Madam Secretary (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 4 - Waiting for Taleju - full transcript

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BLAKE (over speaker): For the 9:30 a.m.
National Security Council meeting,

- you'll need the memo on cyber security...
- Yeah.

...which you took home.

Worst bedtime reading ever.

I can get you another copy.

Ha! No need.



Okay, so staff briefing

after NSC, then... what?

At 2:15, there's a reception

for the departing Finnish ambassador.

I hope he brings that salty licorice.

God, I love that stuff.

We'll look into that for you.

Oh! Hey.

Don't let me forget
about Henry's interview

on Book TV on C-SPAN tomorrow, okay?

It hath been ordained.

That's a small biblical joke for Henry.

Okay, I'm hanging up now.

Thanks, babe.



You know, you guys should
check it out, too.

A Z-SPAN interview on Dad's
book about St. Francis

that I already hear too much about?

Well, if you actually
read your father's work

instead of trashing it,

you'd know how totally
UN-Franciscan that was.

HENRY: Oh, word.

I humbly and meekly apologize.

JASON: He was also sort
of a revolutionary.

Completely rejected any
form of material wealth.

STEVIE: He also led

the first environmental movement.

Wait, you guys read it?

I'll make you an
autographed copy, Noodle.

You're gonna love it.

Ooh. Burn.

Wow, that is one manly breakfast
you got there, slugger.

Jason is trying to bulk up for football.

Isn't it cute?

Okay, "cute" isn't exactly
what I'm going for.

And slugger's baseball, Mom.

Ooh. Okay.

(phone buzzing)

Stevie, why are you getting

a call from the White House?

Oh.

It's Harrison.

He's trying to ditch my caller ID.

I'm not engaging.

Oh.

It's fine.

You're allowed

- to be relieved.
- Good.

'Cause... well, we're just happy

that you're making some good choices.

I know.

I totally deserve some bacon, right?

I thought you were vegan.

Bacon is my downfall.

Hey, could you save some
for the linebacker?

All right, I'm off to the White House

to eat more crow about Russia.

I don't get how that's your fault.

You happened to be in Russia

when Ostrov's widow made a power play.

Exactly. I was there.

They're just mad because
you made a better president.

Acting president.

MATT: No way, man.

The best ramen is Noodle
Noodle Dumpling on H Street.

No, hands down.

Yes.

- Oh, sorry, it jammed last time.
- I see that.

Well, if you want, I
could take a look at it.

- Don't have time.
- Okay.

I'm not talking to you.

Hey, buddy, can I call you back?

Okay.

Sorry about the printer.

It's fine.

Are you sure?

Okay, I appreciate that you're
willing to share an office

in spite of everything,

but I don't think this is working.

What? Look, you can
totally have the printer.

And I don't have to be
so loud on the phone.

I just think that we'd both

be better at our jobs if
we did them separately,

now that we're broken up.

Hang on for a sec.

Can we talk about this?

What is there to talk about?

It's over. We need to move on.

Have you seen this?

- MATT: Bold graphic.
- It's Inside Lowdown.

Their below the fold is cops twerking.

It's bad enough we had
to endure Maria Ostrov

accusing the U.S. of
conspiring against Russia,

but this makes it look like

some Real Housewives episode.

DAISY: I'll push back.

But it's hard to take a
stand against a paper

that equates a diplomatic crisis with...

- Cops twerking?
- MATT: Oh, I was gonna say

naked lady mud wrestling.

That sounds fun.

What'd I miss?

"Catfight"? Really?

NADINE: We'll push back on that, ma'am.

Why don't we move into
the items of the day?

At least I don't look chinny.

Good morning, Madam Secretary.

The Polar Research Institute of China....

- Oh, PRIC.
- ...began construction on a new

weather station in the Svalbard
archipelago in the Arctic.

As long as the station is
researching the effects

of climate change, like it
claims, it doesn't warrant

further scrutiny by the Arctic Council.

But if they try and claim drilling rights

or lay claim to any of the
new waters opening up

due to the melting of
the polar ice cap...

And we'll be mad because
they beat us to the punch?

Basically.

DAISY: We need to send a cable
to the Foreign Ministry

cautioning the Chinese Arctic
and Antarctic Administration.

ELIZABETH: Yeah, that's fine.
Let's draft it.

