Madam Secretary (2014–…): Season 3, Episode 9 - Snap Back - full transcript

The U.K. is on board with re-instating

- sanctions on Iran.
- Thank you.

We can count on their support
at the Security Council meeting

this afternoon.

With a whole seven hours to spare.

Thank you, "closest ally"".

Does anyone else feel
like this should be easier?

The agreement was that if Iran cheats

on the nuclear deal,

then the other countries
on the Security Council vote

to snap the sanctions back.



Well, they cheated, so why are the rest

of the P5 dragging their feet?

Because it's the U.N.

Yeah, okay, you know what? I
get that it's dysfunctional,

but come on!

"Hi, Iran? We're from the IAEA.

"We'd like to inspect
your nuclear facilities.

You know, per the agreement."

"Yeah. No, thank you."

I mean, how much clearer do
the violations need to be?

No one's arguing with you.

In a perfect world, that's all the proof

we'd need to reinstate sanctions.

Okay, what were the key
components of the agreement?



Oversight of all nuclear facilities.

Well, clearly, that's not happening.

Also, communication.

Yeah. Is anybody talking to us?

- Radio silence.
- Yep.

Everyone in Tehran is mute,
so why do we have to work

around the clock to get
our quote-unquote partners

to do what they already
promised they would do?

Are you done?

- Yeah, I'm done.
- Good.

Because we only have a few more hours

to get the rest of the P5
to snap back the sanctions.

If we fail, the president
has made it clear

that he will prevent Iran
from getting nuclear weapons

one way or the other.

Take a moment and contemplate
what the "other way" looks like,

and get back to work.

I have the Secretary.

- Go ahead, ma'am.
- Hey.

So where are we?

Ma'am, we have

pledges of support
from Russia and the U.K.

We have not heard back yet from France,

but we expect their
approval to be forthcoming.

So we're off to a good start.

And yet, you haven't mentioned China.

Foreign Minister Chen
says they'll need more time

to consider their vote.

Which is unusual, considering
they've been in favor

of sanctions curbing
Iran's nuclear program.

So they're still
pouting over the standoff

in the South China Sea.

Yes, ma'am, that is our best guess.

But Jay has an idea for
how to get them on board.

We agree to withdraw
our complaint at the WTO

over China's tariff on chickens.

We're betting China cares

that much about poultry?

Well, bigger deals have been made

over weirder things, so yeah.

Let's go for it. Also, ma'am,

the Israeli ambassador
called this morning.

Let me guess, he wants a meeting?

Demands is more accurate.

Iran has a sanctions-free economy

and a nascent nuclear weapons program.

What could Israel
possibly be worried about?

Good morning.

Hey, babe.

How's the world doing today?

Well, the fate of
the Middle East rests

on China's appetite for chicken.

Yep, sounds like the world.

I know.

Wow. Look at you.

Special shout-out to her
stylist, Alison McCord.

That's my suit.

I was going for a "mod-pro" look.

I had to raid your closet.

Mod-pro?

It just means "modern professional."

What? We share a house.

- Who is he?
- I don't know.

So what is the occasion?

I have my meeting with
Russell Jackson today.

For the Harvard Law recommendation?

I thought that was last Monday.

It was supposed to be.

And also the Friday before that.

He keeps canceling.

I really need that rec letter.

Plus, an interview
with an alumnus carries

a huge amount of weight.

Well, the guy is a very busy man.

Can't you find another Harvard alum?

This is D.C. They're everywhere,

telling people they went to Harvard.

I don't know... the application
is due in three days,

so I don't really have
time to ask anyone else.

Yeah, and in ten years, all the lawyers

will be replaced by robots anyway.

Guaranteed basic income's
our only hope, you guys.

You know we support
whatever you want to do,

but maybe you don't have
to go to Harvard Law.

What, you guys don't think I can cut it?

Cutting it I'm not worried about.

Paying for it, on the other hand...

Look, your mom and I are tired.

We want to move someplace warm someday.

I know that you guys
are very partial to UVA.

- Wahoowa!
- No, I'm not.

You guys are always telling me to,

you know, swing for the fences.

UVA was good enough for
a whole slew of Kennedys,

including Robert.

Plus, Thomas Jefferson
founded the place.

Alls I'm saying.

I know that Harvard is a reach,

but I really want to try.

Which is why I was hoping
that a recommendation letter

from the president's chief of staff

might help put me over the top.

