very...

Are you sure you don't want
to take an hour or two to...

Mark. I'm inside the White House.

There's only two of us in the Oval,
so unless you're packing,

it's literally the safest place
I can be.

Well, I'm not packing, Madam President,

but no one would fault you
for taking a breath for a minute.

I'm breathing just fine.

Can we keep news of this contained?

I've taken every possible step, I think.

So, who is he?

Well, they did forensics on the route.

Compared notes with the aerial detail.

Homeland Secretary
and the Bureau were brought in.

He never left the place
he took the shot from.

Can you answer a single question,
directly and simply?

He shot himself in the head

with his own
U.S. military issued handgun.

- And we're sure he's the one?
- Yeah. Pro-militia. Anti-government.

Dishonorably discharged last year.
All the typical markers.

Secret Service is confident.
And the Bureau is investigating.

How did Bill Shepherd
get his hands on my speech?

What? Well, the press
usually gets it hours before.

It wouldn't be that hard
to access a copy, I guess.

I won't be signing that today.

You went there to declare your
independence, and you declared war.

That was a mistake.

No, the mistake was
I didn't hire a Chief of Staff

and things are slipping
through the cracks.

That's where
I have to disagree with you.

We need to keep this circle small.

You know, Francis warned me about you.

I assure you, I serve
at your pleasure, Madam President.

You need to stop meeting in my office
without me.

Yes, ma'am.

Secret Service took the lead.

But do you believe the theory?

That it was a disgruntled service person
who took a shot at me?

PID does.

I'm asking what you think.

It depends if it was a warning,
or an actual attempt.

Given the accuracy,

the shooter would have been
informed enough to know

that a.50 caliber round
wouldn't penetrate The Beast.

I think he wanted to scare you.

On behalf of someone.

Lots of people make threats
against sitting Presidents.

I'm starting to believe
Francis was murdered.

Before he died, he aligned himself
with some very powerful people.

And I think they turned on him
and they wanted him dead,

and I think they want me dead, too.

Do you think that sounds crazy?

No, ma'am.

But I think we need to bring in
Special Agent Bowman...

These people, these powerful families,

they advocate
dismantling intelligence agencies.

CIA, FBI, Homeland.
You know that, right?

- Ma'am, I...
- We cannot bring

anyone else in at the moment.

I'm relying on you
the way I know my husband could.

So, please see what you can find.

Is it ever "Nate", or always "Nathan"?

Nathan.

Like Francis. For me, anyway.

Have you spoken to Doug Stamper?

No.

I'm so worried about him.

He did things no one in this
White House should be proud of.

- Hey, Mom.
- How many people do you have there?

Not many.
Nobody that interesting, anyway.

Her visit to the base.
Independence speech,

even the naughty soldier,
is playing well for her.

Her charmed life persists.

Tell Uncle Bill we should step up.

I can manage the narrative.
De-charm her.

He won't like that.

He's not going to like any of it,
so, what's the difference?

I don't know.

Mom, just say the word.

Trust me.

Don't do a thing
until I get back to you.

Can't even tell you're still in D.C.

There are parts of this city
that will always remain a secret.

I don't think I'll be welcome back
in the White House press pool

- anytime soon, FYI.
- Doesn't matter.

She won't speak to me. An interview?

- Not after...
- She will.

Tonight, for the first time,
he was forthcoming.

- But still saying he's guilty?
- Yeah, as always.

And did he mention
Mister Grayson by name?

No. He was just more distressed.

- So, he's getting worse?
- Or better, he's finally talking.

But the idea of his leaving
the facility anytime soon,

that's still out of the question.
I mean, for his own good.

He's either guilty of the crime,

- or psychotic for admitting to it.
- Madam President,

Miss Shepherd
is on the White House line.

Well, maybe it's time to give him
one of the antipsychotics.

Possibly. But we'd have to consider
his history of addiction.

By the way, in answer to your question,
it was a letter opener,

the last thing
that Francis gave him from his desk.

Keep me posted, Charles. And, thank you.

Sure.

Are you prepared?

Excuse me?

Don't you remember? Andover?
Our prep school joke.

I'm prepared to fail the test.

Are you all right?

I'm sorry to call so late,
I heard about what happened today.

These things have a tendency
to leak out.

I'm worried about you.

It's bulletproof. The motorcade glass.

- Did they catch the guy?
- How do you know it's a guy?

It's always a guy. Right?

What was it Bill wanted adjusted
in my speech?

Something about freedom.

You're in my thoughts, Claire.

Thank you.

He's still with us, don't you think?

- Who?
- Frank.

We're so glad we got to spend
so much time with him before he died.

He told us some fascinating things.

He's been on my mind.

Bill and I finally went down
to Gaffney a few days ago,

to pay our respects.

Claire, I shouldn't have let them!
I'm sorry!

Come on out, now!

Are you still there?

Yes.

I know. You want to know
what really happened to him.

A man like Francis doesn't just die.

That would be... What's the word?

"Convenient".