Madam Secretary (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 17 - Phase Two - full transcript
Phase 2 of Elizabeth's deal with Iran is put in jeopardy when a Senator claims that money from Phase 1 was used in a bombing that killed a US citizen. Henry mulls over whether to accept the chair of the new military ethics department
A cyber attack is no longer
a question of if, but when.
Mr. Al Nasri, what I'm offering you...
Salman, Salman, please.
You are tenacious, my friend.
I prefer to think of myself
as passionate about my work.
I will make with you a bargain.
You will consult Al Nasri Financial
to strengthen our cyber defenses...
if you can tell me why I'm bringing
American fast casual
dining to the Kingdom.
Because in five years,
single women will drive
themselves to work,
and there will be more movie screens
in Jeddah than in Midtown Manhattan.
Because you see the
new Saudi Arabia...
government transparency,
education reform, trade.
Honestly, my daughter just
loves their milkshakes.
But I like what you said.
Welcome to the new Saudi Arabia.
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
Hey, you're missing some primo
huevos rancheros in here.
Brain food.
Eggs are brain food?
Too bad we don't have a
National Merit Scholar
to ask about that.
- Please stop.
- Wait.
Isn't our son a
National Merit Scholar?
Well, wouldn't his school
have some kind of formal
ceremony recognizing him
as a National Merit Scholar?
I did well on a standardized test.
I didn't sequence the human genome.
Oh, look, you're being celebrated
for all your hard work,
and a $2,500 scholarship...
thank you... that is
nothing to sneeze at.
So, get over here and feed
that National Merit Scholar brain.
Oh, look, it's your new
best friend again.
The bombing four months ago
that killed an American
and many others is yet
another tragic consequence
of Secretary McCord and
the Dalton administration
aiding and abetting those
that would do us harm.
Are you implying that the
Dalton administration
- is negotiating...
- It's unbelievable.
We invited this guy into our home.
I like to think he remembers
that night fondly sometimes
when he's sunning himself on a rock.
Well, look, Trevor,
who is Hezbollah's patron state?
It's Iran.
Elizabeth McCord naively
trooped off to Tehran
to negotiate a nuclear deal,
and she gave away our
sanctions leverage.
She promised us peace,
and look what we got.
And now she's back with the so-called
"Phase Two" of the negotiations.
That's why I've introduced legislation
to undo this disastrous Phase One,
and to stop Phase Two in its tracks.
That guy has one of the
most punchable faces
- of all time.
- Well, yeah, but I mean,
he kind of has a point.
I mean, the bomb killed
a lot of people,
and then the deal just
let billions of dollars
flow into a hostile regime.
I mean, what do...
what do we get in return?
- Here we go.
- I'm just saying
it seems like Phase One left a lot
of important issues unresolved.
Well, that's because it did.
By design.
Okay, so Morejon's not entirely wrong.
Iran was one month away
from having a viable nuclear weapon.
One month.
That would have posed
an existential threat
to Israel, Europe and,
ultimately, the United States.
And the scale of the
war that it would've
taken to prevent that...
Well, let's just say
instead of college,
right now, you might well be
thinking about the draft.
That's what we got in return.
So, you're welcome.
The fact that these talks
are happening at all,
kind of history-making.
We'll see.
What, you think they might not work?
Iran is still prevented
from being fully integrated
into the global banking system,
stifling our economy
and costing billions
of dollars a year.
This must be addressed
first and foremost.
And it could be, Minister Esfahani,
if Iran is willing to facilitate
a lasting cease-fire in Yemen.
- These people have had...
- It is your Saudi friends
who are pulling the strings in
the ongoing Yemeni conflict.
The shipload of anti-aircraft missiles
in the Gulf of Aden,
and the 200 pounds of C-4
intercepted by the
Bahrani authorities?
We all know your Quds Forces
directed those shipments.
Minister, arming the rebels
in Yemen can only lead
to more violence.
If you want to de-escalate
the situation in Yemen,
then a public statement
from Saudi Arabia
pledging to do just that
would be viewed favorably in Tehran.
Well, Minister,
the United States insists
that Iran first respect
the sovereignty
of its neighbors.
I'm afraid the United States
lacks the credibility
to lecture anyone
on honoring a nation's sovereignty.
Ask our neighbors, the Iraqis.
Bess, we're thinking of
punting the Phase Two talks
until after the midterms.
Sir, we need to press on.
Morejon, he-he's just grandstanding.
Well, to hear the talking
heads on cable news
tell it, we've got Iranian extremists
implicated in the murder
of an American citizen
while you're airlifting
billion-dollar gift baskets
into Tehran.
Our allies in Congress were
skittish to begin with.
This doesn't help. I'm already
booked on Trevor Vance's show
to get our side out there.
Meanwhile, the Saudis... you remember,
our allies, the Saudis...
are all spun up over this
arms deal you're slow-rolling
to placate Iran.
The Saudis will get
- their precision-guided missiles.
- When?
Give me three more months.
I'll tell them that-that
the deal is hung up
with our lawyers
at the Political-Military Affairs
and the folks at DSCA.
Which is actually semi-true.
But besides, they will
get greater security
if we are able to pull off
- the Phase Two talks.
- Yeah, well, something tells me
they won't see it that way.
Morejon certainly won't.
He's close to wrangling enough votes
to scuttle any deal we make.
Backing off till after the midterms...
gives us room to maneuver.
If we postpone the talks,
Iran will walk.
And if they do, it all but guarantees
they'll continue funding our enemies.
- And how are the talks going?
- Slowly,
sir.
We are negotiating with a
long-time adversary, Russell,
not microwaving soup... it takes time.
Which I hope I'm making
clear is not on our side.
What might speed up the process?
Okay, my team has
flagged an inducement
that we think could grab
the Iranians enough
to force some real concessions.
Access to SWIFT interbank
communications network.
You want to just let them back
into the international banking system?
They are desperate
to bring their economy
in from the cold.
So this could allow us to
demand serious concessions
in exchange.
All right, Bess, but
you're on the clock here.
- Yes.
- Longer this drags out,
the better chance these talks get
pulled down around our ears.
Yes, sir. Thank you,
Mr. President, Russell.
Yeah.
So, I hear you've pared back
some of your off-campus activities.
More time for my students.
Well, that is good news.
Because one of your proposals
has gained some traction
with the board.
Oh, yeah? Which proposal is that?
Some additional funding
has made launching
a military ethics department
a viable option.
Well, that is great news.
I think it'll be
an invaluable asset to our program.
"Today's battle space
ranges from cyberspace
"to outer space.
"It is vital to give
tomorrow's commanders
"the ethical tools they need
to make sound decisions in
a rapidly changing world."
That was some memo you wrote.
Two years ago.
Academia.
Worse, government-funded academia.
We'll need an interim chair.
You're at the top of our list.
Oh, I'm flattered you would
think of me, General,
but I really am looking forward
to getting back to teaching full time.
Oh, I just assumed
since it was your idea,
you'd want to lead the charge.
A perfectly logical assumption.
Nevertheless, I...
Give me a couple of
days to think about it.
Absolutely.
Thanks.
Good news and bad news, ma'am.
You know what? Let's be Zen
- and call it all just news.
- Fair enough.
Uh, neutral news item number one:
the Iranians responded well
to the prospect of being
reintroduced into the
SWIFT banking system.
You think they'd be open to
cutting off financial support
to their proxy forces, like Hezbollah?
They didn't leave the
table when I broached it,
so we'll call it a start.
Okay, good work.
- Ma'am.
- Um...
So what's the, um,
you know, other news?
Yeah, um, the Saudi
ambassador showed up
without an appointment,
and he does not look happy.
Well, I'll deal with that.
You keep at it with the Iranians.
Yes, ma'am.
Madam Secretary.
Prince Asim. Come on in.