Maybe I'm just being
entitled and stupid.

You and the rest of America.

Smoking on the Hindenburg. See ya.

Well, I say that you plant
yourself at Russell's office

and see if maybe he
doesn't have a spare minute.

Yeah, worst that can happen
is he postpones again.

You go to UVA, where you
can get a scholarship.

- No.
- Plus,

you're slaying the outfit game today.

- Thank you.
- Come on.

We'll give you a ride
to Russell's office.

- Good-bye.
- Bye.

- Bye.
- Bye.

When the IAEA inspectors
arrive, the Iranians' response

is to shove guns in their faces.

What is that, if not proof

they've restarted a
nuclear weapons program?

I agree with you, Ambassador.

We're on the same page.

Then why haven't the
sanctions been reinstated?

What-what is this peace deal

if Iran can behave any way it pleases?

The U.N. Security Council
vote this afternoon

is for the express purpose
of snapping back sanctions.

But it's my understanding
China has yet to agree.

China has voted for
every U.N. resolution

regarding sanctions on
Iran's nuclear program.

Ever.

I'm very optimistic this
time won't be any different.

I appreciate your optimism,
but history has shown

that such a worldview

is a luxury the Jewish
people cannot afford.

We must see things as they are,

and act accordingly.

The United States has been
a very good friend to Israel

for many years.

I'm asking you to trust me.

But who do you trust?

Iran? China?

An Iranian nuclear weapons program

is an existential threat to Israel.

And we will do what is necessary

to defend ourselves.

We are witnessing the
worst foreign policy

failure in U.S. history...

a president who's let Iran
lead us around by the nose.

You think President Dalton
should have predicted this?

I think a four-year-old
could have seen it coming.

Invite a wolf to dinner,
you watch your back,

or you end up on the menu.

But Dalton let us get played for fools.

Worst thing about no
candidate getting enough votes

to win the election outright?

More smug Sam Evans interviews?

The House vote on January
6th can't come soon enough.

I'm hearing from my friends on the Hill

that if the House voted today,

Evans would be our next president.

We need to get tough on Iran.

When I'm president, I'll rip up

that deal on day one.

The stamina on this guy!

How many interviews
has he done today alone?

He's made the rounds on
all the morning shows.

Guy's never met a camera he didn't like.

Good news, ma'am.

China's agreed to vote yes
on reinstating the sanctions.

So the chicken tariff worked!

Turns out the solution
to China's game of chicken

was... chicken.

Ma'am,

the French Foreign Minister
has requested a meeting.

Isn't she in New York for the
U.N. Security Council vote?

No, she's on her way here.

Good morning, Mr. Jackson.

I told you I wanted to see Henry McCord.

That's the wrong McCord.

She has a meeting
scheduled with you today.

For the-the Harvard Law recommendation.

Right. Yeah.

Now's not a good time.

Get Henry McCord on the phone.

I tried, but he's not picking up.

He-he turns his
phone off during class.

Why didn't you know that, Adele?

Um, I-I know you're incredibly busy,

but the application's due pretty soon.

Is there any chance that you might have

just a minute or two later today?

We have the great misfortune

of living in exciting
times, Stephanie McCord.

The presidential election
is gonna be decided

in the House of Representatives

- for the first time since...
- 1824?

You do your homework. The point is,

my part in this historic election

is to cajole Congress members

into voting for President Dalton.

It's grueling, thankless,

and, as you can see...

humiliating work.

But most importantly, it takes time.

Who has time for 18 holes

- in the middle of the day?
- Congressmen.

So off I go to abase
myself on the links.

My 16-hour day...

gets three hours longer.

So to answer your question,

will I have a minute or two

- later in the day?
- Probably not.

Sorry, honey.

Okay, Captain Finkel,
have we talked about...

Henry. A word?

In private? Hi.

I'm in the middle of a conference.

Aren't you Russell Jackson?

No, I'm Phil Mickelson. You mind?

I'm sorry, just give us one minute.

A junior congressman from Michigan...

Hi, Russell. How'd things
go with Stevie this morning?

- Great.
- Good.

Dynamite kid.

You should be proud.

Listen, Congressman Pearson...

you guys still on good terms?

Jeff? Yeah, I guess so.

We kind of lost touch after the Marines.

I've seen him maybe once, twice

in the last five years... why?

