Scandal (2012–2018): Season 7, Episode 2 - Pressing the Flesh - full transcript
We're running out of hotels.
Have you seen my purse?
- Fivestar hotels.
- I could've sworn...
We're not gonna take this show
to the Super 8 next, are we?
'Cause something tells me
you like the fivestar
service you've been getting.
You're giving
yourself five stars now?
You can tell me I'm wrong.
I'll be in touch.
- Your assistant...
- What?
Your assistant will be touch.
My assistant handles my schedule.
So, then, dinner, a night out?
Maybe your assistant
can schedule me in?
I'm just saying, this
fivestar service
could extend to outside
the hotel room, too.
Curtis...
my assistant handles
my very busy schedule.
If I'm having a day,
if my tea isn't sitting on my desk,
piping hot in the morning,
if the President ignores
something I've said in the afternoon,
if the state dinner I'm throwing
for the head of state who's in town
is a bust in the evening...
that is where you and your
fivestar service come in.
I'm really not sure how to
make myself any more clear.
So, is that your way of
saying you don't need a date
for the state dinner tomorrow night?
'Cause II was kind of hoping that...
Goodbye, Curtis.
Of course, the state dinner tradition
dates all the way back to 1874,
when President Ulysses S. Grant
welcomed King Kalakaua of Hawaii,
which, as we all know, later
became our 50th state.
Now, at that dinner, there
were just 36 guests
eating 29 courses, if
you can believe it.
Tonight, President Grant will
be playing host to 120 guests
eating just five courses
at our state dinner
for the President of Bashran.
Excuse me, what's this tarp?
That's the old pool built by
President Franklin Roosevelt.
It's under construction.
As some of you may know,
President Roosevelt had polio,
so he actually used the pool t...
It's Olivia Pope, everyone...
- our very own Chief of Staff.
- Hello, hello.
You all picked a very busy day
to visit the White House.
Welcome.
Mr. Vice President.
I wish you'd stop doing that.
- Doing what?
- Being so formal.
I'd like this to be informal...
colleagues, but friends.
I see. You're here to complain?
We were friends once, weren't we?
- But now what am I to you?
- At this moment,
we are preparing to host
the president of a country
who just caught us spying on him...
not a great place to start when
the point of tonight's dinner
is to talk this man into giving
up his nuclear capabilities.
Add on top of that,
the fact that Mellie
doesn't have a a First Lady.
So the questions I've
been forced to field...
have been about china patterns,
about centerpieces, and I
am not a wedding planner.
So, what are you to me...
another person in my office
about to bother me about
tonight's dinner.
Unless... and I would love this...
you can tell me you're
here about something else.
Out with it.
It's about tonight's
seating arrangement.
Goodbye, Cyrus. I'm sitting
next to Fenton Glackland...
Fenton Glackland...
which I assume is no accident.
You assume correctly.
Why, Olivia? What sin did I commit?
What gods have I offended
that I've been sentenced
to sit for two hours
next to Fenton Glackland?
Or is it because I'm
gay, and he's gay,
and you think we speak
some secret gay language?
You're next to Fenton
because he's one of the biggest
campaign contributors we've got,
and he made a special request
to be seated near you.
Olivia, we're talking about a man
who wore flipflops to his TED Talk.
Look, we've all got our work
cut out for us tonight.
Did I mention Mellie's
trying to charm a dictator
into a nucleararms treaty?
The least you can do is chitchat
with a billionaire tech mogul
whose support we depend on.
He's a Sasquatch...
a libertarian.
Exactly.
Last election cycle,
he donated on both sides of the aisle.
Down the line,
when you're mounting
your own campaign,
Glackland could be
a useful person to know.
You want me to be your friend, Cyrus?
This is me being your friend.
Get out of my office.
You want four tickets
to the state dinner
that's happening tonight.
That's the one.
Yeah, I can't help you.
On the phone, you said it
wouldn't be a problem.
Because I thought you were
asking to be my date,
which would be fine,
but I only get a plusone,
not a plusfour.
David, we need clients...
highprofile clients...
the kind of clients that
attend state dinners.
Those people came to OPA
because they knew Olivia Pope.
If we want them to come to QPA,
then they need to know who we are.