I needn't remind the United States
of the importance of honoring
its commitments to its
long-term partner.
The United States has always valued
its alliance with Saudi Arabia.
And yet, you delay sending us
essential defensive weapons,
all in an effort
- to placate the Iranians.
- First of all, there's no delay.
Our lawyers are simply
reviewing the contracts.
They have to do that every
time we make an arms deal.
Three more months have
mysteriously been added
to the delivery timeline.
How is that not a delay?
I assure you we are not naive
to the threat Iran poses.
If you do not give us
the weapons we need,
then you are not only naive,
but complicit in that threat.
You have the right to self-defense,
but you have no right
to barge into my office
and demand U.S.
precision-guided munitions
on your timetable.
During your misadventure in Iraq,
it was Saudi Arabia
that opened its bases
and airspace to you.
Free of charge, no less.
Perhaps you have forgotten
who your true friends are.
I assure you, we have not.
Excellent.
His Majesty will be pleased
to hear these delays
are being resolved,
and the missiles will be
on their way very soon.
Good day, Madam Secretary.
Anyway, the moral of the story is
you try to make peace
in the Middle East,
everybody gets mad at you.
At least one of us had a good day.
Mm, to tell you the truth,
I think I'm gonna pass on that job.
Why?
The ethics department was your idea.
They literally got the memo.
It's... dealing with staffing
assignments and budget requests.
Uh...
You remember
how mind-numbing college
bureaucracy can be.
Not to mention the petty politics.
Faculty senate made the Middle East
look like child's play.
Exactly. So, just think
I want to just focus on
teaching for a while,
avoid the headaches.
Is that the whole story?
Well,
maybe I'm feeling a little burnt
after my experience at CIA.
I-I'm just not so hot
to jump back into a
leadership position
where you're getting
it from all sides.
I have thoughts. Hold on.
Yeah?
Send him in.
Mike B. is here.
Hey, Mike.
To what do we owe the
pleasure, or alarm?
You want some tea, or something?
Can't stay. Gordon's waiting.
Listen, the news will
probably break tomorrow,
but I wanted you to
hear it from me first.
I got a tip from a source
at the D.C. District Court.
You're being sued.
- What?
- By whom?
The parents of Jim Dawson,
the American killed in
the Riyadh bombing.
They're suing you for the
wrongful death of their son.
I'll-I'll call you tomorrow.
Basically, the suit claims
that Elizabeth facilitated a deal
which led to funds being
freed up to go to Iran.
Those funds made their
way to Hezbollah,
whose operative may have paid
for the bombing that killed
Jim Dawson, which is,
- on its merits...
- Absurd.
The legal term is "spurious."
But in any case, sovereign
immunity shields Elizabeth
from legal liability.
I can certainly understand
the family's anger,
but if the suit is a nonstarter,
what do they hope to gain by it?
I can't imagine these people are
taking out a second mortgage
to keep a $700 per
hour firm on retainer.
Someone's behind this.
So I'll put together a list
of deep-pocket donors
with an axe to grind
against the president.
Long list.
There's, uh...
also the matter of what
Jim Dawson was doing
in Saudi Arabia.
Jim Dawson was a, uh,
cyber security consultant
for a handful of companies
from Algiers to Abu Dhabi,
and he was one of ours.
Dawson was a spy?
Yeah. Six years, Special Operations
right out of high school.
E.O.D. attached to a SEAL platoon.
Spent the last eight at the agency
infiltrating extremist money networks.
So his cover was blown?
Do we think this was an assassination?
Yes, but, uh,
Dawson wasn't the target.
Salman Al Nasri.
He's an entrepreneur,
used his billions
to fund a variety of
progressive initiatives.
The attackers were ideologues
motivated to strike at
the "decadent West."
CIA thinks our man was just
in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Well, speaking of being in the
wrong place at the wrong time,
Elizabeth... and I cannot stress
this enough... do not get served.
And that is the sum total
of your vaunted and
costly legal advice?
Taking the summons,
plus the wrong judge,
leaves you open to be deposed.
A deposition means
you go on record declining
to answer their questions
on national security grounds,
so, yeah.
Yeah, Morejon could spin your silence
as putting the Iran deal over
the family of a dead American.
Dead at the hands of
Iranian-backed terrorists.
Yeah, which just adds
more fuel to his fire
to kill your deal in Congress.
So... if you don't
want that to happen...
Don't get served.
To be clear: we are sitting
in the White House,
in front of the president,
and you're telling
me to dodge the law.
Now she's getting it.
Oh, uh, I-I'm sorry. I can come back.
Uh, no, stay. Please, come in.
Auspicious timing.
Have you met Lyle Belkin?
He's one of our visiting professors.
Well, good to meet you.
I read your book on
Sherman's March to the Sea
and the birth of total warfare.
- Very nice work.
- Thank you.
And you are the famous
Mr. Madam Secretary.
That's one of the titles
that I proudly hold.
I hope she's got her wicker shield.
I'm not following you.
Ancient Persian soldiers were
famous for their wicker shields,
as I'm sure you know.
The media seems to think
she's fighting for the
Iranians now, it's...
Sorry, bad joke.
Is that what that was?
Uh, Lyle was just
expressing his interest in the
interim ethics department chair.
He dropped in to share some
ideas about the curriculum.
Well, then, it is auspicious timing,
because I came by to say
that I'm interested in the job myself.
Oh.
Well, that's excellent.
You should both prepare
a short presentation
with your vision for the department,
and why you think you'd be
the best person for the job.
I'll set up interviews with
the board immediately.
Great.
May the best man win.
I'm looking forward to it.
Lyle.
The deal that we have in place now
caps Iran's enrichment
at four percent,
which is nowhere near the 90% level
they would need to build a bomb.
Americans are objectively safer,
thanks to Phase One,
and Phase Two will just
build on that good work.
Now, I wonder if the family of
Jim Dawson would agree with you.
Uh, can we roll that tape?
We give these people money and
they use it to attack us?
Uh...
He was the best son
a father could w...
I just don't understand.
And what do you say to that
family who's lost their son?
It's a terrible loss.
My heart truly breaks
for the Dawson family.
Well, Senator Carlos Morejon asks
if this isn't the inevitable result
of making deals with Iran.
Isn't what you call "peace,"
really appeasement?
Well, you know,
at the height of the Cold War,
Ronald Reagan negotiated
the START treaty
with the Soviet Union,
drastically reducing
both nations' nuclear stockpiles.
Now, if we could negotiate
with the greatest adversary
this country has ever faced,
at a moment of maximum peril,
I think we can do the same with
a regional power like Iran.
Forgive me if this is difficult,
but some say you have lost
clarity when it comes to Iran,
due to your own painful experiences.
Who says that, exactly?
Well, several sources.
Well, you're implying
that there's a chorus
of critics out there
who are concerned about my
ability to reason clearly.
Can you name one?
Please, just answer
my question, ma'am.
Actually, I would say that witnessing
the horrors of terrorism firsthand
gave me absolute clarity
on the need to protect the
American people from it.
I'm also absolutely clear
that violence should
only be resorted to
when every other option
has been exhausted.
I wouldn't wish
how I came to that clarity on anyone.
Even those who treat
questions of war and peace
as just another
Washington gotcha game.
But thank you for
your concern, Trevor.
Well, that is all the time we have.
Well, I think it's safe to say
that people heard the other
side of the argument.
You okay, ma'am?
Yeah, I'm fine.
You don't really talk much
about your time in Iran.
He wanted to go there.
I went there.
Yep. You sure did.
- Elizabeth McCord?
- Sir, get back.
Gun!
- Whoa.
- What?
Show me your hands!
- Let me see them!
- I'm a process server.
I'm a...
process server.
I'm a... process server.
Bad news, ma'am.
We're trying to rise above labels now,
and calling it all just "news."
