Mrs. America (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Gloria - full transcript

When I put on a red pantsuit
and my husband doesn't notice,

that's bad.

So I watch my calories.
That's good.

There's only 2 calories

in a big, bubbly 8‐ounce
glass of Fresca.

No sugar. No saccharinates.

It's an honest to goodness...

diet soft drink.

I like Fresca.

The picture from Vietnam today
is way better than yesterday.

There are now four areas of...



Good evening.
Schlafly residence.

Phyllis speaking.
Hello. It's Ann

from Oklahoma City.
Ann Patterson?

Oh! Ann, of course. Ann.

Good to hear from you.
Did you have a nice Easter?

Oh, miraculous.
A true Easter resurrection.

Phyllis, we did it.

We defeated
the Equal Rights Amendment

in the Sooner State.

You did that.

Well, they jammed it
through the Senate

with just a voice vote,
no hearing,

but we were able to keep it
from being passed in the House,

and all thanks to that



one little article
in your newsletter.

I handed it to every legislator.

Oh, well, that's swell, Ann.
I couldn't be more proud.

So now I'm thinking I should
call our friends in other states

and encourage them
to do the same.

It's a winnable fight.

Yes, well, in Oklahoma.

Can you send me copies
of your mailing list?

Roger!

I'm‐‐I'm sorry, Ann. I am
gonna have to call you back.

I have children
crawling all over me.

Oh, of course.
Mm‐hmm. all right.

Good to talk to you.
Okay, then‐‐

It's taken me years
to build up my mailing list.

That's my network.

You know, and the fact that
Ann doesn't understand that

suggests she doesn't know
a whole lot about politics.

Are those Mother's boxes?

Well, they‐‐they go
in the guest room.

No, my‐‐my list is valuable.

I thought you said
she was moving in here.

No, John might move back
after graduation.

No, I'm the one who developed
the arguments in my newsletter.

All she did was hand it out.

I'm supposed to let her run
with it.

Well, if you're gonna run
with it,

you better do it fast

before it's ratified
in your home state

and you lose all credibility.

That would be an embarrassment.

I wanted to stay in St. Louis,

and you had to drag me
across the Mississippi.

It's a better view
of the Mississippi,

and I dragged you?

Well, you saved me.

I am gonna have to stop
the ERA being ratified here.

Well, Illinois is not Oklahoma.

No, yeah, yeah,
it's a long shot.

It's the home of Adlai Stevenson

and Daley's Chicago machine.

Well, you‐‐you never know.
Um, you know, the one thing

I've got going for me is the
feminists think it's settled.

They‐‐They're not expecting
a fight.

The other thing you've got
going for you is, uh,

no one likes feminists,
not even liberals.

Oh, that's true.

They're no fun.

Wouldn't you attract

a wider readership if you put
Jane Fonda or Lauren Hutton

on the very first cover

instead of this octopus lady
with face paint?

It is not an octopus lady.
It is the Hindu goddess Kali,

and those are tears
streaming down her face

because she has to juggle
all the demands

of her work and marriage.

If "Ms." is almost
exclusively written

by, for, and about women,

isn't it as one‐dimensional
as "Playboy"?

Is that a serious question?
You don't think that's a drag?

I think "Playboy" is a drag.

Are you worried that
the provocative ad on abortion

will alienate women
in the middle of America?

A majority of people
in this country

support every woman's right
to control her own body.

Until we have that right,
we can never truly be equal.

Thank you, everyone. Thank you.

Ms. Steinem! Ms. Steinem!

They were itty‐bitty,
so I got two.

Look.
Oh, Gloria!

I walked past Andy Warhol.
He didn't even say hello.

You did represent
Valerie Solanas.

Not that well.
The girl got three years.

What did that taxi driver
in Boston say to us...

Ms. Steinem...
about if men got pregnant?

Uh...
"If men could get pregnant,

abortion would be a sacrament."
Oh! I couldn't remember it.