If you all need to
be there that badly,
why don't you just ask Olivia?
Olivia has a lot on
her plate right now.
And I don't?
Abby, I'm the Attorney
General of the...
Of the United States of America.
Yes, I know, and you
are also my friend,
and I bought you lunch, so you owe me.
We have lunch together all the time,
which I always buy, so
technically, you owe me.
You know what? Let's not
get into who owes who.
Abby, I don't know if you recall,
but you used to work
at the White House.
Yeah, that's the key
phrase, "used to."
You don't think that the idea of
me showing up at the White House
and begging the Social Secretary
for scraps is a little sad?
Is it more sad than the
idea that I can be bought
with a plate of lomein
and an egg roll?
They are very good egg rolls.
We're in!
Four invites to the state dinner,
all courtesy of David Rosen.
- Who's Kevin Dunwoody?
- Kevin Dunwoody is you.
We had to give you
both fake identities.
You're not Rihanna or Adele.
The White House isn't
gonna issue invites
to "Huck" or "Charlie."
I don't know if I see
myself as a Kevin.
- You want to be Kevin?
- I don't want to go at all.
This is a huge opportunity,
and we cannot afford to pass it up.
Plus, I'm the boss, and
I say we're going,
- so we're going.
- Fake identities?
Infiltrating secure
government buildings?
It does sound a bit
like the good ole days.
Start right in on the nuclear treaty.
- Should I go with "Mr. President" or...
- President Rashad.
He's going to try to steer you toward
the Joshua Stewart debacle,
seek some sort of apology for
spying on his country but...
What's one incident
when a nuclear treaty
equals peace in the Middle East?
We've only got this brief
meeting and the state dinner
to convince him to take a bold step.
Got it.
President Rashad, welcome.
Madam President, thank you.
Being invited here,
as well as having your
undivided attention,
is a great moment for my country.
As it is for ours.
Thank you, everyone.
Thank you.
I do appreciate you making the trip.
I hope we can make
this an historic one,
and start down a very important road
towards a nuclearfree Bashran.
It is an important road.
And a difficult one, no?
Considering that your
country started this
nucleararms race decades ago
and then escalated it by handing out
nuclear capabilities to our enemies,
forcing Bashran to spend
precious resources
just to protect ourselves
on the playground.
- Yes, well...
- And as you also know,
it is different for a leader,
like myself, to feel secure
when your CIA provides ammunition
to rebel factions who want
to remove me from power.
But before you tell me
that you're simply trying
to spread democracy,
when, really, you're
spreading lax moral values
and a godless obsession with sex,
let me just note that
I would be delighted
to discuss the ways to
remove all nuclear weapons
from the entire planet...
starting with countries
who have the most...
like the United States, for example.
That would be historic.
Wouldn't you agree?
Now, how about that tour?
Okay, I've flagged
people on the guest list
most prone to scandal.
We should make sure to
hit them up tonight.
They're our priority.
Huck. You okay?
I don't want to go.
I'm not very good at...
small talk.
Well, you know, you don't
really have to say much.
Just ask one or two questions,
get them talking.
The best way I know how to
get people talking is...
is to hurt them.
But you only hurt people
who don't want to
answer your questions.
These people tonight...
they like to hear themselves talk.
And they love talking
about themselves.
Ask a question, let them talk.
You'll be fine.
Do you miss it?
The White House?
I was a big dog...
effecting policy...
that affected 300 million lives.
I'd be lying if I said
I didn't miss it...
sometimes.
But, you know...
I prefer being a gladiator.
I welcomed this man
into America's house.
This was a mistake. He's unreasonable.
True, but that doesn't
negate the fact that
we need President Rashad
to sign this treaty.
How soon do we think Bashran
can get their hands on a
nuclear weapon anyway?
Thank you, Yvette.
The CIA Director estimates anywhere
- from five months to a year.
- That soon?
Mellie, Rashad's
cooperation is imperative.
Tonight's dinner is crucial.
What do you say we skip the dinner?
Go to Georgetown, have some drinks,
- meet some guys.
- Madam President, if we can focus...
It would be so much fun.
Think about it.
I mean, it doesn't
have to be Georgetown.