Yeah, have fun with that.
Gun!
Someone from the crowd
recorded it on their cell.
The cable shows
- are playing it on loop.
- Ow.
With the oh, so original
title "Tacklegate."
You know, how about we
just retire "blankgate"
as a construction altogether?
- I'm sorry.
- So I'm guessing
that no one's talking about
the secretary's appearance
on Trevor Vance's show?
No, because they're all
too busy watching me
running away from the family of a man
who was killed by
Iranian-backed terror.
Which is exactly what POTUS
was afraid of, by the way.
More, um, "news," ma'am:
uh, you're trending.
#SecretaryOfEscape.
Also, no more hashtags.
I'll tell everyone.
Let me see your hands!
It looks a lot worse
than it really was.
- I'm a process server.
- Right?
Well, I hope so,
'cause it looks pretty bad.
You're supposed to be on my side.
Well, hey, what kind of
ethics professor would I be
if I wasn't honest, right?
I don't know.
What kind of ethics
professor wants to be
head of the ethics department
just because some guy made
a crack about his wife?
Hey, it's not that simple.
Okay, it's not entirely that simple.
I... just...
Lyle rubs me the wrong way.
But...
Look, we have a real opportunity here
to help future leaders learn
how to deal with
enormously complex issues.
I-I'm just not certain
that Lyle is the right guy
to head the department.
That you suggested they
create in the first place.
Well, hey. Hey.
What-what is your argument?
Just that you said you wanted
to spend more time in the classroom.
You felt burned by the CIA.
The point is, you wanted one thing,
and then, this guy Lyle shows up,
and now you want something different.
I am perfectly happy
with whatever you pick.
Just make sure that you are, too.
Hey, Dad.
- Hey, kiddo.
- Hey, Jace.
Brutal takedown, by the way.
Was it a thing, at school?
It wasn't not a thing.
I am sorry that my work drama
impacts your life.
It's... fine.
But listen, if you can't make it
to my, like, my dumb ceremony
'cause you're all wrapped
up in work, then it's
totally fine because...
Hey, do you remember the
last time you got an award
at school? Because I do.
Third grade, perfect attendance.
And I didn't miss that one.
Would've been too ironic,
for starters.
And nothing is going to make me miss
seeing my National Merit Scholar
get his... medal? Certificate?
Possibly both.
Well, whatever it is, the point
is, she's gonna be there.
Cheering from the crowd loudly.
- Oh, God. I so regret excelling.
- Whoo!
Aw.
- Mr. President.
- Bess.
The work you and your people
did to secure Phase One
was laudable and crucial to
global security, but if Morejon
gets the votes to kill Phase Two,
he will put in language that
undoes the nuclear safeguards
guaranteed in Phase One.
That puts millions of lives at risk.
I won't do it.
We're pushing the Phase Two talks
until after the midterms.
Sir, this opportunity to cut
a meaningful security deal
with Iran won't come again.
Which means that sooner or later,
we will be sucked into
a Sunni-Shia war that will
engulf the entire Middle East.
Either we make the deal
now, or no deal gets made.
Then no deal gets made.
It pains me, too, Bess.
But we have to look at
the bigger picture.
Understood, sir. Thank you.
I hear you're something
of a bowman, General.
You know, I've been
shooting Hoyt for years.
Good weight, fast,
and almost no hand shock.
Uh, the string angle on my
old Bear suits me better.
Let me know when you're free.
An old friend has a lease
out near Rockingham.
Thanks to you and the
committee for your time, sir.
It was our pleasure.
We'll be ready for you
in just a moment, Henry.
Thank you, General.
You think I'm laying it on
a little heavy, don't you?
Well, there's nothing wrong
with shared interests.
An instructor back in Hamburg
had a favorite Grant quote:
"He who continues the attack, wins."
You took the field officer course
at the German Military Academy?
Class of '93.
Yeah, uh, made some buddies
over at Hahn Air Base.
Oh, man. We used to have some times.
Uh, how about that? Good for you.
Professor McCord.
Come on in.
Oh, you got to be kidding.
What's wrong?
The...
Oh.
Ma'am, if you'll wait here a moment
while we secure the entrance?
No. No.
No more dodging.
- Babe.
- It's okay. I'll be fine.
I'll meet you in there, okay?
It's time to tackle this head-on,
metaphorically speaking, Matt. Okay?
No need to attack me.
I'm an officer of the court.
No, no, I... Look, I-I want
to apologize for yesterday,
and I hope you're not
in too much pain.
Eh, this is nothing.
One time, a meth dealer ran
over me with his Camaro.
Oh, my God, that's awful.
Besides, I should be thanking you.
I'm confused.
I linked the video of
your people tackling me
to the website for my
legal services company.
My business doubled overnight.
- Oh... Well, good for you.
- That's...
I'm Elizabeth.
- Joel.
- Joel.
So should we do this thing?
Oh, yeah, right.
Elizabeth McCord,
you have been served.
Thanks, Joel.
You have a good one.
Just want you to know that your mom
is very proud of you.
Yeah, I think the whole
auditorium knew that.
Alison, how's the Stu... uh, Mike?
How did you, uh...
The middle one let me in.
Damn it. I pressed the thing.
Mike B. is here.
Congratulations on your award.
So nice of you to stop by.
Again.
Hey, Mike. Guess this isn't
a social visit again.
Can we talk in there?
Yeah.
I know. I know.
I let myself get served. Sorry.
Yesterday's news.
I found out who's covering
the Dawsons' considerable legal fees.
Yeah? Who is it?
You're not gonna like the answer.
I traced the money through a
series of offshore companies
and subcontractors,
all the way back to its source,
and arrived at a trust
controlled by a powerful Saudi family
with close ties to the government.
You're kidding.
I told you you wouldn't like it.
Do you have hard proof
it was the Saudis?
Not like a sworn affidavit,
but give me time.
A purported ally sabotaging the
American Secretary of State.
It's... unbelievable.
What's a little backstabbing
among friends, right?
Let me call you back.
Madam Secretary, what
a pleasant surprise.
You're being played by the Saudis.
Excuse me?
Someone very powerful in Saudi Arabia
is paying the law firm
- representing the Dawsons.
- That's ridiculous.
It is. It also happens to be true.
They're trying to
derail the Iran talks,
and they are using you
and our legislative process to
do the dirty work for them.
But you already knew that,
Senator, didn't you?
Well, you know the old proverb:
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Well, that's interesting
that you think
of the Secretary of
State as your enemy.
More interesting still
that you assumed
I meant you and not Iran.
You stood in my house and talked about
preserving American
sovereignty and safety.
What happened to that guy?
Don't you lecture me about patriotism.
Oh.
Saudi Arabia may not be
perfect, but they're our ally.
I know exactly what I'm fighting
for, Madam Secretary. Do you?
And who I'm fighting against.
See you around, Carlos.
That Morejon.
Every time I think that
guy might be all right,
he pulls some opportunistic,
weaselly maneuver.
It's like: patriot, weasel,
patriot, weasel.
No, I think it's more like:
weasel, weasel, briefly patriot,
weasel, weasel, weasel, weasel.
You're probably right.
Anyway, you never told me the
details on your presentation.
How'd it go?
Well, like I said, it was okay.
It's Lyle that's the problem.
What do you mean?
Well, there's this
officer training course
that's offered by the German military.
It's very prestigious.
Lyle said he took it in 1993
and hung out with some
officers at Hahn Air Base
during that time.
It was an oddly specific detail.
I-It bumped me, the way he said it.
So I did a little digging.
Turns out there's no record of Lyle
graduating and finishing his
coursework at the academy.
A-And yet he puts it
on his official CV.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
Wow.
So are you gonna turn him in?
I don't know.
Exposing him is not a small thing.
But integrity's kind
of the point, right?
Yeah, but from the start,
I've had it in for the guy.