So when did you lose
the lumberjack look?

Was that new baby or Neo hipster?

- Little of both.
- Welcome back.

In some positive news, I just
got inside word from the Hill.

Looks like our disaster relief bill

for Nepal is going to pass tomorrow.

- Awesome!
- DAISY: Amazing.

- Good work.
- Hey, uh,

who caved?

Senator Fenworth seems
to have been persuaded.

DAISY: We don't persuade.

- We inform.
- ELIZABETH: Fenworth. Wasn't he

the Tin Man that voted against
subsidized school lunches?

Apparently, he was quite moved

by his visitation with the
Royal Kumari of Nepal.

DAISY: So, seeing all the
devastated villages didn't do it,

but five minutes

with a 12-year-old
goddess convinced him?

A 12-year-old goddess
who does not speak.

MATT: Oh. The Kumari

is mute only when she's
in full ceremonial dress

and she's inhabited
by the goddess Taleju.

Nobody else reads the briefs?

BLAKE: Ma'am, you should probably

leave for the NSC meeting.

Right. They keep starting without me.

Oh, you've got a press meet-and-greet

with the Kumari after the vote tomorrow.

I'll be sure to thank her
for charming Congress

out of its compassion fatigue,
all without saying a word.

I'm sure there's a few cabinet members

who believe I could learn
a thing or two from her. Yeah.

CRAIG: So, really,

cyber security is just
the tip of the iceberg.

JACKSON: Pretty big tip, let's hope.

DALTON: Let's catch Elizabeth up.

Craig has come up with a new

defense initiative.

- Go ahead and lay it out.
- Of course.

Now, when my grandfather
went to the Philippines

at the beginning of World War II,

he was armed with a rifle
that was designed in 1904.

The next years saw a transformation

of U.S. Defense that changed the
shape of geopolitics forever.

And we pretty much haven't
touched it since then.

So while we're still spending billions

on aircraft carriers and submarines,

we're getting cut off at the
knees by a backroom criminal

with some malware and a laptop.

Or a weather station in the Antarctic.

That research station was
approved by the Arctic Council.

How are we seeing it
as an act of aggression?

Exactly.

It's under the radar.

It's cheap.

And for the cost of one
weather station, China gets

complete access to our
satellite communications,

and quite possibly

shares them with our adversaries
on the Arctic Council,

who, as you pointed out,

didn't exactly protest this
thing in the first place.

So, we're thinking China and
Russia are working together?

To undermine our global
security interests?

Does that seem so impossible to you?

Look, I get shifting our focus

to cyber offense after what
happened with Air Force One,

but battlefield robotics,
laser weapons systems?

What about the impact
that this is going to have

on diplomatic relations?

Well, to that, I would
say, Madam Secretary...

you've had your turn.

And you see where that led us.

This is a done deal, Bess.

Figure out a way to make it work.

CRAIG: Looking at our

budgetary goals, this

is a three-phase process.

First and foremost...

Military transformation?

So, that's our new foreign policy?

It's that damn Air Force One attack.

I realize this is a shift in
focus, but it's long overdue.

I mean, NASA got a total
overhaul, what, 20 years ago?

Meanwhile, Defense is lumbering along

with World War II-era technology

while we're being hammered
by cyber attacks.

So, when you say "shift in
focus," what does that mean

for State?

Re-prioritizing the budget.

Some programs will be affected.

How long are we talk...?

I can't speak to that.

JAY: Let me understand this.

Initiatives that actually
build peace and stability,

like trade agreements,

supporting education
and economic growth,

building partnerships and alliances...

we're just gonna push some
of that aside so we can

focus on spying on everyone better?

NADINE: There could be an upside.

We'll have less oversight.

Exactly. Think of this
as an opportunity.

You know, we can be creative,

fly under the radar,

lay groundwork for when things
swing back in our direction.

Yeah, until we're all fired
for being redundant.

I get that this is frustrating, okay?

But this is what's happening,
so we all need to get on board.

Read the proposal and come up
with some ideas and solutions.

Thank you.

- (door closes)
- We'll reconvene after lunch.

(water running)

I'm guessing this is
Sterling's work, ma'am?

You know that he thinks that
the Chinese research station

is a collusion with Russia

to intercept our satellite communications?