We can go wherever the
hot single guys in D.C.
hang out nowadays. Madam President...
That is the problem...
Madam President,
always Madam President.
I am not complaining.
I wanted to be first,
I fought to be first,
and, of course, I knew
the cure for sexism
would come with side effects.
But, my God, Liv.
It never turns off.
You never stop being
President, not for one minute.
It's all missiles and treaties
and worrying about the
safety of the nation
every minute of the day.
You feel like you're
losing who you really are.
You feel like a prisoner.
You feel trapped under the weight
of the power and the responsibility.
It's crushing you.
If only the world would allow you
to do this job and
still be you, right?
Being a woman doesn't
make you original.
You sound just like Fitz,
who sounded just like
every other President.
But I'm not.
I'm not just POTUS.
I am Single Female POTUS.
Do you know what that means?
It means I'm a human chastity belt.
Men have, historically,
always had trouble getting turned on
by powerful women... the idiots.
And when that powerful woman is
the leader of the free world?
Olivia, there is a
famine in my lady bits.
My vagina is beautiful,
she is welcoming,
but she is getting treated
like a murder house.
- I can't get anythingin there.
- Okay!
So that is a colorful
visual I did not need.
You know what I need?
I need a vibrator.
The President needs a vibrator.
Can I get one? No.
Can I go into a store and buy one? No!
I can't order one online.
I don't have a credit card anymore.
I'm definitely not gonna
ask the military valet
who attends to my personal items
to go and pick one up for me.
I can't ask any staffer,
really, because,
I mean, think of the political tea
the Democrats could spill.
The headline...
"Staffer forced to purchase sex
toys for President Grant."
You want to talk about the crown jewel
of the American prison system?
I can't even smuggle an
orgasm into this place.
I just keep thinking...
how would Ken Burns
immortalize this moment
in your documentary?
Well, I hope that he
would use a reenactment.
It's lonely.
I know.
I really do know.
But...
this is the job.
You have to do the job.
I know.
I will work on President
Rashad at dinner.
If I can't get laid, I can, at least,
do something about
nuclear proliferation.
Let's go make some world peace.
One of his startups is developing
"insectbased meal
replacement shakes."
Did you know our friend Mr.
Glackland eats bugs?
Literally eats bugs.
Over here.
What's that?
This is the most important
piece of equipment we have.
No B613 command center
is complete without it.
Tiny pleasures.
President Rashad.
He's being difficult.
Mellie's gonna work on him at dinner.
Maybe he'll soften. I doubt he will.
If he doesn't, we're going to need
a little help getting
our treaty signed.
A little help. We're talking about...
Dirt... Hold him upside down,
see what falls out of his pockets.
Think you can do that?
Absolutely.
This was the only place
he felt free, you know.
FDR... the guy who built this place.
Outside, he was confined
to a wheelchair,
but in here... in the water,
it's like he could fly.
Hard to believe now, isn't it?
Let me know when you've
found something.
They say you can see
the castle from every hole,
but I can only attest to the
view from the sand trap.
In life, as it is in golf.
Excuse me, I, can't
take another minute.
I beg your pardon. Fenton Glackland.
I'd say I'm at your service,
but considering the amount
of money I've given,
I think you're technically at mine.
Mr. Glackland.
Your reputation precedes you.
It's only sugar.
Passed a churro cart
on the drive over,
- and I couldn't resist.
- A churro cart?
You realize the chef tonight
has three Michelin stars.
And welldeserved...
I've eaten at all her restaurants.
But her portions? Insulting.
If you're the least bit hungry,
I suggest, filling up on apps.
Truly, I'd assumed that
the firm had closed its doors
when Olivia Pope left
for the White House.
Unfortunately, that's a
popular misconception,
and one we're eager to correct.
- Stuffed date, my dear?
- Ooh!
What a gentleman.
Tell me, how long have the
two of you been married?
Actually, we're...
We're about a year and
half in, right, Kevin?
Right. Year and a half.
I found a poodle on the
side of the road once.
I tried to massage its
heart and keep it alive...
didn't work.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Our next three lunches are on me.
How does that math work?
It should be at least one
lunch for every ticket.
Hey! You already had the plusone.