He's an Evans supporter. I...

Look, I'm scrapping for every vote.

I need you to bring your old buddy Jeff

over to Dalton's side.

Can you do that?

- I...
- I-I know, I know.

You've got that whole ethics thing...

It's a moral compass,
Russell, not a disease.

I'm not asking you to
do anything illegal.

Y-You believe Dalton's
what's best for the country,

you'd be following a-a civic duty.

A-Almost an ethical imperative...

Russell, I'll do it.

- You will?
- Yeah.

There's nothing unethical
about a conversation

between two old friends...
political or not.

Plus, it'd be nice to see him again.

You all right there?

Yeah, I...

I was expecting more of a fight is all.

Nope, I'm... I'm happy
to do whatever I can.

Well...

thanks.

I owe ya.

Gallais Le Livre?

The ganache, not the truffles.

- Okay.
- My predecessor, Jean Dubois,

told me of your great
appreciation for them.

How is Jean, by the way? Is
he enjoying his retirement?

He's always complaining
about how his grandchildren

are making too much noise,
how his wife is cooking

impossibly heavy meals, and now
he has absolutely nothing to do

except to sit around
and read a book. So...

So, in other words,
he's deliriously happy.

Exactly.

So, what brings you to D.C.?

Kidding.

Why aren't you in New York?

Considering our countries'
long relationship,

I felt it was only fair
to tell you personally

that France will veto any reinstatement

of sanctions against Iran.

We have proof that Iran is not complying

with the terms of the deal.

Video of them strong-arming

our inspectors.

Those soldiers may
have been overzealous.

What explanation has Iran
offered for the incident?

None.

They've closed off all communication.

Shouldn't we hear
their side before being

needlessly aggressive? We can't vote

for sanctions without a
more thorough investigation

being conducted. We
can't investigate anything

if they keep refusing our inspectors.

And didn't Iran just agree
to purchase a new fleet

of your Airbus jets?

And if we snap back the sanctions,

then the deal falls
through, and your government

loses billions of dollars.

France will be far more amenable

to sanctions in three months or so.

Yeah.

After your Airbus deal closes, right.

You think Israel will wait that long?

If we want to prevent
another major conflict

in the Middle East,

we all need to pull together now.

I'll bring your concerns
to President Perrin.

Please do.

So, France

vetoes the sanctions, and what,

the Iranians flagrantly defy
our agreement, and we do nothing?

The other P5 members can't
be too pleased about this.

We could ask them to lean on France.

I don't think that's
gonna get it done in time.

Sorry to interrupt, Mr. President,

but our satellites have detected

a squadron of Israeli F-16s

running mid-air refueling drills

over the Negev Desert.

- What's the IDF's official position?
- That it's

- a training exercise, sir.
- No.

This... this isn't posturing.

They're preparing for
a strike against Iran.

Preparing for war.

Sir, we already needed
an inside straight

to win this election in the
House of Representatives.

If Israel and Iran start
shooting at each other,

we're done.

If Iran and Israel start
shooting at each other...

the election will be the
least of our problems.

The only thing that will satisfy Israel

is an immediate reinstatement

- of the sanctions.
- How do we do that?

The Security Council
votes in a few hours.

Well...

every once in a great while,

a president can play

the "Leader of the Free World" card.

I'd say now's about as
good a time as any, sir.

I'll get on the phone
with President Perrin.

Make him understand that his
Airbus deal won't be worth much

if Israel flattens Tehran.

POTUS is trying to get France
on board with the sanctions,

but if he doesn't succeed in
that, then we need to figure out

a way to get Iran back
in the box quickly,

before Israel takes matters
into their own hands.

Now, given that Walter has spent
years averting World War III,

- I have invited him to join us.
- You're too kind,

Madam Secretary.

It's always an honor

to be dusted off and brought blinking

into the non-fluorescent
radiance of the Seventh Floor.

Though it would be nice to be invited

for more than apocalyptic occasions.

Too much?

Why is Iran risking

driving its economy
into the ditch again?

Not to mention a conflict with Israel,

which they have to know is coming.

To his grave detriment,

Hamlet spends nearly
the entire five acts

of his play trying to
answer the question:

"To be or not to be."

Walter, the secretary does
has other appointments today.

As if the choice were merely binary.

In fact,

the possibilities were infinite,

if he'd only asked the question,

"how to be," instead.