(sighs)

Thank you.

You think it's a possibility?

Well, put it this way.

I read that one of the projects
at the research station

is to extract an ice core

that's just a little longer
than the one extracted

by the U.S.

It always comes down to who's
got the longer core, doesn't it?

I also think

we've done our share of
spying on other nations,

and I'm not so sure one research station

warrants a complete military overhaul.

But they don't ask me these questions.

They don't ask me either, anymore.

You'll find a way to be heard.

- (door opens)
- DAISY: I'm sorry to interrupt,

Madam Secretary.

Oh, the tablet of doom.

Better make it quick, while
we still have a budget.

It's actually somewhat personal.

Oh. Excuse me.

(whispering): Thank you.

One of my contacts at the Chronicle

just forwarded a query
that's going around.

- (door closes)
- It seems to... well,

it seems to be from someone
in possession of...

Spit it out, Daisy.

Someone is trying to sell
photos of your daughter

and the president's son being... intimate.

- What?!
- They included

one photo as proof, but once the seller

gets paid, they're promising more.

- More than this?
- Everything.

Find out everyone who got this query.

I want a full list.
Does Russell Jackson know yet?

I literally just found
out two minutes ago.

I want us in front of it with him.

Come on, Henry, pick up.

We can kill this, right?

We're gonna do everything
we can, obviously,

but with the teaser photo
already out there...

Teaser photo?

- Like an ad campaign?
- I'm sorry.

Ma'am, Russell Jackson wants to see you

in his office.

He says it's extremely urgent.

So much for getting in front of it.

JACKSON: We've contacted
every outlet that got the query.

If they make the purchase,

they'll feel the full force
of the Executive Branch.

But isn't Harrison enough
of a public figure

that they can claim fair use?

Not if I have anything to do with it.

Half an hour ago, I thought
Maria Ostrov was the only thing

that could hijack the news cycle
and run down our poll numbers.

You thinking this is another
hack, like Air Force One?

This wasn't a hack.

The president's son lost his phone

last week, didn't bother to tell anybody.

Didn't it have a-a password or...?

Apparently, he thought
they were inconvenient.

We need to move forward.

I need you to talk to Stevie,

find out what else we're looking at.

God forbid there's video.

And you're gonna talk
to Harrison, too, right?

Just so we're clear on who did what?

I don't really give a damn who did what.

Yes, we're talking to
Harrison the heroin addict.

We need to corroborate
so we can contain the blast.

Get me a report.

Obviously this is a
matter we need to treat

with the highest degree of sensitivity.

This is a potential criminal
act against two people

who happen to be related
to public figures.

The incident is currently
under investigation

and we have nothing more to add.

But this is assuming the photos get out.

We're up against freedom
of the press on that.

We're doing everything we can

to find the source and lock this down.

Legally.

Thank you.

Everybody, sit back down.

I'm not here to tell you what
to do in your off hours.

But you know what I'm about to say.

If any of you have any digital evidence

on any of your devices anywhere

that you don't want everyone to see,

now is the time to delete it.

Print out a copy for your private records,

lock it in a drawer,
but no digital footprint.

NADINE: Okay.

Thank you, everyone.

So... if I'm on Tinder,

that's not a... a problem, right?

Um, I would say,

unless there's something
obscene in your profile

then, by all means, date away.

Okay, cool.

It's not weird that I
asked you that, is it?

Of course not.

I appreciate the heads-up.

Okay.

I'm gonna...

Yeah.

That was weird.

But how?

HENRY: Well, apparently
he lost his phone,

and it fell into the wrong hands.

Now I know why he was calling

from all those other numbers.

ELIZABETH: Sweetie, it's completely
wrong that this happened,

but now we have to deal with it.

Can you tell me what else is on there?

I'm gonna get us some coffee.

Um, what do you mean, "What else"?

Well, the guy, whoever took the phone,

sent out one of the photos.

It's already out there?!

Not yet.

"Sent" more like, "proof
that there's more."

(groaning): Oh, my God.

You're both in bed, nothing's showing.

But I need to know what else
there is so I can manage it.

Um...

I don't know, I-I don't remember.

Baby, I get that this is hard,

but the White House needs to know.

Harrison said he was gonna delete them.

He promised me.

I mean, we were just goofing around.

It was not a big deal.