You wouldn't really make your
date pay for her own meal,
would you?
No. No, I suppose not.
You know, I think I see
Senator Powell over there.
I should go say hello.
- What happened?
- She didn't want to talk.
I told you, I'm not good at this.
Try talking to someone
you might have something
in common with, like...
There are lots of
military people here.
Try one of them.
Liv.
Quinn. You're here. You're all here.
Yes, we are, but I don't
want you to worry.
We're not going to embarrass you.
Huck is on the leash,
this baby is staying in,
so no broken water on
this very nice carpet.
And Charlie isn't even Charlie.
He's Kevin.
Great.
Give me a sec, okay?
What are you doing here?
I was invited here.
You know Sarah Jacobi?
She works at Defense...
- You need to leave.
- That would be rude to Sarah.
If you're here trying to make
some ridiculous point...
No, I'm here trying to
ridiculously impress my date.
You want to meet her? She's great...
She's smart, and, get this,
she doesn't even have an assistant.
Happy for you.
You don't look happy.
I don't have time for this.
Right.
Very busy, I know.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the President of the United States
accompanied by President
Rashad of Bashran.
And may this evening begin a new era
of peace and prosperity for Bashran,
and a friendship which endures
well beyond our time.
Kind words from an elegant host.
Kind words from a President
with a clear agenda,
one that is your
country's best interest.
Your best interest, perhaps.
I'm trying to avoid
a largescale war in the Middle East.
You're trying to put a
feather in your cap
and get a political win.
Securing a nuclear treaty
would be an achievement
far beyond feathers in
our respective caps.
What you're seeking you don't want,
I assure you.
We have an expression in this country.
It's called "mansplaining."
If I agree to this treaty of yours,
I'll be considered weak.
Support for the wellfunded,
welltrained radicals
who want me out of power will grow.
I'll be exiled at best
and assassinated at worst,
and instead of dealing
with me, you'll be dealing
with a hornets nest of
antiAmerican goons
with access to radioactive materials.
We can help you sell the idea of peace
to your people.
I can make visit to your country...
talk to...
The godless white lady
coming to save us?
I don't think so.
Maybe if they got to know me better?
You have a fair point.
You charm and intelligence
are powerful weapons.
I can see that now.
But I'm afraid they're not enough.
Let me mansplain more.
Like I said, the moment I
say the word "treaty,"
I'm either dead or exiled,
especially now that Dakal is
developing its own weapons
right next door.
So I'm afraid your dream
is thwarted by my reality.
Please tell me you've got something.
Our friend likes 'em young.
That girl can't be older than 16.
When were these taken?
Last night at the Embassy.
Rashad's security detail
snuck her in the back.
Any photos inside the bedroom,
proof that money exchanged hands?
- Nothing I caught on camera.
- Keep looking.
In Bashran, sexual deviants are
either imprisoned or executed.
My guess, he'd rather sign a treaty
than be dragged from his
palace and hung from a crane.
Your wish is my command, boss.
- Coffee?
- None for me. Thank you.
I will, thanks.
You know, Congressman, it's
so funny you mentioned polo.
My husband's family
are mad for the game.
Isn't that right, Kevin?
- Indeed. Quite mad.
- Really?
You're not related to
the Atlanta Dunwoodys,
- are you?
- Um... no.
Kevin's family's all
California based...
Stanford alumns, the lot of them.
You know, I'm told Santa Barbara
has a lovely polo club.
Yeah, but the 1911 is the
best sidearm ever built.
It won two world wars.
New war, new weapon... the M9
is more resistant to sand.
And it's a lot cheaper.
Yeah, certainly doesn't hurt, right?
You, served?
I don't know.
You don't know if you've served?
Is that baklava?
What'd I tell you? Chintzy.
She should skip the gold leaf
and double the saffron foam.
- I'm embarrassing you.
- Not at all.
I'm eager to know how the cake
fared against the churros.
You know what I did today?
Invented a hovercraft
powered by cockroach parts?
I bought a Cèzanne... $105 million.
Well, ducky for you.
Which Cèzanne?
I don't remember.
But my buyer assures me
it's quite famous...
a boy, a vest... something like that.
"The Boy in the Red Vest"?
Yeah, that sounds right.