We're asking the wrong questions.

That's what you're saying.

In so many, many words.

What's the right question?

Why would the Iranians

want to cheat on the nuclear deal now?

They've been trying to
get a bomb for 30 years.

Yes...

but the real economic benefits

of the deal... the French planes

and some other geegaws
notwithstanding...

won't manifest for another three years?

So, even if it were Iran's intention

all along to break the deal,

why not wait until they
had real money in the bank?

Exactly.

And if it wasn't their
intention all along,

- what changed?
- Unfortunately,

the only people who know the
real answer to those questions

are the Iranians.

Tehran has gone quiet.

Then, perhaps, we shouldn't speak

to the Iranians in Tehran.

The Iranian nuclear physicists

who went to Vasily Heavy
Industries, they're...

- they're still in Moscow.
- Reach out

to the Russian Federal
Migration Service.

Thanks, Walter.

This could work.

Yeah!

Boom! There it is.

- Good game.
- Yeah...

Best three out of five?

No, no, no.

No. Law of diminishing returns.

Kind of like...

Sam Evans' economic proposals.

You're a broken record, man...

You're fighting

a losing battle. Michigan's
a blue-collar state.

Dalton's too weak on trade.

So, you'd rather go with
Sam Evans, the protectionist?

I mean, come on.

Haven't heard ideas like
that since Herbert Hoover.

We all know how that turned out.

You already lost two games today.

You want to call the
policy debate a draw?

It was good to see you, Jeff.

Please, um, give my love
to Val and the girls, yeah?

Actually, um...

Val and I are getting a divorce.

I moved out three months ago.

Jeff, I'm so sorry to hear that.

Well, I'm around if you need anything.

What I need's a drink.

You in?

Russian Immigration detained
the Iranian physicists

before they could leave Russia.

They've got them in holding
at their building in Khotkovo.

What excuse did they
give for picking them up?

Improper completion of a migration card

at the border checkpoint.

I suppose we shouldn't
worry that it was so easy

for Russia to detain foreign citizens

on entirely trumped up charges?

Right. I know, got it.

Different problem, different day.

Hey. What's going on?

He's detailing a laundry list

of violations, Threatening prison

on the Siberian tundra.

Wow. Let's all put aside our
Fifth Amendment heebie-jeebies

and get this done.

She's demanding to know

what they're doing in Russia.

What was that?

Such a bald-faced, childish lie.

It's not worthy of repeating.

Tell them that they were seen

outside of Vasily Heavy Industries.

Ask them why they were there.

He says that they got lost.

You notice the same
two guys keep talking?

Yeah. And one's just sitting there.

Separate them, and keep
the quiet one with you.

Tell him you want to get him home.

Back to his family.

But first you need answers.

Pour him a glass of water.

Now wait. Just wait.

Okay, now tell him his
friends are in separate rooms

and only the first one of
them to confess the truth

gets to go home.

They were at Vasily Heavy Industries

to inspect nuclear technology.

The tech was then purchased
by the Razmian Bank

- and sent back to Iran.
- Who did they send it to?

Hossein Pakvar.

Pakvar, works for this guy,

Mohammed Abedini.

Abedini's a member of
Iran's Assembly of Experts.

The ones in charge of
choosing the supreme leader,

monitoring his activities.

This feels

like disturbing news,

but you two look oddly pleased.

I'm assuming there's a part two?

Abedini's been one of
the most vocal critics

of the supreme leader,
Ayatollah Ruhmeini,

in the Assembly.

Guy's been criticizing
him at every turn.

Well, criticizing as much as possible
for a dictatorial regime. But,

one of his main points of
contention: Our peace deal.

Ask yourself, why did the supreme leader

let our inspectors
land in the first place?

Why let it come to a showdown

outside their top secret facility?

Because the right hand didn't know

what the left hand was doing.

Precisely.

Because if Abedini is leading the charge

on Iran's nuclear ramp-up,

then the supreme leader
might not even be on board.

Ma'am?

President Dalton convinced Perrin

not to exercise their veto.

France will support the sanctions.

Not that I was expecting a parade,

but I was pretty sure
that was good news.

If what Jay and Walter

are saying is true,

sanctions might not be necessary.

Back channel through the Swiss embassy

in Tehran.

If I can get a meeting

with Foreign Minister Tousi,

we might be able to save our deal.

Minister Tousi, thank you

for agreeing to meet
me on such short notice.