It was one time.

- So there is nudity?
- Nothing gross.

But, yeah, we were in bed, so yes.

Were you guys...?

I mean, they're...
they're gonna probably ask...

were you guys doing anything?

Of course not.

It was after.

Thank you.

Mom, I'm sorry.

So am I.

- Hey.
- Hey.

You remember that weekend at Falls Lake?

Oh, of course.

(chuckles)

Thank God there was no Internet.

- This is different.
- Is it?

Yes. I work for the president
of the United States,

who's running for re-election.
She can't just pretend

she's not aware of that anymore.

And, I mean, how many dumb
moves are we gonna give her?

How far does it have to go for
her to realize what's at stake?

And not just for her but for all of us.

It sucks that this happened. I get that.

But is it really her job to prevent it?

Yes! Everybody knows

you don't put nudie
pictures on your telephone.

- Cell phone.
- Whatever.

- (sighs)
- This puzzle is ridiculously hard.

What?

If these pictures get out,

you know what the world
would do to Stevie.

I just hate to see you do it first.

- What's that?
- Blame her.

Morning. So, I have a draft
of that diplomatic cable

about the Chinese weather
station in the Arctic.

Right.

But... we can do this another time.

Are those doughnuts?

Bagels.

That'll do.

JAY: We're already using "Welcome
to the Arctic research community"

to say, "Don't even think
about drilling up there."

But you really want to
try to implicate Russia

- for letting them in, on top of that?
- Just a whiff of it.

Something like, um,

"Protecting the diplomatic integrity of...

"the Arctic is the chief objective

"of the Arctic Council
and the United States.

So, you know, don't try
anything with Russia."

First of all, Russia's almost
as territorial as China is.

There's no way they're gonna share

all their new shipping lanes
with another superpower

- once the polar ice cap melts.
- I know, right? Total fiction.

Can I ask why we're ringing that bell?

I'm told it'll play well.

You're just in time.

He's introducing Henry.

Madam Secretary, I am so sorry.

Oh, no.

The photo that was sent with
the query has appeared online.

Where?

For the moment,

a user-generated news site.

Relatively low-profile.

All of the other photos
are still under wraps.

But now that word's out...

DAISY: It's only a matter of
time till someone buys the rest.

There has to be something we can do.

NADINE: Well, I've reached out
to Russell Jackson's office.

We can move your afternoon commitments

and make a task force.

Let's not change the schedule.
The president wants everything

- to move forward as usual.
- It might be best

to reschedule the meet and greet
with the Royal Kumari of Nepal.

Why's that?

Um...

it's a devoutly religious country.

She's a virgin goddess.

Well, let's just hope

the prepubescent virgin
goddess who lives in a temple

doesn't spend much time on the Internet.

The meeting stays.

HOST: There really is so
much to mine, isn't there,

in this liminal border
between the Christian

and the Muslim worlds.

Well, it's precisely the
blurriness in this moment

of transition where we can see

the common sources behind so much

of our cultural and spiritual conflict.

Mm. Like stumbling onto
a wealth of scrolls

preserved in a cave.

Well, sure, yeah.

Why don't we open things
up to our callers?

- Jeff from Fair Oaks.
- JEFF: Yes, hi.

Go ahead with Dr. Henry McCord.

Hi, Jeff.

JEFF: Uh, I've been listening to you talk

about the moral codes of Christianity

and Islam. And I think
it's so interesting

that you hold yourself up
as an expert on morality

when all I'm finding online
about you is a photo

of your daughter rolling around in bed

- with the president's son.
- Excuse me?

- I'm sorry. Uh, Jeff, we lost our conne...
- No, no, let me finish.

Is that your definition of
moral parenting, Dr. McCord?

- Is that your definition?
- No, no, I'd like to answer that.

You ask an interesting question, Jeff.

I'd like to start by making a distinction

that I usually make
on the very first day

of my Morals and Ethics class.

A lot of people say that
morals are how we treat

the people we know and
ethics are how we treat

the people we don't know.

So morals are what
make us a good parent,

a good friend, a nice neighbor.

But ethics are how we build a society.

That's the true test of our higher self.

But what happens, Jeff,
when society is ruled

by the subjective morals of, say, you

and your family and you
choose to project that

onto complete strangers is that
we all end up with a society

that's governed by self-aggrandizement.