There's something about
him that just bothers me.
Yeah, I feel that way about,
like, everyone right now.
Except you.
Listen, I got to, I got to get back,
but you just...
do what you think is right.
Okay.
Right.
Were you aware that Hezbollah
was laundering money to
avoid U.S. sanctions?
In accordance with my position
as an executive officer
of the United States,
I invoke executive privilege
and refrain from
answering any questions
that pertain to my
official duties as such.
Were you aware that the
release of money frozen
as a part of the
sanctions against Iran
could be directed to
known terrorist groups?
In accordance with my position
as an executive officer
of the United States,
I invoke executive pr...
It's a rote answer. I got it.
Do we really need to keep doing this?
After the fiasco with
the process server?
Yes, you definitely need to practice
staying on script.
Fine, go ahead.
Okay. Did you...
You know what I can't stand?
Betrayal by an ally.
The capriciousness
of our legal system.
People with pet ferrets.
It doesn't matter.
This is where we are.
Jim Dawson's family
lost their only son.
And they have no idea
what really happened.
You're right, and that's sad.
But it's not our problem.
Let's get back to work, okay?
But, see, it is my problem.
The deal is dead.
This lawsuit is whatever it is.
But that family doesn't
deserve to be...
manipulated by people
hiding in the shadows.
They are not going to
get their son back,
but they deserve some peace.
They deserve the truth.
I owe them that.
Feel better?
Yeah.
Good, 'cause you're never
saying any of that.
Actually, I think I am.
- I'm still billing you for this.
- Yep.
Mr. Dawson. Elizabeth McCord.
I-I apologize for showing
up at your door like this,
but I have some information
about your son.
I think we ought to call our lawyer.
Who is it, Bob?
Hello, Mrs. Dawson. Grace.
She says she's got
information about Jim.
Can I...
Please.
Come in, Madam Secretary.
This doesn't happen often,
but the president has
approved the release
of certain classified information
about your son's death.
I don't understand.
Jim helped companies
with their computers.
Mrs. Dawson,
Jim was a decorated
operative for the CIA
working on extremely sensitive
national security issues.
He never said anything
about any of this.
I know it's a lot to take in.
He had to hide that side
of his life to protect you
and families like yours.
Jim was a hero who died in
service to this country.
I know it doesn't bring your son back.
You want us to drop the lawsuit.
- Don't you?
- Sweetheart.
No. No, honey, no. She's using us.
Can't you see that? You
politicians are all the same.
You only pretend you care when
there's something you need.
Mr. Dawson, I agree with you.
Politics can be an ugly business
and if you want to sue me,
absolutely, that is your right.
It's true.
I shake a lot of hands
I'd rather not shake.
But the unique privilege of my job...
is that I get to see the difference
that people like your son
make in the world.
On behalf of a grateful nation,
I want to thank you for Jim's service
and offer my deepest condolences.
I appreciate your time.
Thank you for telling
us about our Jim.
How'd you do it?
Do you want to just get it over with
and move into our garage?
When did you start
running voluntarily?
Today.
As you know, I've always maintained
that exercise is stupid and painful,
but clearly I know nothing
because the Dawsons are
dropping the suit.
So again, how did you do it?
That's not what I went over there for,
but that's good news, I suppose.
You suppose?
It's unequivocally good news.
In fact, they're releasing
a statement thanking you
for whatever it is you did.
The word on the Hill is
Morejon is still trying
to cobble together votes,
which he won't get
once it leaks that the former
Saudi deputy minister
of education is paying
to manipulate a grieving,
American family.
You found hard evidence?
Sometimes it's like you
don't even realize
you're insulting me.
Anyway, the point is,
you can now restart your
little peace talks.
You're welcome.
About that, um, is there
a friend rate or...?
There is not.
You, Elizabeth McCord,
are an exhausting client.
Yeah.
Going to see that family
was reckless and stupid.
You know, you asked me how I did it.
I wasn't trying to do anything,
just what I thought was right.
I already said. Stupid.
Ugh.
- Hey. Out.
- Hmm? Oh, yeah.
Lyle. Hey.
We need to talk.
In a bit of a hurry.
General Winfield has
some pictures of antlers
he wants to show me.
Look, I know you didn't complete
the Military Academy of
the German Armed Forces.
Their records show that you enrolled,
but you didn't complete
your coursework.
And you're gonna do what
with this allegation?
Have this conversation with you.
So I'll just step aside
and you can get the job.
- Is that it?
- Or you could consider it an
opportunity to correct your oversight.
And no one has to know?
Not if you resolve the issue.
I don't see why they would.
One point.
I failed my last final by one point.
I mean, there's a
retest the next week,
but I'd already booked my
flight back to the States.
Then one day I looked up.
It was five years later and
no one had even mentioned it.
Oh, man.
That's tough.
I'm sure a lot of us
would probably have done
the exact same thing.
Why are you doing this?
I got the distinct impression
you didn't like me.
I don't.
Well, I didn't.
I can come on strong, I know.
That crack about your wife...
Was not great.
But your book about
Sherman's March was.
You didn't have to do this, Lyle.
You're the real deal.
Even if not everything on your CV was.
That's very decent of you.
- Ethical, dare I say.
- Hmm.
Thank you, Henry.
Madam Secretary.
I've heard a troubling rumor
about the late James Dawson,
specifically in regards
to who he was really working
for while in the Kingdom.
Prince Asim, thanks so
much for making the time.
Sending unauthorized
spies into our country
is yet another example of the
U.S. abusing a trusted ally.
We both know that every
country does exactly that
to every other country, so you
feigning outrage tells me
you really must be
getting hounded at home
about closing this missile deal, huh?
So we're being brutally
honest with each other now?
What are trusted allies for, right?
And in that spirit,
we know that someone closely
connected with your government
has been funding the
Dawsons' lawsuit against me.
Madam Secretary, you misunderstand.
His Highness remains
cognizant of the need
for our continued cooperation.
You mean you still want our
precision-guided weapons.
Yeah, don't worry.
You-you'll get them...
as soon as your government brokers
an immediate cease-fire in Yemen.
You must know that such a message
will cause great consternation
to His Majesty.
Hmm.
And therefore, even
more to the messenger.
I'm putting you in a rough spot.
I know.
But, truth be told,
I haven't really been in a great
spot, either, the last few days,
so cease-fire for missiles.
That's the deal.
I will take up your
proposal with the king.
And I look forward to the
announcement of the cease-fire.
Thanks so much. You have a great day.
Welcome to the first meeting of
the Military Ethics Department.
Okay, well, obviously, we're
just getting up and running,
so I wanted to open the floor
and get a sense of your hopes
for the new department.
Well, first of all, congratulations.
So well deserved.
If I could just raise a
small housekeeping issue?
Sure. Absolutely.
I understand Lyle Belkin
has taken a sabbatical.
I'm assuming that means
his parking space
will be available.
His parking space?
Um, point of order.
I made a request to
Facilities months ago
for a closer spot, so...
O-Okay. Okay.
Well, I was hoping to talk about
some bigger-picture
issues this morning.
Of course. Of course.
So you'll be taking it yourself then?
To the victor go the spoils.
All hail Henricus Rex.
No.
Okay, can we circle back
to the parking space issue later?
Yeah? Okay.
"Iran commits to financial
"transparency and accountability,
"greater monitoring and transparency
of Iranian weapon transfers
to non-State actors."
And to insure this, Iran
will accept an inspection
and verification regime.
Is that acceptable?
It is debatable.
It's a start.
Okay.
In the spirit of cooperation,
the IRGC has information
on the whereabouts of
one of your citizens
that it would like to share.
Amina Shaloubi
of the Washington Chronicle?
She was abducted
by Boko Haram over a year ago.
Your intelligence services
will find the information
regarding Ms. Shaloubi's
location reliable.