You should put a pregnant
Nixon on your next cover.

I'm putting Shirley
on my next cover.

I will drink to that.

Ms. Steinem, can I ask you
one last question,

if you don't mind?

Uh, Betty Friedan,
in a speech yesterday said,

"Gloria has never been part

"of the organized
women's liberation movement.

"The media tried to make her
a celebrity,

but no one should mistake her
for a leader."

Any comment?

If I have a lot of problems
with my being a leader

in the women's movement,
I'm sure she has a lot more.

Great party, Gloria.

We can't get distracted by her.

We got a lot of momentum
going into the conventions.

The candidates recognize that
we're a real political force.

Even McGovern's agreed
to sit down with us.

But we need a face‐‐
a pretty face.

Is that my only value
to the movement?

No, we need your tits and ass,
too.

I don't want people
listening to me

just because I have
a pretty face.

I would love it
if people listened to me

because I have a pretty face.
Then I wouldn't have to shout.

Who cares why they're listening?
They're listening.

You think Kennedy agonized
over whether he beat Nixon

because of his looks?
No, he thought,

"I can't believe
I get to be president

and shtup Marilyn Monroe."

Can I get a photo with you?
Excuse me.

We're having
a private conversation.

That was one
of our biggest advertisers.

You wanna make abortion legal,
this is how you do it.

Play the game. Hold McGovern's
feet to the fire.

Is he waffling?

He told me he believes it's
every woman's personal decision.

Well, now he believes
he's the front runner

and needs to move to the center
to beat Nixon

in the general election.

And you wonder why
I can't stand politics?

Can I get back to my party now?
Go.

How you doing?
All right.

Can you stay over tonight?

Yeah, but I have to leave early.

Got the kids in the morning.

You came.
I even had time to bake.

Well, actually,
it's leftover from Easter.

I won't tell if you won't tell.

For today's study section,

I chose Father Collins' talk
from our annual conference.

It's about
the Marxist revolutionaries

who instigated
the Attica prison uprising.

These riots are all a part
of the New Left campaign

to undermine American prisons.

The world's going to hell
in a handbag.

You know, I read, uh, recently,
that Angela Davis declared

that if she were free,

her first goal would be to
abolish America's prison system.

For those of you who
aren't familiar...

Mm‐hmm.
Angela Davis is

the Black Panther militant

on trial for murder
in California.

Yeah, so even though she has
admitted to being a member

of the Communist Party,
there are members of Congress

who publicly support her,
like Shirley Chisholm.

And, uh, Gloria Steinem

is listed as the treasurer
of her defense fund.

They're all connected,
and they have so much money

and political power.

And maybe we'll devote
next month's study session

to the women's liberation
movement.

Could we devote
this session to it?

Prisons are depressing.

I thought your newsletter
on the dangers

of the Equal Rights Amendment
was fantastic.

I immediately called both
our senators,

but it made it through Congress
anyway.

I did, too. I fear
we got started too late.

Oh, it's not too late
to stop it.

If the ERA is not ratified
by 38 states

by March 22, 1979, it will die.

That seems like enough time.

Well, we can't let it
get ratified.

Well, we do have our work
cut out for us.

See, the women's liberation
movement has convinced everybody

it's a bipartisan issue.

So we need to get
the word out fast

that it is controversial
and that we homemakers

are not being represented.

You know, we need to
make some noise

and get the media
to pay attention to us.

The person that everybody's
paying attention to always wins.

That would be Gloria Steinem.
She's famous.

They're all famous.
We're nobodies.

Even if we could get
a news program

to give us some air time,

who would we send on
as our guest?

Phyllis is famous.
Only in conservative circles.

No offense.
Oh, none taken.

You're judged by the company
you keep.

Maybe you should
be the spokesman, Alice,

since you're
a full‐time homemaker.

Oh. No.
I'm happy to do it.