And such secretive circumstances.

Well, yeah.

I thought we could talk
more freely this way.

Very well, I'll start.

You postponed the vote
in the Security Council.

Perhaps you didn't have

the other members' support

and are angling for a way out.

I have the votes,
I'll use them if I have to.

Then what else is there to say?

I need a cup of coffee. Do you want one?

You know, it's funny,

because the last time I was

in the Canadian embassy,

I had a meeting with your predecessor.

Zahed Javani?

Javani was a friend of mine.

We attended

primary school together.

Even then, he was an optimist.

Yeah, he was.

He gave his life because he believed

that this peace deal

was the best choice

for both of our countries.

Well, I share that belief.

And I think the ayatollah does, as well.

Which is why I don't believe

that he was responsible
for breaking our agreement.

I think that was the
work of Mohammed Abedini.

The ayatollah would swiftly crush

any such challenges to his regime.

I believe that he's in control.

Now.

But I don't think that he was aware

of Abedini's actions when
the inspectors showed up

at your nuclear facility.

I think he went along to save face,

rather than admit that your
government was fracturing.

And if the supreme leader

never wanted to renege on the deal,

then...

well, shouldn't we do our best

to try and save it?

Even if what you are saying

about Abedini is true,

it is now immaterial.

Iran has followed your election closely.

We don't like what we're hearing.

Sam Evans.

He plans to destroy

the peace deal the
moment he's in office.

That's just rhetoric.

He has no intention
of following through.

Our people are not mind readers,

Madam Secretary.

How are they to know that?

To some,

Abedini's call to
develop nuclear weapons

is a way to hedge our bets.

A Sam Evans presidency is

just a possibility.

Crippling sanctions on
every sector of your economy

will be a reality.

So then I ask you again:

What else is there to say?

Let IAEA inspect your
nuclear facilities.

Surrender all

prohibited nuclear technology.

And let's honor the deal
that Zahed Javani struck.

Iran must have assurances

that if Sam Evans does become president,

then he, too, will honor the agreement

we have made.

If you can do that,

we can resurrect our deal.

Has Evans returned our calls?

No, ma'am. He's still
refusing to speak with us

or anyone from Dalton's administration.

Should I pretend I
have a cable news show?

I bet he'd talk to me then.

The big ham.

That would probably do the trick.

In fact, he's doing a segment
on Wolf Blitzer tonight.

Here you go.

Here in New York?

Yeah.

Call the show,

tell them I'm coming down.

To talk about what?

China,

the perfect Thanksgiving, I don't know.

Whatever, just get me booked, okay?

Israel is still pushing hard

for some kind of response

to the Iran nuclear program.

Just tell 'em to cool their jets.

- Right.
- Literally.

Yes, ma'am.

I...

okay, okay.

So did you and Val try counseling?

We tried everything... counseling,

date nights.

We even put up one of those

harness-type deals for the bedroom.

That's...

wow, okay.

Yeah, well,

I installed the damn thing incorrectly,

ended up falling and wrenching my back.

It was a disaster.

Man.

Well...

at least you can tell yourself

you did everything
you could. Marriage...

it's tough.

Not for old Hank McCord.

So,

Russell Jackson asked you
to come butter me up?

Well,

to make a case for Dalton, but I was

up front with you about that, man.

- Mostly, I came just to catch up.
- Yeah.

'Cause we're such good buddies.

Jeff, is there something on your mind?

Corpus Christi.

What about it?

The night before my final solo flight,

you forced me to hit the bars with you.

Whoa!

Whoa, Jeff.

Come on, I don't remember
it like that at all.

You got me so drunk

I couldn't walk the next day,

- No.
- But let alone fly a TA-4.

You didn't tell me it was
your... your flight test

until, like, 1:00 a.m.,

and, what, the second I knew,

I said we should go back to base.

No, you-you sat back and
watched me pound shots.

You-you wanted to stay,
what was I supposed to do?

Force you out of there?

We were trained for combat.

I ended up stuck stateside

through Desert Storm,
the rest of you are off

flying sorties over Baghdad. You-you

screwed me out of that, man!

You ever think maybe
you're the lucky one?

Jeff,

w-what do you want me to say here?

That you're sorry.

You know, I came here because I thought

you were going through a rough time,

and I assumed, apparently mistakenly,

that we were friends.