The United States appreciates
Iran's assistance
in this matter.
Gentlemen, I'm glad you're back.
All right, shall we?
_
a question of if, but when.
Mr. Al Nasri, what I'm offering you...
Salman, Salman, please.
You are tenacious, my friend.
I prefer to think of myself
as passionate about my work.
I will make with you a bargain.
You will consult Al Nasri Financial
to strengthen our cyber defenses...
if you can tell me why I'm bringing
American fast casual
dining to the Kingdom.
Because in five years,
single women will drive
themselves to work,
and there will be more movie screens
in Jeddah than in Midtown Manhattan.
Because you see the
new Saudi Arabia...
government transparency,
education reform, trade.
Honestly, my daughter just
loves their milkshakes.
But I like what you said.
Welcome to the new Saudi Arabia.
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
Hey, you're missing some primo
huevos rancheros in here.
Brain food.
Eggs are brain food?
Too bad we don't have a
National Merit Scholar
to ask about that.
- Please stop.
- Wait.
Isn't our son a
National Merit Scholar?
Well, wouldn't his school
have some kind of formal
ceremony recognizing him
as a National Merit Scholar?
I did well on a standardized test.
I didn't sequence the human genome.
Oh, look, you're being celebrated
for all your hard work,
and a $2,500 scholarship...
thank you... that is
nothing to sneeze at.
So, get over here and feed
that National Merit Scholar brain.
Oh, look, it's your new
best friend again.
The bombing four months ago
that killed an American
and many others is yet
another tragic consequence
of Secretary McCord and
the Dalton administration
aiding and abetting those
that would do us harm.
Are you implying that the
Dalton administration
- is negotiating...
- It's unbelievable.
We invited this guy into our home.
I like to think he remembers
that night fondly sometimes
when he's sunning himself on a rock.
Well, look, Trevor,
who is Hezbollah's patron state?
It's Iran.
Elizabeth McCord naively
trooped off to Tehran
to negotiate a nuclear deal,
and she gave away our
sanctions leverage.
She promised us peace,
and look what we got.
And now she's back with the so-called
"Phase Two" of the negotiations.
That's why I've introduced legislation
to undo this disastrous Phase One,
and to stop Phase Two in its tracks.
That guy has one of the
most punchable faces
- of all time.
- Well, yeah, but I mean,
he kind of has a point.
I mean, the bomb killed
a lot of people,
and then the deal just
let billions of dollars
flow into a hostile regime.
I mean, what do...
what do we get in return?
- Here we go.
- I'm just saying
it seems like Phase One left a lot
of important issues unresolved.
Well, that's because it did.
By design.
Okay, so Morejon's not entirely wrong.
Iran was one month away
from having a viable nuclear weapon.
One month.
That would have posed
an existential threat
to Israel, Europe and,
ultimately, the United States.
And the scale of the
war that it would've
taken to prevent that...
Well, let's just say
instead of college,
right now, you might well be
thinking about the draft.
That's what we got in return.
So, you're welcome.
The fact that these talks
are happening at all,
kind of history-making.
We'll see.
What, you think they might not work?
Iran is still prevented
from being fully integrated
into the global banking system,
stifling our economy
and costing billions
of dollars a year.
This must be addressed
first and foremost.
And it could be, Minister Esfahani,
if Iran is willing to facilitate
a lasting cease-fire in Yemen.
- These people have had...
- It is your Saudi friends
who are pulling the strings in
the ongoing Yemeni conflict.
The shipload of anti-aircraft missiles
in the Gulf of Aden,
and the 200 pounds of C-4
intercepted by the
Bahrani authorities?
We all know your Quds Forces
directed those shipments.
Minister, arming the rebels
in Yemen can only lead
to more violence.
If you want to de-escalate
the situation in Yemen,
then a public statement
from Saudi Arabia
pledging to do just that
would be viewed favorably in Tehran.
Well, Minister,
the United States insists
that Iran first respect
the sovereignty
of its neighbors.
I'm afraid the United States
lacks the credibility
to lecture anyone
on honoring a nation's sovereignty.
Ask our neighbors, the Iraqis.
Bess, we're thinking of
punting the Phase Two talks
until after the midterms.
Sir, we need to press on.
Morejon, he-he's just grandstanding.
Well, to hear the talking
heads on cable news
tell it, we've got Iranian extremists
implicated in the murder
of an American citizen
while you're airlifting
billion-dollar gift baskets
into Tehran.
Our allies in Congress were
skittish to begin with.
This doesn't help. I'm already
booked on Trevor Vance's show
to get our side out there.
Meanwhile, the Saudis... you remember,
our allies, the Saudis...
are all spun up over this
arms deal you're slow-rolling
to placate Iran.
The Saudis will get
- their precision-guided missiles.
- When?
Give me three more months.
I'll tell them that-that
the deal is hung up
with our lawyers
at the Political-Military Affairs
and the folks at DSCA.
Which is actually semi-true.
But besides, they will
get greater security
if we are able to pull off
- the Phase Two talks.
- Yeah, well, something tells me
they won't see it that way.
Morejon certainly won't.
He's close to wrangling enough votes
to scuttle any deal we make.
Backing off till after the midterms...
gives us room to maneuver.
If we postpone the talks,
Iran will walk.
And if they do, it all but guarantees
they'll continue funding our enemies.
- And how are the talks going?
- Slowly,
sir.
We are negotiating with a
long-time adversary, Russell,
not microwaving soup... it takes time.
Which I hope I'm making
clear is not on our side.
What might speed up the process?
Okay, my team has
flagged an inducement
that we think could grab
the Iranians enough
to force some real concessions.
Access to SWIFT interbank
communications network.
You want to just let them back
into the international banking system?
They are desperate
to bring their economy
in from the cold.
So this could allow us to
demand serious concessions
in exchange.
All right, Bess, but
you're on the clock here.
- Yes.
- Longer this drags out,
the better chance these talks get
pulled down around our ears.
Yes, sir. Thank you,
Mr. President, Russell.
Yeah.
So, I hear you've pared back
some of your off-campus activities.
More time for my students.
Well, that is good news.
Because one of your proposals
has gained some traction
with the board.
Oh, yeah? Which proposal is that?
Some additional funding
has made launching
a military ethics department
a viable option.
Well, that is great news.
I think it'll be
an invaluable asset to our program.
"Today's battle space
ranges from cyberspace
"to outer space.
"It is vital to give
tomorrow's commanders
"the ethical tools they need
to make sound decisions in
a rapidly changing world."
That was some memo you wrote.
Two years ago.
Academia.
Worse, government-funded academia.
We'll need an interim chair.
You're at the top of our list.
Oh, I'm flattered you would
think of me, General,
but I really am looking forward
to getting back to teaching full time.
Oh, I just assumed
since it was your idea,
you'd want to lead the charge.
A perfectly logical assumption.
Nevertheless, I...
Give me a couple of
days to think about it.
Absolutely.
Thanks.
Good news and bad news, ma'am.
You know what? Let's be Zen
- and call it all just news.
- Fair enough.
Uh, neutral news item number one:
the Iranians responded well
to the prospect of being
reintroduced into the
SWIFT banking system.
You think they'd be open to
cutting off financial support
to their proxy forces, like Hezbollah?
They didn't leave the
table when I broached it,
so we'll call it a start.
Okay, good work.
- Ma'am.
- Um...
So what's the, um,
you know, other news?
Yeah, um, the Saudi
ambassador showed up
without an appointment,
and he does not look happy.
Well, I'll deal with that.
You keep at it with the Iranians.
Yes, ma'am.
Madam Secretary.
Prince Asim. Come on in.
I needn't remind the United States
of the importance of honoring
its commitments to its
long-term partner.
The United States has always valued
its alliance with Saudi Arabia.