Mm‐hmm.

The thing about public speaking

is that it's harder
than it looks.

There are some tricks
to make it look easy.

I agree. Phyllis has the most
experience. She should do it.

Well, all right. Well, I will,
uh, send you all the phone tree

to kickstart a telegram
and letter writing campaign

to our representatives.
I mean, you know the drill.

All:
Telephone and tell a friend.

It will be very much like
the brilliant campaign

that Eleanor led against "Hair"
a couple of months ago.

That was a battle.
Mm.

You know, and I think
the trouble was

that there are two very catchy
songs in the show.

So people would hear the music
for "Aquarius"

and "Let the Sunshine In,"

they think it was just like
"Oklahoma!"

It's Phyllis Schlafly.

Yeah I'm calling about...
I'm calling about

the upcoming vote in Springfield

on the ratification...
the ratification

of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Yes, we're organizing a campaign
to write letters.

Hi, Joan. It's Pamela.
We are organizing

a letter writing campaign...
And we are calling

and writing letters
to our legislators...

We're organizing a campaign

to urge them to vote "no,"
and we could use your help.

Hi, Patricia. It's Pamela.
Melody?

Barbara.
Sharon?

When are we supposed
to make all these calls?

Can you put your kids to bed
a half‐hour early?

Or better yet,
put your husband to bed

a half‐hour early.

I knock off a few letters
after everyone's asleep.

How are we doing?
Hmm. Yes. I understand.

You've heard it?

I've been holding
for some time now.

Well, you tell Dick Cavett that
the media has a responsibility

to present the other side.
It's a rule. It's called the...

Fairness doctrine.
The fairness doctrine.

Mom?
No running, please!

I need help
with my math homework.

I'll help him.
Drill his times tables!

Who wants more coffee?
Oh, I shouldn't, but...

Thank you, Leonia.

I'm going to the post office.
Give me your letters.

Last call for the post office.

How many have we got?

Yes. We will be in touch.

We got invited
on "The Phil Donahue Show."

Aah!
We got...

Oh, that is so good!

This is it. Are you nervous?

Can I push the button
on the elevator?

Mm‐hmm. Come on.

We're all just
kind of piled in here.

Can we find Margaret
an empty desk?

Will a delivery box do?

We're, uh, we're gonna get
some more furniture soon.

Come through.

"Ms. Magazine."
No, M‐s, "Mizz."

This is our tot lot,
but we're cool with the kids,

you know, running around.

Would you like to play here
while Mommy gets to work?

Oh, come on. You'll have fun.

Gloria, we‐‐we can't run
with this cover.

He asked me to show it to him.

I'm already giving you
a lesbian article.

Oh, you're giving it to me?
Thank you.

We put Shirley Chisholm
on the cover,

and we'll depress sales,
especially in the South.

Well, we don't put her
on the cover, it'll depress me.

You wanna piss off
your distribution company

and sales team?
They work for us.

This issue hits the newsstands

right before
the Democratic Convention.

I wanna put Shirley
on our cover.

What about Mary's idea
for the cover‐‐

Wonder Woman? She's a strong
symbol of woman's power.

Wonder Woman's my idol,

but you know she's not
a real person.

She's better than a real person.

She's a superhero,
and she's got great legs.

We're going with this cover.
Oh, I see.

You wanna be the only one
around here with great legs.

I gave Gloria
her first bylined assignment

because I saw her standing
outside my office one day,

and I thought she had
great legs.

Clay.
What? It's a great story.

It's a great story.

He's the money guy.
Come through here.

Yes, Mrs. Schlafly,
I did get your mail.

Oh, good. Now do you have
a television in your office?

Of course I have a television
in my office.

Well, turn it on at 12:00
to channel 5.

What am I watching?

The other side
of the ERA debate.

Can we get a TV in here?

Would you please
welcome to the show

conservative author and activist
Mrs. Phyllis Schlafly?