- So, really, by calling
- Oh...

to make sure you're the
first little pedant to jump

off your chair and teach me a lesson

with smug superiority about

your own particular moral point of view

when you know precisely
nothing of the situation,

you've done your part to contribute

to the erosion of our
entire social fabric.

Pat yourself

on the back. Bravo.

HOST: Uh, so we are...
going to take a break.

I'm gonna go make some calls.

- Do I want to know how bad it is?
- It's just the one photo.

Somebody leaked it.

The rest are still under wraps.

I mean how bad did I
make things for you?

You're still my hero.

No, I'm not. I went off
like a hopped up undergrad.

You did what I have been wanting to do

all day. Instead, I have
to listen to my staff imply

that I shouldn't be sitting down
with a virgin goddess from Nepal

while my slutty daughter

- is all over the Internet.
- Not you.

You have a meeting with a Kumari?

He knows what a Kumari is.

Don't

ever change.

How old is she?

12. Almost ready

to retire. Okay, I'm getting more

- "bad news" face. Hold on.
- No further news on your daughter, ma'am.

But I just got word from the Hill.
It now looks

like the disaster relief
bill is not going to pass.

(sighs) Henry, I got to go. Bye.

What happened to the Tin Man?
I thought we had the Tin Man.

This morning, when the
president's numbers dropped,

three more senators

took the opportunity
to flip their positions.

Over a photo sex scandal?

The vote will be up again in January.

By which time thousands
of people will have died

of exposure and disease.

Well, at least now

you have a good excuse to cancel

my photo op with the virgin goddess.

The Kumari and

her entourage have already arrived.

I will send the press away
and break the news privately.

No.

I will tell her.

Thank you.

It is an honor, Kumari.

Kumari is pleased to meet
you, Madam Secretary.

We were expecting a bit more press.

I know the honor

of the presence of the Kumari

brought a great deal of attention

to the plight of Nepal

after the terrible
disaster you've endured.

But unfortunately,

support for the additional aid package

will not be approved by the U.S.
Congress today.

That is not what we were led

- to expect.
- The conditions

have changed, unfortunately.

We will revisit the
proposal as soon as we can.

I hope you will accept
my deepest apology

and sympathy for your people.

It is her blessing.

No.

I'm done. No more bad news.

The president has invited
you and Dr. McCord

to join him and the First Lady
for dinner at the White House

this evening.

Is that it?

I can try to find some bad news.

No need.

Pretty sure that dinner
invitation is bad news enough.

What's up?

Would you close the door, please?

So, I'm trying to delete a file

- of old photos...
- Mm-hmm.

...but ever since I
switched to the cloud...

- They keep coming back?
- Like a bad penny.

I've had this.

Okay, let's go to your cloud preferences.

Did that.

Okay, now select the
ones you want to kill.

- Uh...
- Oh. (laughs)

What we're gonna do is, we're
gonna create a ghost file.

- Um...
- I'm not looking, swear.

There's nothing unsavory.

It's just, thought I'd get rid

of the hanging chads... so to speak.

Oh, I get it.

You don't want to be looking
at these things at 2:00 a.m.

after a glass of wine
and too much Adele.

Not that I speak from experience.

Scotch and Joni Mitchell for me.

For what it's worth,

it's only brutal for the first year.

Okay, can I ask?

How can I be his ideal woman,

and five minutes after we break up,

he's dating some barista

who can't even properly use
the possessive apostrophe?

Did you Facebook stalk?

No. A little.

Well, whoever she is,

she's probably very simple

and very needy,

and that's exactly what
he wants right now.

You know you could do the same.

That cyber security guy
clearly has an eye for you.

No, he doesn't. Does he?

So, that's my problem?

I'm not needy enough?

It's in their DNA. They want
to feel like we need them.

You realize

the entire feminist
movement would have us hung

for this conversation.

Well, a fish may not
need a bicycle, but...

Gloria Steinem probably never
spent Saturday night alone

at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Whoa. The good suit, huh?

Oh, I figure, mea culpa
dinner with the president.

- Yeah.
- I don't know that it's your mea culpa.

(shouting): Kids! Pizza!

Don't get me wrong.

That was a spectacular rant, but

I haven't heard any fallout.