And yet, you delay sending us
essential defensive weapons,
all in an effort
- to placate the Iranians.
- First of all, there's no delay.
Our lawyers are simply
reviewing the contracts.
They have to do that every
time we make an arms deal.
Three more months have
mysteriously been added
to the delivery timeline.
How is that not a delay?
I assure you we are not naive
to the threat Iran poses.
If you do not give us
the weapons we need,
then you are not only naive,
but complicit in that threat.
You have the right to self-defense,
but you have no right
to barge into my office
and demand U.S.
precision-guided munitions
on your timetable.
During your misadventure in Iraq,
it was Saudi Arabia
that opened its bases
and airspace to you.
Free of charge, no less.
Perhaps you have forgotten
who your true friends are.
I assure you, we have not.
Excellent.
His Majesty will be pleased
to hear these delays
are being resolved,
and the missiles will be
on their way very soon.
Good day, Madam Secretary.
Anyway, the moral of the story is
you try to make peace
in the Middle East,
everybody gets mad at you.
At least one of us had a good day.
Mm, to tell you the truth,
I think I'm gonna pass on that job.
Why?
The ethics department was your idea.
They literally got the memo.
It's... dealing with staffing
assignments and budget requests.
Uh...
You remember
how mind-numbing college
bureaucracy can be.
Not to mention the petty politics.
Faculty senate made the Middle East
look like child's play.
Exactly. So, just think
I want to just focus on
teaching for a while,
avoid the headaches.
Is that the whole story?
Well,
maybe I'm feeling a little burnt
after my experience at CIA.
I-I'm just not so hot
to jump back into a
leadership position
where you're getting
it from all sides.
I have thoughts. Hold on.
Yeah?
Send him in.
Mike B. is here.
Hey, Mike.
To what do we owe the
pleasure, or alarm?
You want some tea, or something?
Can't stay. Gordon's waiting.
Listen, the news will
probably break tomorrow,
but I wanted you to
hear it from me first.
I got a tip from a source
at the D.C. District Court.
You're being sued.
- What?
- By whom?
The parents of Jim Dawson,
the American killed in
the Riyadh bombing.
They're suing you for the
wrongful death of their son.
I'll-I'll call you tomorrow.
Basically, the suit claims
that Elizabeth facilitated a deal
which led to funds being
freed up to go to Iran.
Those funds made their
way to Hezbollah,
whose operative may have paid
for the bombing that killed
Jim Dawson, which is,
- on its merits...
- Absurd.
The legal term is "spurious."
But in any case, sovereign
immunity shields Elizabeth
from legal liability.
I can certainly understand
the family's anger,
but if the suit is a nonstarter,
what do they hope to gain by it?
I can't imagine these people are
taking out a second mortgage
to keep a $700 per
hour firm on retainer.
Someone's behind this.
So I'll put together a list
of deep-pocket donors
with an axe to grind
against the president.
Long list.
There's, uh...
also the matter of what
Jim Dawson was doing
in Saudi Arabia.
Jim Dawson was a, uh,
cyber security consultant
for a handful of companies
from Algiers to Abu Dhabi,
and he was one of ours.
Dawson was a spy?
Yeah. Six years, Special Operations
right out of high school.
E.O.D. attached to a SEAL platoon.
Spent the last eight at the agency
infiltrating extremist money networks.
So his cover was blown?
Do we think this was an assassination?
Yes, but, uh,
Dawson wasn't the target.
Salman Al Nasri.
He's an entrepreneur,
used his billions
to fund a variety of
progressive initiatives.
The attackers were ideologues
motivated to strike at
the "decadent West."
CIA thinks our man was just
in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Well, speaking of being in the
wrong place at the wrong time,
Elizabeth... and I cannot stress
this enough... do not get served.
And that is the sum total
of your vaunted and
costly legal advice?
Taking the summons,
plus the wrong judge,
leaves you open to be deposed.
A deposition means
you go on record declining
to answer their questions
on national security grounds,
so, yeah.
Yeah, Morejon could spin your silence
as putting the Iran deal over
the family of a dead American.
Dead at the hands of
Iranian-backed terrorists.
Yeah, which just adds
more fuel to his fire
to kill your deal in Congress.
So... if you don't
want that to happen...
Don't get served.
To be clear: we are sitting
in the White House,
in front of the president,
and you're telling
me to dodge the law.
Now she's getting it.
Oh, uh, I-I'm sorry. I can come back.
Uh, no, stay. Please, come in.
Auspicious timing.
Have you met Lyle Belkin?
He's one of our visiting professors.
Well, good to meet you.
I read your book on
Sherman's March to the Sea
and the birth of total warfare.
- Very nice work.
- Thank you.
And you are the famous
Mr. Madam Secretary.
That's one of the titles
that I proudly hold.
I hope she's got her wicker shield.
I'm not following you.
Ancient Persian soldiers were
famous for their wicker shields,
as I'm sure you know.
The media seems to think
she's fighting for the
Iranians now, it's...
Sorry, bad joke.
Is that what that was?
Uh, Lyle was just
expressing his interest in the
interim ethics department chair.
He dropped in to share some
ideas about the curriculum.
Well, then, it is auspicious timing,
because I came by to say
that I'm interested in the job myself.
Oh.
Well, that's excellent.
You should both prepare
a short presentation
with your vision for the department,
and why you think you'd be
the best person for the job.
I'll set up interviews with
the board immediately.
Great.
May the best man win.
I'm looking forward to it.
Lyle.
The deal that we have in place now
caps Iran's enrichment
at four percent,
which is nowhere near the 90% level
they would need to build a bomb.
Americans are objectively safer,
thanks to Phase One,
and Phase Two will just
build on that good work.
Now, I wonder if the family of
Jim Dawson would agree with you.
Uh, can we roll that tape?
We give these people money and
they use it to attack us?
Uh...
He was the best son
a father could w...
I just don't understand.
And what do you say to that
family who's lost their son?
It's a terrible loss.
My heart truly breaks
for the Dawson family.
Well, Senator Carlos Morejon asks
if this isn't the inevitable result
of making deals with Iran.
Isn't what you call "peace,"
really appeasement?
Well, you know,
at the height of the Cold War,
Ronald Reagan negotiated
the START treaty
with the Soviet Union,
drastically reducing
both nations' nuclear stockpiles.
Now, if we could negotiate
with the greatest adversary
this country has ever faced,
at a moment of maximum peril,
I think we can do the same with
a regional power like Iran.
Forgive me if this is difficult,
but some say you have lost
clarity when it comes to Iran,
due to your own painful experiences.
Who says that, exactly?
Well, several sources.
Well, you're implying
that there's a chorus
of critics out there
who are concerned about my
ability to reason clearly.
Can you name one?
Please, just answer
my question, ma'am.
Actually, I would say that witnessing
the horrors of terrorism firsthand
gave me absolute clarity
on the need to protect the
American people from it.
I'm also absolutely clear
that violence should
only be resorted to
when every other option
has been exhausted.
I wouldn't wish
how I came to that clarity on anyone.
Even those who treat
questions of war and peace
as just another
Washington gotcha game.
But thank you for
your concern, Trevor.
Well, that is all the time we have.
Well, I think it's safe to say
that people heard the other
side of the argument.
You okay, ma'am?
Yeah, I'm fine.
You don't really talk much
about your time in Iran.
He wanted to go there.
I went there.
Yep. You sure did.
- Elizabeth McCord?
- Sir, get back.
Gun!
- Whoa.
- What?
Show me your hands!
- Let me see them!
- I'm a process server.
I'm a...
process server.
I'm a... process server.
Bad news, ma'am.
We're trying to rise above labels now,
and calling it all just "news."
Yeah, have fun with that.
Gun!
Someone from the crowd
recorded it on their cell.
The cable shows
- are playing it on loop.
- Ow.