Now the Equal Rights Amendment

will positively make women
subject to the draft

on an equal basis with the men.

They have got to the point
where they truly believe

that men and women are the same,

so it's not enough for them
to have the right to work.

They want to legislate away
any differences

between men and women,
which will mean

goodbye, Girl Scouts,
and hello, unisex bathrooms.

The ERA doesn't say that
men and women are the same.

It says that they're entitled
to equal protection

under the law.

What, did you drag her out
of the dust bins

of the Goldwater campaign so you
could hide under her skirt?

She found me.

You promised that you weren't
gonna fight us on this.

I changed my mind.

But we had enough votes
to ratify.

I want a public hearing
before the vote.

So suddenly you don't mind
looking like you hate women.

I don't hate women.
I love women,

which is why I wanna protect
my female constituents

from the dangers of the ERA.

And you tell me
that's liberation?

Why, that isn't liberation.
Liberation's in the home.

When I heard
former Goldwater supporter,

I thought, "what a bore,"
but she's a dynamo.

Not bad‐lookin'.
It was a good show.

You know what'd make
for a better show?

Have her on with Gloria Steinem
or Betty Freidan.

Oh, yeah, I don't think so.

No, no, you get 'em together
debating, the catfights?

It's ratings gold.

You were terrific.
Oh, thank you, Phil.

I'm just a talk show host,
so what do I know?

But, uh, some of the arguments
you made,

I'm just wondering if you had
a chance before you came on

to fact‐check?
Yes.

So, for example, the elimination

of separate restrooms...
Mm‐hmm.

That seems highly unlikely
to happen if the ERA is adopted.

Phil, let me ask you this.

When Lenin started
the revolution in 1917,

do you think he told the people,
"Fight with us,

"and we'll give you

food shortages, censorship,
and terror"?

Oh, no. He promised them
peace, land, and bread.

Now it starts with
a simple piece of legislation

like the ERA, and then
the left feels emboldened

to eliminate alimony,
child support,

and the widow's Social Security,
and before you know it,

we are living in a feminist
totalitarian nightmare.

Thank you for having me
on your show.

You're Gloria Steinem.

Yes.

Lisa. How are you this morning?

I'm... I'm wonderful. Oh,
I'm gonna move you to first.

Oh, no. It's not necessary.
I‐‐

I insist.
You will be more comfortable.

Well, okay. Thank you.

And I figure you and
Ms. Freidan wanna sit together.

Hello, Betty.

Thank you.

Ow.

Sorry. I'm so sorry.

I was misquoted.

People are always trying
to divide up women.

Hmm? It's just another way
to take away our power.

Well, I'm sorry the reporter
upset you.

I also happened to say some
very nice things about you

that maybe didn't get printed.
I said that, uh,

you're a good role model
because you've never married,

which shows you can be single
and still have a good life.

They didn't print that.

Food supplies
hurtled from the sky,

and everyone scrambles to grab
whatever food he can.

There are still wounded
from the fighting‐‐

men who wait every day in vain
for helicopters

to take them to hospitals.

The dead will remain in An Loc.

You don't know how serious
women are

in this country, Senator.

I couldn't be less enthusiastic
about your candidacy.

Senator McGovern has been
very vocal on women's issues.

I fully support
speedy ratification of the ERA.

Everyone does.
Nixon supports the ERA,

and you have to have more women
visible in your campaign

because right now they're
just not there.

Shirley MacLaine
notwithstanding.

I think what Betty means
is that women aren't...

always listened to,

something you and I talked about
after New Hampshire,

and you were going to impress
upon your staff

the importance of taking
female campaign aides seriously.

Thank you, Gloria,
and I have spoken with them.

I think it's fair to say
the only place

we really differ with you
is on abortion rights.

And you've been saying some
ridiculous things lately.

I'm afraid that's all the time
that we have for today,

but thank you, ladies,
so much for coming in.