So, if a tree falls on C-SPAN,
does it make a sound?

Is that what you're saying?

Ooh, pizza.

Listen, we're going out to the
White House tonight for dinner.

Ooh, Dad's getting called
into the principal's office?

What does that mean?

Please. Your epic TV rant?

What epic rant?

Check it out. Dad's a gif.

You've officially made it.

Great.

Jace, are you okay?

Yeah. Yeah, I'm just sore from practice.

All right, listen, kids, I
don't know how much you know,

but something really
uncool happened to Stevie.

We know. The picture's everywhere.

I just don't see what the big deal is.

Well, the big deal is

that it's a gross invasion of privacy

but, unfortunately, something
that we may have to deal with

'cause our family's in the
public eye and all that.

But we are doing what we can to
keep it from moving forward.

- Okay? Just... yeah.
- Yeah, so just be sensitive, all right?

- ALISON: Of course. Yeah.
- It'll all blow over

as soon as a cooler gif comes along.

- Hey, guys.
- Dude, pizza.

Oh, I'm not doing cheese.

And you're back to vegan.

ELIZABETH: Listen, we're going
out, so you guys are on your own.

Get to bed on time. I
am speaking to you, sir.

- Bye.
- Good-bye.

- Bye.
- Bye, sweets.

Okay, who wants to watch a movie?

- Oh, I'm down.
- Not me.

My mother always insisted that
vichyssoise was only for summer,

but I find it very comforting.

Oh, we could certainly
use a little comfort.

Thank you, Lydia.

HENRY: Again, Conrad,

I am so sorry for losing it today.

We're all on edge.

How's everybody doing at home?

Holding our breath, I'd say.

Any news on who might
have the photographs?

Not yet, which is why
we need to be ready

for this to get worse...
as early as tomorrow.

- That sounds ominous.
- What are you thinking?

Well, we'd, uh, like to
put Stevie and Harrison

on the morning news.

Just a short interview

as a couple. Get out in front of it.

As a couple?

LYDIA: The team thinks it plays

best if we see them as two
young people in love,

regretful for their choices,
but laughing it off.

We'd have to hit just the right tone, but

our people can work with them.

You are aware they broke
up a few weeks ago.

Well, does their relationship
status need to come up, really?

Not if they're posing.

DALTON: This thing has put us

in a tough spot, Bess.

It's a five-minute interview.

Harrison has already agreed.

Of course he has. I'm sorry,

but we all know that Harrison
has nothing to lose.

I mean, at worst he's a recovering addict

with a hot girlfriend.

But Stevie will be the
slut who loses everything.

For crying out loud, Bess,
will you help me solve

one damn problem that you've caused?

HENRY: Okay, Conrad, our
kids took naked pictures

of themselves in bed.

What on earth does that
have to do with Elizabeth?

It's Russia. It's Russia.

I was there when Maria
Ostrov seized power, so,

suddenly, now everything's my fault.

Do we need to bring
matters of state into this?

You opened Pandora's box over there!

Now, I'm Pandora? What'd they do to her?

- Chain her to a rock?
- That was Prometheus.

DALTON: You had to push

your agenda with Ukraine.

- Which almost worked!
- It was too big a risk!

Last I heard, that's why
you brought me in here!

- Guys, we're getting off topic here.
- All I'm saying is

that we need to right the ship.

And I'd love a little cooperation,

for both our kids' sakes.

So, putting Stevie on
national television to apologize

for the horrible crime of being violated...

that's gonna right the
ship, or is she just

apologizing for being sexual?
I'm a little unclear.

LYDIA: No one is going to think
anything less of Stevie.

Well, that's a big relief.

We're just trying to
manage the embarrassment.

Oh, Lydia, I think that ship has sailed.

After your outburst today,
I'd have to agree.

What?

Now we're blaming Henry
for defending his daughter?

Why don't we talk about the fact

that your son has an unsecured phone?

Who'd like another cocktail?

- I would.
- Me.

Well, thank God for Lydia Dalton.

That woman is a first-class WASP.

Never underestimate the
power of gin and denial.

(laughs) You know what?

Actually, I would love a nightcap.

While I write my letter of resignation.

Now, come on!

Conrad doesn't want to lose you.

Just let the dust settle.

Henry, I all but called the
president's son a junkie loser.