With the oh, so original
title "Tacklegate."
You know, how about we
just retire "blankgate"
as a construction altogether?
- I'm sorry.
- So I'm guessing
that no one's talking about
the secretary's appearance
on Trevor Vance's show?
No, because they're all
too busy watching me
running away from the family of a man
who was killed by
Iranian-backed terror.
Which is exactly what POTUS
was afraid of, by the way.
More, um, "news," ma'am:
uh, you're trending.
#SecretaryOfEscape.
Also, no more hashtags.
I'll tell everyone.
Let me see your hands!
It looks a lot worse
than it really was.
- I'm a process server.
- Right?
Well, I hope so,
'cause it looks pretty bad.
You're supposed to be on my side.
Well, hey, what kind of
ethics professor would I be
if I wasn't honest, right?
I don't know.
What kind of ethics
professor wants to be
head of the ethics department
just because some guy made
a crack about his wife?
Hey, it's not that simple.
Okay, it's not entirely that simple.
I... just...
Lyle rubs me the wrong way.
But...
Look, we have a real opportunity here
to help future leaders learn
how to deal with
enormously complex issues.
I-I'm just not certain
that Lyle is the right guy
to head the department.
That you suggested they
create in the first place.
Well, hey. Hey.
What-what is your argument?
Just that you said you wanted
to spend more time in the classroom.
You felt burned by the CIA.
The point is, you wanted one thing,
and then, this guy Lyle shows up,
and now you want something different.
I am perfectly happy
with whatever you pick.
Just make sure that you are, too.
Hey, Dad.
- Hey, kiddo.
- Hey, Jace.
Brutal takedown, by the way.
Was it a thing, at school?
It wasn't not a thing.
I am sorry that my work drama
impacts your life.
It's... fine.
But listen, if you can't make it
to my, like, my dumb ceremony
'cause you're all wrapped
up in work, then it's
totally fine because...
Hey, do you remember the
last time you got an award
at school? Because I do.
Third grade, perfect attendance.
And I didn't miss that one.
Would've been too ironic,
for starters.
And nothing is going to make me miss
seeing my National Merit Scholar
get his... medal? Certificate?
Possibly both.
Well, whatever it is, the point
is, she's gonna be there.
Cheering from the crowd loudly.
- Oh, God. I so regret excelling.
- Whoo!
Aw.
- Mr. President.
- Bess.
The work you and your people
did to secure Phase One
was laudable and crucial to
global security, but if Morejon
gets the votes to kill Phase Two,
he will put in language that
undoes the nuclear safeguards
guaranteed in Phase One.
That puts millions of lives at risk.
I won't do it.
We're pushing the Phase Two talks
until after the midterms.
Sir, this opportunity to cut
a meaningful security deal
with Iran won't come again.
Which means that sooner or later,
we will be sucked into
a Sunni-Shia war that will
engulf the entire Middle East.
Either we make the deal
now, or no deal gets made.
Then no deal gets made.
It pains me, too, Bess.
But we have to look at
the bigger picture.
Understood, sir. Thank you.
I hear you're something
of a bowman, General.
You know, I've been
shooting Hoyt for years.
Good weight, fast,
and almost no hand shock.
Uh, the string angle on my
old Bear suits me better.
Let me know when you're free.
An old friend has a lease
out near Rockingham.
Thanks to you and the
committee for your time, sir.
It was our pleasure.
We'll be ready for you
in just a moment, Henry.
Thank you, General.
You think I'm laying it on
a little heavy, don't you?
Well, there's nothing wrong
with shared interests.
An instructor back in Hamburg
had a favorite Grant quote:
"He who continues the attack, wins."
You took the field officer course
at the German Military Academy?
Class of '93.
Yeah, uh, made some buddies
over at Hahn Air Base.
Oh, man. We used to have some times.
Uh, how about that? Good for you.
Professor McCord.
Come on in.
Oh, you got to be kidding.
What's wrong?
The...
Oh.
Ma'am, if you'll wait here a moment
while we secure the entrance?
No. No.
No more dodging.
- Babe.
- It's okay. I'll be fine.
I'll meet you in there, okay?
It's time to tackle this head-on,
metaphorically speaking, Matt. Okay?
No need to attack me.
I'm an officer of the court.
No, no, I... Look, I-I want
to apologize for yesterday,
and I hope you're not
in too much pain.
Eh, this is nothing.
One time, a meth dealer ran
over me with his Camaro.
Oh, my God, that's awful.
Besides, I should be thanking you.
I'm confused.
I linked the video of
your people tackling me
to the website for my
legal services company.
My business doubled overnight.
- Oh... Well, good for you.
- That's...
I'm Elizabeth.
- Joel.
- Joel.
So should we do this thing?
Oh, yeah, right.
Elizabeth McCord,
you have been served.
Thanks, Joel.
You have a good one.
Just want you to know that your mom
is very proud of you.
Yeah, I think the whole
auditorium knew that.
Alison, how's the Stu... uh, Mike?
How did you, uh...
The middle one let me in.
Damn it. I pressed the thing.
Mike B. is here.
Congratulations on your award.
So nice of you to stop by.
Again.
Hey, Mike. Guess this isn't
a social visit again.
Can we talk in there?
Yeah.
I know. I know.
I let myself get served. Sorry.
Yesterday's news.
I found out who's covering
the Dawsons' considerable legal fees.
Yeah? Who is it?
You're not gonna like the answer.
I traced the money through a
series of offshore companies
and subcontractors,
all the way back to its source,
and arrived at a trust
controlled by a powerful Saudi family
with close ties to the government.
You're kidding.
I told you you wouldn't like it.
Do you have hard proof
it was the Saudis?
Not like a sworn affidavit,
but give me time.
A purported ally sabotaging the
American Secretary of State.
It's... unbelievable.
What's a little backstabbing
among friends, right?
Let me call you back.
Madam Secretary, what
a pleasant surprise.
You're being played by the Saudis.
Excuse me?
Someone very powerful in Saudi Arabia
is paying the law firm
- representing the Dawsons.
- That's ridiculous.
It is. It also happens to be true.
They're trying to
derail the Iran talks,
and they are using you
and our legislative process to
do the dirty work for them.
But you already knew that,
Senator, didn't you?
Well, you know the old proverb:
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Well, that's interesting
that you think
of the Secretary of
State as your enemy.
More interesting still
that you assumed
I meant you and not Iran.
You stood in my house and talked about
preserving American
sovereignty and safety.
What happened to that guy?
Don't you lecture me about patriotism.
Oh.
Saudi Arabia may not be
perfect, but they're our ally.
I know exactly what I'm fighting
for, Madam Secretary. Do you?
And who I'm fighting against.
See you around, Carlos.
That Morejon.
Every time I think that
guy might be all right,
he pulls some opportunistic,
weaselly maneuver.
It's like: patriot, weasel,
patriot, weasel.
No, I think it's more like:
weasel, weasel, briefly patriot,
weasel, weasel, weasel, weasel.
You're probably right.
Anyway, you never told me the
details on your presentation.
How'd it go?
Well, like I said, it was okay.
It's Lyle that's the problem.
What do you mean?
Well, there's this
officer training course
that's offered by the German military.
It's very prestigious.
Lyle said he took it in 1993
and hung out with some
officers at Hahn Air Base
during that time.
It was an oddly specific detail.
I-It bumped me, the way he said it.
So I did a little digging.
Turns out there's no record of Lyle
graduating and finishing his
coursework at the academy.
A-And yet he puts it
on his official CV.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
Wow.
So are you gonna turn him in?
I don't know.
Exposing him is not a small thing.
But integrity's kind
of the point, right?
Yeah, but from the start,
I've had it in for the guy.
There's something about
him that just bothers me.
Yeah, I feel that way about,
like, everyone right now.
Except you.