Yeah, I'll... I'll see you around.

It's just... it's just...

You should have...

you should have helped me...

not mess up.

Okay.

Look,

you were a good pilot.

And if I played an unintentional role

in keeping you from
proving that, then...

sure.

I'm sorry.

Thanks, buddy.

I appreciate it.

Governor Evans,

ready for your close-up?

You would think with our
foreign policy in shambles,

the Secretary of State would
have better things to do

than stalk me.

You're all set, Governor.

Thanks, buddy.

You're pretty hard to
get a hold of otherwise.

I'm not interested in whatever deal

Dalton is offering.

I don't know if you've noticed,

but I'm winning this thing.

Actually,

I'm here to ask a favor.

I hope you can appreciate how hard

that might be for me.

This should be good.

What do you want?

I need you to tone down
your rhetoric on Iran.

You keep saying

that you intend to
rip up the nuclear deal

on day one.

I'm here

telling you sincerely

that it would have
world-altering consequences.

Like Dalton losing the election.

Yeah, that's what I'm going for.

Is it even true?

Do you

honestly intend to destroy the deal

the day you become president?

Absolutely.

If Iran tries to
develop nuclear weapons,

I'll rip up that deal.

That is the deal.

Already.

If Iran tries to become a
nuclear-threshold country,

we reinstate the sanctions.

What you're saying

is that you intend to rip up the deal

regardless of whether

Iran is making nukes or not.

Fine, I'm being more
figurative than literal.

Of course, I don't

actually intend to

destroy the deal for no reason.

Then admit that publicly.

Put the interests

of the country you hope
to lead above your own.

Stirring words.

You are really gonna clean up

on the speaking circuit

in a few months' time.

If you'll excuse me?

Governor Evans? This way, sir.

Ma'am.

The sound guys are losing their minds.

Evans' mic was on the entire time.

They're sitting on a major scoop.

The whole conversation is on tape.

Was it?

Well, that's terrible.

God, what a terrible night.

Sorry, babe.

It was nice of you to be the bigger guy

and try to be a friend to Jeff.

And the harness part was funny.

Funny ha-ha or

- funny intriguing?
- Definitely ha-ha.

I don't like your stupid friend Megan.

That means you do like her.

Could you shut up?

- Shush, shush!
- Kids, kids, kids...

Guys, your father's...

a little tired this morning.

My God, Dad, are you hung over?

- No!
- Yes.

Okay.

Yes.

Remember this the next time
you think about drinking.

I will.

Okay, show's over. Get out of here.

Go on, go on.

Remember, he did it for America.

- Yeah.
- Go.

Wait... wait, what does that even mean?

It's Russell Jackson.

He's probably calling to see

how it went with Pearson last night.

Someone's about to have

a worse morning than I am.

Hello?

You, sir,

are a miracle worker.

- I am?
- Your boy Jeff Pearson

called and pledged Dalton his support

an hour ago.

Nicely done, Professor.

- Thanks.
- With his vote,

Michigan's a lock and...

Dalton is one step closer to
actually winning this thing.

I'm having Adele send you
a bottle of single malt.

- You're still a Scotch man, right?
- Not anymore.

Why don't you just make time

to see Stevie about this Harvard

recommendation thing,
we'll call it even?

I got nothing but time for her.

Get Adele on it.

And he hung up.

You know, Jeff was dead set
against Dalton all night long.

Well, maybe...

getting all that stuff off his
chest helped change his mind.

That can't be it, can it?

I mean, something as insignificant

as one congressman's old
baggage sway the presidency?

Sometimes it's nice to think
that a small act of kindness

could make a big difference.

Hey, most historical events happened

because some guy fell off his buggy.

Inaccurate, but appreciated.

Hey, Dad.

- Hi.
- Heard you had a few drinks last night.

All right, go to the White House.

I regret that my words
were taken out of context

- when I said that...
- You said,

"I don't actually intend
to destroy the deal."

- How could that be taken out of context?
- Be... Because if you look

at the full scope of my
words, I didn't say...

Are you ripping up
the deal or aren't you?

Not doing so well staying
on message now, is he?

Yeah, it's a little
harder when the message is,

"Turns out my message is total BS."

Ma'am,

the press is still asking
for an official statement.

"I'm shocked that a
cable news show would run

with a giant story that fell in
its lap, just as I planned it."