STEVIE: Hi.

ELIZABETH: Oh, hey. I didn't

see you there, sweetie....

(sighs)

It's okay. He is a loser.

And for five minutes tomorrow morning,

he will still be my boyfriend.

ELIZABETH: No, sweetie.

You're not gonna do that.

I already told Harrison I would.

No, no. Your mom and I killed it.

They're gonna come up
with another strategy.

I don't want to be strategized,
I don't want to be managed.

I don't even care what's true anymore.

Hey.

One of the feminist groups
on campus made posters of me

like I'm some kind of hero.

And then one of the
fraternities went around

and put "#TeamMcCord" on all of them.

That stupid photo is everywhere.

Dad's losing it on TV,

Jason won't even look at me.

(sighs) I just want my life back.

(groans softly)

(sighs)

I recommend the puzzle.

Well, it's a defense budget proposal.

If this can't put me out, nothing can.

Hmm. (sighs)

Wait a minute.

Oh, hey, Admiral Hill?

Oh, Madam Secretary.

I wonder if I might
get a minute with you

to go over the budget proposal?

I'm still catching up on it
myself, but, yes, of course.

Oh, great. Okay, 'cause
I want to show you.

Right here...

on page 204,

we get into breakdown
on specific weaponry.

Yes.

I know what Sterling said...

that we're looking to go
all stealth and cheap

and fast,

but what is all this?

It's old-school, heavy-duty military gear.

It's-it's aircraft carriers,
tanks, dozens of choppers.

Sterling knows that he has
to sell this to the brass.

And this is what the
generals understand.

But it's more than half the budget.

This old ship turns slowly.

(laughs)

Let me ask you something, Ellen.

You agree with Sterling's initiative?

Do I think that Chinese weather
station is a spy outpost?

Probably not.

But I do think

that this is how wars are going
to be fought in the future.

Thank you, Admiral.

Shakya, I'm glad I caught you.

Could I possibly get two
minutes with the Kumari?

SHAKYA: I'm afraid not,

Madam Secretary. We are just leaving.

Pramila, can I speak
with you for a minute?

I'm sorry.

I want to help your country.

You have one minute.

Thank you.

(door closes)

Pramila, listen to me.

Very soon after you return home,

your time as a Kumari will be finished.

But you still have time
to help your people.

You still have great power,
and I want to help you use it.

Go on.

All I need is your blessing.

If the prime minister comes to you

about a building project in
the Himalayas, smile upon it.

SHAKYA: Madam Secretary,

the Kumari is a divinity.

She does not rule

in matters of state.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Secretary.

You can do a lot more than they say.

Your blessing could save thousands

of lives.

There's my linebacker.
You up for a breakfast burrito?

Nah, just, uh, cereal.
I'm laying off the protein.

Best way to heal sore muscles.

I'm dropping football.

What?

You just made the team,
like, two weeks ago.

I wanted to make friends.
These idiots aren't my friends.

Okay, you're telling me
that there's not a single kid

on that team that's not a jerk?

They made fun of Stevie, Dad,
right in front of my face.

And I did nothing.

Makes me even worse than they are.

You just want to smash' em, right?

Yeah.

Just can't stop thinking about
it, how great it would feel.

Pretty great.

It would for...

maybe an hour.

Here's the thing.

It wouldn't change anything.

And then there's the whole part
about you getting kicked out

of another school for fighting.

So just letting them talk
about Stevie that way,

that's the right thing to do?

Jace, every group you're ever gonna be in

is gonna have at least one jerk.

And you're gonna have to learn
how to deal with them, okay?

Not by quitting and definitely
not by beating anybody up.

Have a burrito.

Take it out on the other team.

I'm sure I'm just being overly cautious,

with all the breaches
that have been happening.

Oh, no.

We like overly cautious.
Uh, where's the zombie file?

Uh, right here.

I've put it in the trash, like, ten times,

- but every time I open the application...
- Right.

So, what we're gonna do is
we're gonna create a ghost file.

Hmm. A "ghost file."

It's kind of surprising...

the press coordinator
of the State Department

doesn't know how to delete
a file from the cloud.

I-I probably could have figured it out,

but I've been really

- busy.
- No, it's cool.

I mean, yeah, I'll go out with you.

(chuckling): Um...