Listen, I got to, I got to get back,
but you just...
do what you think is right.
Okay.
Right.
Were you aware that Hezbollah
was laundering money to
avoid U.S. sanctions?
In accordance with my position
as an executive officer
of the United States,
I invoke executive privilege
and refrain from
answering any questions
that pertain to my
official duties as such.
Were you aware that the
release of money frozen
as a part of the
sanctions against Iran
could be directed to
known terrorist groups?
In accordance with my position
as an executive officer
of the United States,
I invoke executive pr...
It's a rote answer. I got it.
Do we really need to keep doing this?
After the fiasco with
the process server?
Yes, you definitely need to practice
staying on script.
Fine, go ahead.
Okay. Did you...
You know what I can't stand?
Betrayal by an ally.
The capriciousness
of our legal system.
People with pet ferrets.
It doesn't matter.
This is where we are.
Jim Dawson's family
lost their only son.
And they have no idea
what really happened.
You're right, and that's sad.
But it's not our problem.
Let's get back to work, okay?
But, see, it is my problem.
The deal is dead.
This lawsuit is whatever it is.
But that family doesn't
deserve to be...
manipulated by people
hiding in the shadows.
They are not going to
get their son back,
but they deserve some peace.
They deserve the truth.
I owe them that.
Feel better?
Yeah.
Good, 'cause you're never
saying any of that.
Actually, I think I am.
- I'm still billing you for this.
- Yep.
Mr. Dawson. Elizabeth McCord.
I-I apologize for showing
up at your door like this,
but I have some information
about your son.
I think we ought to call our lawyer.
Who is it, Bob?
Hello, Mrs. Dawson. Grace.
She says she's got
information about Jim.
Can I...
Please.
Come in, Madam Secretary.
This doesn't happen often,
but the president has
approved the release
of certain classified information
about your son's death.
I don't understand.
Jim helped companies
with their computers.
Mrs. Dawson,
Jim was a decorated
operative for the CIA
working on extremely sensitive
national security issues.
He never said anything
about any of this.
I know it's a lot to take in.
He had to hide that side
of his life to protect you
and families like yours.
Jim was a hero who died in
service to this country.
I know it doesn't bring your son back.
You want us to drop the lawsuit.
- Don't you?
- Sweetheart.
No. No, honey, no. She's using us.
Can't you see that? You
politicians are all the same.
You only pretend you care when
there's something you need.
Mr. Dawson, I agree with you.
Politics can be an ugly business
and if you want to sue me,
absolutely, that is your right.
It's true.
I shake a lot of hands
I'd rather not shake.
But the unique privilege of my job...
is that I get to see the difference
that people like your son
make in the world.
On behalf of a grateful nation,
I want to thank you for Jim's service
and offer my deepest condolences.
I appreciate your time.
Thank you for telling
us about our Jim.
How'd you do it?
Do you want to just get it over with
and move into our garage?
When did you start
running voluntarily?
Today.
As you know, I've always maintained
that exercise is stupid and painful,
but clearly I know nothing
because the Dawsons are
dropping the suit.
So again, how did you do it?
That's not what I went over there for,
but that's good news, I suppose.
You suppose?
It's unequivocally good news.
In fact, they're releasing
a statement thanking you
for whatever it is you did.
The word on the Hill is
Morejon is still trying
to cobble together votes,
which he won't get
once it leaks that the former
Saudi deputy minister
of education is paying
to manipulate a grieving,
American family.
You found hard evidence?
Sometimes it's like you
don't even realize
you're insulting me.
Anyway, the point is,
you can now restart your
little peace talks.
You're welcome.
About that, um, is there
a friend rate or...?
There is not.
You, Elizabeth McCord,
are an exhausting client.
Yeah.
Going to see that family
was reckless and stupid.
You know, you asked me how I did it.
I wasn't trying to do anything,
just what I thought was right.
I already said. Stupid.
Ugh.
- Hey. Out.
- Hmm? Oh, yeah.
Lyle. Hey.
We need to talk.
In a bit of a hurry.
General Winfield has
some pictures of antlers
he wants to show me.
Look, I know you didn't complete
the Military Academy of
the German Armed Forces.
Their records show that you enrolled,
but you didn't complete
your coursework.
And you're gonna do what
with this allegation?
Have this conversation with you.
So I'll just step aside
and you can get the job.
- Is that it?
- Or you could consider it an
opportunity to correct your oversight.
And no one has to know?
Not if you resolve the issue.
I don't see why they would.
One point.
I failed my last final by one point.
I mean, there's a
retest the next week,
but I'd already booked my
flight back to the States.
Then one day I looked up.
It was five years later and
no one had even mentioned it.
Oh, man.
That's tough.
I'm sure a lot of us
would probably have done
the exact same thing.
Why are you doing this?
I got the distinct impression
you didn't like me.
I don't.
Well, I didn't.
I can come on strong, I know.
That crack about your wife...
Was not great.
But your book about
Sherman's March was.
You didn't have to do this, Lyle.
You're the real deal.
Even if not everything on your CV was.
That's very decent of you.
- Ethical, dare I say.
- Hmm.
Thank you, Henry.
Madam Secretary.
I've heard a troubling rumor
about the late James Dawson,
specifically in regards
to who he was really working
for while in the Kingdom.
Prince Asim, thanks so
much for making the time.
Sending unauthorized
spies into our country
is yet another example of the
U.S. abusing a trusted ally.
We both know that every
country does exactly that
to every other country, so you
feigning outrage tells me
you really must be
getting hounded at home
about closing this missile deal, huh?
So we're being brutally
honest with each other now?
What are trusted allies for, right?
And in that spirit,
we know that someone closely
connected with your government
has been funding the
Dawsons' lawsuit against me.
Madam Secretary, you misunderstand.
His Highness remains
cognizant of the need
for our continued cooperation.
You mean you still want our
precision-guided weapons.
Yeah, don't worry.
You-you'll get them...
as soon as your government brokers
an immediate cease-fire in Yemen.
You must know that such a message
will cause great consternation
to His Majesty.
Hmm.
And therefore, even
more to the messenger.
I'm putting you in a rough spot.
I know.
But, truth be told,
I haven't really been in a great
spot, either, the last few days,
so cease-fire for missiles.
That's the deal.
I will take up your
proposal with the king.
And I look forward to the
announcement of the cease-fire.
Thanks so much. You have a great day.
Welcome to the first meeting of
the Military Ethics Department.
Okay, well, obviously, we're
just getting up and running,
so I wanted to open the floor
and get a sense of your hopes
for the new department.
Well, first of all, congratulations.
So well deserved.
If I could just raise a
small housekeeping issue?
Sure. Absolutely.
I understand Lyle Belkin
has taken a sabbatical.
I'm assuming that means
his parking space
will be available.
His parking space?
Um, point of order.
I made a request to
Facilities months ago
for a closer spot, so...
O-Okay. Okay.
Well, I was hoping to talk about
some bigger-picture
issues this morning.
Of course. Of course.
So you'll be taking it yourself then?
To the victor go the spoils.
All hail Henricus Rex.
No.
Okay, can we circle back
to the parking space issue later?
Yeah? Okay.
"Iran commits to financial
"transparency and accountability,
"greater monitoring and transparency
of Iranian weapon transfers
to non-State actors."
And to insure this, Iran
will accept an inspection
and verification regime.
Is that acceptable?
It is debatable.
It's a start.
Okay.
In the spirit of cooperation,
the IRGC has information
on the whereabouts of
one of your citizens
that it would like to share.
Amina Shaloubi
of the Washington Chronicle?
She was abducted
by Boko Haram over a year ago.
Your intelligence services
will find the information
regarding Ms. Shaloubi's
location reliable.
The United States appreciates
Iran's assistance
in this matter.
Gentlemen, I'm glad you're back.
All right, shall we?
_