Yes, thank you all very much.
Oh, no, Senator?

The Senator has another meeting.

George, George, if‐if I may.

We can push and push
for legalizing abortion,

but until it becomes
part of our party's platform,

Congress will never feel
pressure to change the laws.

If George even mentions
the word "abortion"

at the convention,

Nixon will hang it around
his neck like a millstone.

So what if we use
a more general term,

like "reproductive freedom"?

It's broad enough to include
not just abortion

but repeal birth control laws,
laws on sexual orientation,

forced sterilization.
That's interesting.

What I like about that, Senator,

is that it covers concerns
of men as well as women.

I wrote a version you could use.

Can I see that?

You got into this race
to get us out of the war.

This is our Vietnam.

Let me get back to you.

You can reach me
at my hotel anytime tonight.

I'll wait for your call.
Thank you, George.

He's not gonna call.

He's going to call.

Oh, my God.
Gloria Steinem is tap dancing.

It was how I earned money
when I was a kid‐‐

performed at clubs
and supermarket openings.

I was going to dance my way
out of Toledo.

That was my great dream.

Yes, this is Gloria.

I‐I can't talk
right now. I'm, uh...

I have to keep the line free.

I'm trapped.
I'm waiting for a call.

What are you up to tonight?

Let's all go get a drink, yeah?

Come on. Everyone out.

You really can't leave
this room?

Well, now I don't wanna leave.

How long do we have?

Two hours before the last train.

Okay, but if McGovern calls...
I know.

You won't be mad?
Nah. I won't be mad.

So are you gonna start

with women in the draft
or the institution of marriage

being eroded?
I haven't decided yet.

You said you prepared
last night.

I did prepare. You know
what we should do afterwards?

We should stop by the Den
for a bowl of chili.

Mm‐hmm.
Yeah, if there's time.

Well, I‐I would lead
with the draft

because I think
it's more emotional.

Do you wanna testify
instead of me?

Oh, I'm‐‐I'm not the expert
in constitutional law.

I'm not the expert
in constitutional law.

Yes, but you studied it
in law school.

Now, the libbers
are sending in attorneys,

and I think that we should have

a handsome, brilliant one
on our side.

I had to reschedule
a very important meeting

because of this.
I know.

I'm so grateful you did.
You're my secret weapon.

ERA now! ERA now!
ERA now! ERA now! ERA now!

Our women do not consider
themselves enslaved by marriage,

and they do not wish
to be liberated

from home and motherhood,

and they certainly do not want
to sacrifice

any of their present privileges

for some phony equality
with men.

One side effect
of the Equal Rights Amendment

would be that women...

Where is the rest of your group?

The Common Law right
to be supported...

They're at home.
By their husbands.

Do you see those two ladies?

They're the sponsors
of the measure.

They've been bringing in
hundreds of women here every day

for the past month to lobby us.
They're winning.

Oh. Well, it's a numbers game.

Count the letters
and phone calls.

Not when it's this emotional.

Oh. We're not about
to throw ourselves

on the House floor.

We're protesting with dignity.

When my guys look out
into the gallery,

which side do you think they're
gonna feel pressure from‐‐

the hundreds of ladies screaming
for the ERA or dignity?

Thus childcare centers could...

I don't even know
where Springfield is.

I've rented buses. You could
bring your children with you.

They'll be educational.

Look, the real power lies
in who shows up.

It's a numbers game,
so unless we outnumber them,

the ERA will be ratified
right here in our own backyard.

Even if we could get
a big group to show up tomorrow,

we'd be too intimidated
to talk to legislators.

Well, Fred,
m‐maybe you could, uh, come up

with a few easy talking points.

Huh? For what?

For the rally before
the floor vote in the House.

I'm sorry. I‐I didn't hear
what you said.

I focused on that bread.

It needs five minutes to cool.

That does smell so good, Willie.

I'll write the recipe down
for you.