No, we can go to
lunch right now. I've been

working on this awesome
new encryption software,

and I promise to only talk
about it for ten minutes tops.

I think I could be free.

Cool. Shall we?

Just so you know, I knew how to do that.

God, I hope so.

Look who's first to school.

Um, Lucy let me in. I hope
that's okay, Mr. President.

So what's this proposal?

Yeah. Um...

So, in going over the proposed
budget for Craig's military

transformation initiative,

I, uh, saw an opportunity

where I thought State might
be able to contribute, using

our diplomatic relations with Nepal.

I proposed to their prime minister

the idea of an observatory

in the Himalayas. It is

a highly strategic spot for optical,

infrared, and gamma ray observation.

It's strategic, all right. It's
right on the border of China.

Which is why Nepal will
never sign off on it.

They've got a relationship to protect.

They also have needs in the
wake of the earthquakes.

I've gotten word back
from the prime minister

that he's open to the idea,

provided we pay a yearly fee
for use of the land, roughly

the same amount we were hoping to approve

in the disaster relief bill.

The question, of course, is... budget.

(clears throat)

One... Just one second. Um,

for the cost of ten Joint
Light Tactical Vehicles,

we could invest in the peaceful
observation of the heavens

with three new telescopes

and also answer China's
encroachment at the Arctic

with a message of our own.

- Ten JLTVs, huh?
- Yeah.

The budget calls for 400.

I think 390 should do it.

What do you think, Craig?

Well, it's strategic,

it sends a message to China,

and it's cheap.

What's not to like?

Reach out to NASA.

Get it in motion.

Absolutely, Mr. President.

And, Elizabeth, if I
could, uh, get a moment.

Mr. President, I am
sorry about my behavior

last night. It was totally inappropriate.

Lucy,

could you have, uh, Henry come in?

Hello, Conrad.

Hi there.

I wanted to tell you both
that there was a breakthrough

in this photo situation.

The query letter was traced back
to a former Secret Service agent

who was released from duty last month.

Seems this was his, uh,
way to even the score.

So that's it? The photos are contained?

We've stopped the sale of the photos,

and the guy is being held at a
local precinct for questioning.

But we're sure they're gone for good?

As sure as we can be.

I owe you both an apology.

I don't think this situation brought out

the best in a lot of us.

I'm sorry for the way we handled it.

Thanks, Conrad.

May I make a request?

What is it?

Before you finish questioning this guy,

15 minutes alone with him, off the radar.

You got it.

Well, that was very Godfather.

We thinking piano wire or bare hands?

I haven't decided yet.

Is it wrong that I find it kind of hot?

Don't answer that.

(chuckles)

(siren wailing in distance)

You good?

I'm Stephanie.

I'm Ronald Watson.

I don't really know what to say.

I've been having a bad time.

But that's-that's not an excuse.

I heard about your misdemeanor.

I was kind of surprised

that's all you got, actually.

And a fine.

Oh. And a fine.

How much?

$500.

(scoffs)

So that's like, what, half a month's

rent? Or...

a new camera?

You could have taken your own pictures.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

(sighs) So did you not think about that

when you were trying to sell my
privacy to the highest bidder?

Was I just... not real to you?

Elizabeth.

Here we go.

Craig.

I wanted to thank you for
that proposal on Nepal.

Oh, good. I'm glad it found your support.

It's exactly the way we
need to be moving forward.

I'm so glad we're finally finding a way

- to work on the same team.
- Thanks, Craig. Me, too.

Which is why I don't ever
want to hear you say

it's not my turn again.

We should grab that lunch, though.

Absolutely.

Mr. Sterling, that
meeting's in ten minutes.

RONALD: I was mad.

About other things.

Again, it's not an excuse.

I heard that you lost your job.

They said that I was intoxicated on duty.

But I wasn't. I would never do that.

I've worked for three presidents.

Must be hard on your family.

My son's out of the house.

So it's just me now.

How old is he?

He's 20.

Is he in school?

Taking some... time off for the moment.

Look, I don't know what
exactly you want from me.

I don't want anything, Ronald.

We're just talking.

I just wanted to get to
know you as a person.

So I wouldn't...

reduce you

to one stupid thing

that you did.

See how that works?

- Hey.
- Hey.

You okay?

Yeah.

I am.