I'll say you're dismayed
that a private conversation

was overheard and taken out of context.

Or that.

Yeah.

It's good the American people now know

that his promises were
built on quicksand.

Ma'am, the foreign minister
of Iran is on the line for you.

Okay.

Even better it's not just
the American people who know.

Sorry we couldn't do this sooner.

Nature of the beast.

Everyone around here's 20 minutes late

for a five-minute meeting.

No, um...

I appreciate your time.

So... why does Harvard even care

about these terribly
inconvenient meet and greets?

Um...

I guess so you can tell
me about the school.

Give me advice based on your experience.

Maybe judge

whether you think I'm worthy.

All right.

You want my advice?

Don't go to law school.

I'm sorry?

Just don't do it.

It stinks.

Every practicing lawyer I know

is miserable.

Most of what they do,
it can be done by robots.

The only ones who enjoy
it are the bleeding hearts

in the nonprofit sector.

Those poor suckers working

- hundred-hour weeks for peanuts.
- Yeah.

You're one of those bleeding hearts.

Pretty much.

Fine, so, if you don't want

to score a nice corner office,

then why do you want to go to Harvard?

Look, the pressure at
Harvard Law is-is inhuman.

And everyone there

is a genius and a killer.

If you can't even give a reason...

Because I want to do
something important.

What's Harvard got to do with that?

Well, I-I think

to do good you have to be good. I mean,

maybe the best?

The bad guys,

they have all the help that they need,

but regular people who just need help?

They-they have to settle for whoever

they can get and usually
it's no one and...

Okay.

I'm gonna give you a piece of advice

and I want you to listen closely

'cause you won't hear
it from your parents,

Stephanie McCord.

Okay.

If you want to do good...

you've got to be prepared to do bad.

Okay? To be canny and watchful

and mean, so when the bad guys come,

you know just where to stick the knife,

'cause it is a fight to the death

and that is the only
language they understand.

I don't believe that.

You will.

Well... thank you for your time.

I... really appreciate it.

All right.

Come back tomorrow
for the recommendation.

You'll still write it?

I never met a McCord

who couldn't rise to a challenge.

Thank you.

Israel officially denies they
were behind yesterday's attack

on the Iranian scientists.

They say the Caucasus is a hotbed

of radical Sunni Islam and any number

of terrorist groups could
have been behind the strike.

Sure.

Why not?

No, I should have seen this coming.

From the moment

the peace deal was struck, Israel has

constantly been looking
for signs that Iran

wasn't playing above board

and the minute Iran

turned away the inspectors,
that was it for them.

Can we convince both parties
to stay in their corner?

Not escalate things further?

Sir, we have to assume Iran

is already planning countermeasures.

Maybe with conventional forces,

maybe asymmetric attacks

through Hezbollah, Hamas,

maybe both.

And then when Iran hits back,

Israel will respond in kind.

And on it goes.

"Turning and turning
in the widening gyre."

Put all of our bases on high alert.

We've got to be ready
in case Iran tries to hit.

U.S. targets, as well.

- Thank you, sir.
- Yes, sir.

I suppose this

isn't helping our
prospects in the House.

Evans is using this
conflict to renew credibility

with his supporters

and siphon off some of ours.

We're hemorrhaging congressmen,

which...

gives me the unenviable
task of trying to...

stop the bleeding.

If you'll excuse me.

I need some air.

Whether or not.

Israel's behavior was rash...

if it comes to war...

we're gonna have to back them

against Iran.

I knew this peace deal would be hard...

but I didn't think it would
fall apart so spectacularly.

Should I have seen this coming, Bess?

Did I overreach?

Sir...

you were trying to protect the world

from a nuclear-armed Iran,

and peacefully resolved
a conflict we'd been in

since 1979... and it almost worked.

Almost.

Well, since my days as
president are numbered...

the Iran deal is going

to define my administration...

just...

not the way I hoped.

I need to speak with
Congressmen Zaks, Winter, Ramsay,

in that order and call my
wife, tell her she should

get herself a date for
the Kennedy Center tonight,

I'm not gonna make it.

If this is a bad time, I can,

I can come back later.

No.

No. I'm determined to accomplish

at least one thing today.

One thing I can actually...

cross off my list without
seven other things...

popping up to take its place.

One thing that doesn't
involve arm twisting...

or browbeating...

Are you...

so, God...

are you okay?

Help! Help!

Someone help!