Every time I try to bake bread,

it turns out soggy.
Mm‐hmm.

You might not be giving it
enough time to rise.

Yeah.
You're overworking the dough.

Mm.
Or your oven isn't hot enough.

You can't put it in too soon.

Maybe you're using
too little yeast.

Or it's gone bad?
Oh.

Yeast doesn't bake.

Well, now I know
why he didn't call.

Your wording made it
into the platform draft,

but then Shirley MacLaine
cut it out.

She cut it out?
With actual scissors?

Who does that?

An actress.

How are people supposed
to vote on our proposal

if they can't see it?

You don't seem too upset.
I'm very upset. Look at me.

I'm eating a hot dog
on the grapefruit diet.

So what do we do now?

The Supreme Court will
consider Roe v. Wade soon.

Let's hope for a good decision.
That won't be enough.

I think we've gone as far
as we can go on this.

Didn't help our cause that
McGovern felt attacked

at the meeting.

Betty is impossible.

I'm gonna propose we elect
one spokeswoman

to represent us
at each convention.

So if Betty runs her mouth off
to McGovern's campaign

or to the press, she's not
speaking for all of us.

She'll just browbeat everyone
into voting for her.

Unless you run against her.

When I nominate you,
act surprised.

Maybe have a few words prepared.

Nothing formal, but you should
have something to say.

Have you been to the gallery?
Is it filled?

To the rafters.

Oh, wow. Look at this bread.

What's the occasion?
I don't know. Birthday?

Hmm.

Good morning, Henry.

Well, you're in a good mood.

Well, why shouldn't I be
in a good mood?

We've got the votes.
We're voting today.

Get ready to lose.

Mmm.

Mmm, this is delicious.

Why are you in a good mood?

Oh, just enjoying
watching you enjoy that bread.

Why shouldn't I enjoy it?

Enjoy the bread.
Vote "no" on ERA.

From the breadmakers
to the breadwinners.

Vote "no."
Remember, vote "no."

Don't forget to vote "no."
That's okay.

We don't want
our daughters drafted.

Preserve us
from this congressional jam.

Thank you so much.
Vote against the ERA sham.

From the breadmakers
to the breadwinners.

Oh, thanks.

Make sure to vote no.
Don't forget to vote no!

We don't want our daughters
drafted.

Don't forget to vote "no"
on ERA.

Got one right here.

We might lose Illinois.

What?

I thought we had the votes.

We had the votes, but then
this group showed up with bread,

and suddenly we didn't have
the votes.

What group?
Housewives with bread,

and baked, you know, homemade.

What kind of bread?

What does it matter what kind?
I'm curious.

Can we get Ginny Chapman
back on the phone?

Find out what kind of bread
it was.

Is that all it takes
to get a man to change his vote?

Well, there was also jam.

Oh, they finally found
the best smoke screen

for their chauvinism.
Hmm? Women.

ERA now!
ERA now! ERA now! ERA now!

All right,
ladies, it's time to go in

and have our voices heard.

These housewives are
the last gasp of the patriarchy,

brainwashed to believe that
if they don't play the game,

they will lose the love
and protection of men.

May I just say,
vive la difference?

I know these women.
I grew up with them in Peoria.

They've never thought
of themselves as feminists.

You know, they're not equipped
to earn a living.

They're scared.

No one is legislating that
they can't stay in the kitchen

and bake bread all day
if that's what they want to do.

The problem is they're not
staying in the kitchen.

They're bringing the bread
to the legislature.

Who organized the housewives?

That right wing nut.

Phyllis Schlafly?
Ah.

I saw her on "Donahue."
She was on "Donahue"?

Yeah. Everything out
of her mouth was‐‐

oh, it was all nonsense
but smart‐sounding.

We should be worried about her.
Mussolini was very popular.

We have to just keep traveling
around the country,

talking to them
until we get through.

You already spend
half your time on the road.

Telling them that
marriage is prostitution

and that alimony
is war reparations.

I mean, how have they
not been converted?

All right, we could all be
a little more careful

with our rhetoric.

We do not want housewives

thinking
that we are against them.

We are against them.

Revolutions are messy.
People get left behind.

It's a tremendous victory for
the traditional American family

and, uh, for the institution
of marriage,

which is the best deal for women
that the world has yet devised.

We will get it ratified
next year.

You just got lucky.

What does she mean,
we got lucky?

Thank you so much.

Can I ask you something?
When you go on "Donahue,"

do you know what you're saying
has no basis in fact,

or do you just not know what
the hell you're talking about?

Oh, I think the majority
of American women

know exactly
what I'm talking about,

and, I might add,

the majority of
the Illinois state legislature.

I read your newsletter.

Hmm?
It's all hysteria and lies.

Unisex bathrooms?
No child support?

Girls in foxholes? Please.

Do you understand
the first thing

about constitutional law?

Do you even have a law degree?

I'm just getting started.

This is a setback.

But we have six more years
to get it ratified.

We'll make a more concerted push
in Illinois next year.

Moving on, it's time to choose
a spokeswoman to represent us

at each convention.

Well, I'd like to nominate
Jill for the Republican.

I second.
I'm not sure that's necessary.

I'm the only Republican woman
here today.

And I'd like to nominate
myself for the Democrat‐‐

You can't nominate yourself,
Betty.

Before we get to electing
a spokeswoman,

I‐I want to discuss making
another push for abortion

at the convention.

If we gather enough signatures
in a petition,

we can force a floor vote.

Which would mean being broadcast

on national television.

This might not be
the right time.

Well, when is the right time?

After we get McGovern
into the White House,

we can control the‐‐
So, what, a year?

If the ERA is safely
in the Constitution...

Two or‐‐or maybe a decade?
No, really, I wanna know.

How‐‐How long are we
supposed to wait?

How many more women are going to
die from botched abortions

while we wait for men
to feel comfortable with us

having control
over our own bodies?

How many women are gonna be
forced to give birth to babies

they can't afford to feed
while we wait for housewives,

who have no idea what it's like
to have to work to survive,

to feel comfortable with women
having power?

How long do we give people
to adapt to change?

Am I the only one who's
so fucking tired of waiting?

We will make this our priority
after elections.

Where are you going?

I have to get back to New York.

We haven't voted yet.

I'm not running.

Who wants to nominate me?

Excuse me. Hi. Um...

Sorry. I work in the building.

I was hoping to run into you
one of these days

so that you'd sign my copy
of the first issue.

I'd be happy to.
What's your name?

Theresa.
Oh, can you sign this page?

How did you get all those famous
women to agree to sign it?

That was easy. The hard part
was getting our male publisher

to agree to run it.

Have you ever told anyone?

Only my husband.

We already had three.
Money was tight.

It was in a hotel.

A whole bunch of us in one room.

Sorry.

Oh!

There you go.

I'd like to make three toasts.

Roger.
To our eldest, John.

We are so proud
of our first college graduate.

Yeah.
Yeah.

Don't even think
about moving home.

And to my mother‐in‐law,
who will be gracing us

with her lovely presence
every day.

If I ever finish packing.
Cheers.

Aw.
Hey, Grandma.

And to my darling wife

on her victory in Springfield
yesterday.

I'm so proud of what
you accomplished.

Aw, thank you.
Mwah. Hear, hear.

All: Hear, hear.
Hear, hear, and it looks like

we should also be toasting
Mayor Daley.

Oh, what do you mean?
Well, it says here

Representative Chapman,

the woman who sponsored
the ERA...

Mm‐hmm.
Yes, I know who she is.

She says the mayor had
an ax to grind with her.

So he went and told his people

to vote against it. That's why
seven Democrats from Chicago

switched their vote
from "yes" to "no." Lucky.

She's spinning tales so she
doesn't look incompetent.

Hmm. Off you go.

It was defeated by seven votes.

A win's a win.

I didn't want
to be elected spokeswoman.

That's why I left.

Which only made you
more attractive.

We need you. Hold on.

McGovern always says you
sold him on the women's issue.

Well, then he shouldn't have
sold us out on abortion.

I'm gonna go to the convention
with my press pass

and my "Chisholm for President"
pin.

Oh, don't give me that crap
about the power of the press,

and Shirley is gonna be out of
the race by the convention.

She got what, a dozen delegates?

I gotta go.

I'm still working.

Hmm?

I didn't know your mom
was a reporter.

Oh, for "The Toledo Blade."
She quit after Sue was born.

Hmm.
Have you read this interview?

Oh, I don't need to read it.
I talk to her every day.

Some of these quotes...

"At first, when people would say
nasty things about Gloria,

"I would take tranquilizers
and cry,

but I've grown a lot lately,
and now I just laugh it off."

You should read this.
I don't have time to get upset

about my mother
telling the world

she wishes I would find
a husband.

So you did read it.

Well, I got worried that she
was gonna say something crazy

like, "I wish Gloria
would find a husband."

Is that so crazy?

Maybe next year.

You know, we aren't getting
any younger.

Nobody's getting any younger.

5‐year‐old's aren't getting
any younger.

So you don't wanna have a child?

Well, I had a child‐‐ my mother.

I must have done a terrible job,
too,

because look how she turned out.

Are you afraid that if you
marry me,

you will turn into your mother?

That's a horrible way
to propose.

If I do it better next time,

will you change your answer?

Can we talk about this later
when I'm not meeting a deadline?

Yeah.
I'll call you later, then.

You can't put me off forever.

Wonder Woman. Neat.

George McGovern is
the front and only runner

in the New York primary,
with all the advantages

and handicaps
that usually means.

His own congressional district
may have sacrificed

a few delegates now for goodwill

and a larger payoff
at the convention.

Campaigning in New York,
McGovern has...

You got a few minutes?

Well, can it wait
till after the news?

Oh, you know how this ends.
They run McGovern.

Nixon squeaks by,
and everybody's unhappy.

Only gets you agitated.

Now can you show me where
Freund draws a connection

between the ERA
and integrated public restrooms,

prisons, and reform schools?

Does it matter? We won.
I know.

Just show me how he gets there.

Please.

Just run me
through the legal arguments,

so I don't have to bother you
each time.

Well, I like it
when you bother me.

You weren't the only one
who was admitted

to Harvard Law School.

Hmm? I was invited, too.

When was that?

When I was getting my master's.

My constitutional law professor
thought I was brilliant.

You really want a crash course
in legal research and writing?

Mm‐hmm, yes.
Okay.

Well, the first thing
you need to know

when presenting
a legal argument is that, uh,

while you have a lot of leeway
to be creative...

Mm‐hmm.
You never want to make

a statement which is objectively
verifiable as being false.

Okay.
For instance,

you wouldn't say that you were

invited to attend
Harvard Law School

when it only takes a phone call
to find out

that you got
your master's in 1945‐‐

five years before the law school
went co‐ed.

They would've made
an exception for me.

Or three?
Or four?

Or five?
Or maybe more.

Where's your fiancé now?

Ex‐fiancé.
No, he's back in the States.

May I ask why you haven't
told him?

We would have to get married.

After the procedure,
there'll be a little bleeding.

You'll be confined to bed
for a few days

until the bleeding stops.
I'll give you pills for that.

And I hope you'll use
birth control in the future,

especially if you plan to spend
the year in India.

Thank you.

You must promise me two things.

You will never tell anyone
my name.

And you will do what you want
to do with your life.

You.

I'll do it.

I'll be the spokeswoman.

On one condition.

Okay.

We force the vote on abortion
on the convention floor.