That's...
one of his most...
You spent $100 million on a painting,
and you don't even know
what painting it is?
It's for my office.
You see, my businesses earn
over $1 million an hour.
That's over $17,000 a minute.
So there's nothing I hate more
than people wasting my time.
But I found a solution.
A billion dollars of artwork
hangs in the foyer of my office...
Warhol, Picasso, Monet,
soon this Cèzanne.
After people walk past all that,
they tend to get right to the point.
Which is how I like it.
- I can imagine.
- The problem is,
what good is that collection
when I'm out here in the world?
You see, we've been at this
dinner nearly two hours,
and you still have not
asked me why I am here.
Mr. Glackland, why are you here?
Because I like to work with experts,
and you're an expert in politics.
The real expert's sitting
at the head table.
I'm the one who rode in the sidecar,
went to prison, then lost.
Don't sell yourself short.
You've seen it all,
played every angle,
seen every mistake.
Okay, I'm an expert.
What do you want to know?
If I wanted to run for governor...
where, exactly,
would I start?
Governor.
You want to run for Governor.
Ladies and gentlemen,
with our dinner service complete,
we would like to invite you all
to join us in the East Room
for a musical performance.
- No, no, no.
- We're not going there.
You're giving me the private tour.
Forced music appreciation?
Hold the performance.
You want the good news
first or the bad news?
Jake... She's not a prostitute.
That's the bad news.
What's the good news?
You can corroborate this?
Is the performance about to begin?
Not quite.
You'll forgive the intrusion.
I felt it was best we spoke privately.
Her name is Yasmeen Talebi.
That's what the Admissions Office
at Dartmouth thinks, anyway.
What they don't know, but you do
is that her name is Yasmeen Rashad,
daughter of Amir Rashad,
your late brother.
I'm told she's a... English major
with a minor in Gender Studies.
I don't imagine that would go
over very well in Bashran.
Neither do you, I'm assuming.
If you did, you wouldn't
have changed her name.
Mr. President...
actions speak louder than words.
You may preach nationalism,
rail in your speeches against
the corrosive effect
of the West on your values,
but sending your niece to the States,
enrolling her in a prestigious college
under an assumed name,
offering her a future
she wouldn't otherwise have at home...
that tells me who you are,
who you really are...
your character.
There are some in your country
who want to drag the world
back to the 12th century.
Don't let them do that.
Sign the treaty.
Do for your country what
you've done for your niece.
You're right, Ms. Pope.
Actions do speak louder than words.
And this...
This tells me that your country
is still sticking its nose
- where it doesn't belong.
- Mr. President...
Ambassador Marashi
warned me about you.
"Watch out for Olivia Pope," he said.
"She's the devil."
Don't let your pride get
in the way of progress.
You threatened his child...
his son.
That tells me everything
I need to know
about your character.
So you can forget about your treaty.
My staff and I will be leaving
immediately after the performance.
You're making a mistake.
Good evening, Ms. Pope.
So, I said to myself,
if there's this much
waste in San Francisco,
imagine at the state level.
I mean, their systems are obsolete.
Plus, I'm running out
of companies to found.
I saved the best for last.
Of course.
This is it?
The seat of power, the
center of the known world.
Yeah.
Not what you expected?
Well, it's a little...
a little smaller than I thought.
But I guess people were stunted
by calcium deficiency back in...
- 1909.
- We don't really let people...
you know...
I could get used to this.
Screw governor.
Maybe I should drop a few mil
and make a bid for Prez.
Get up.
Get up!
You...
Boob!
You ignorant, entitled...
This is the most venerated
office in the country...
The democracy that defined
modern democracy.
The chance to sit at this desk
is an honor and a privilege,
not some Cracker Jack prize
that gets handed out
to any Forbes 100 upstart
who can "drop a few mil"
when they're getting bored.
FYI, that Cèzanne that you bought
just to prove to everyone
how important you are?
It's worth all that
money for a reason.
Cèzanne's work shaped
the next halfcentury of modern art.
But you don't care.
You can't even pretend to care,
which is why you'll
never win an election,
certainly not for Governor.
And for President?
Don't make me laugh!
So, it's time to call it a day.
I'm leaving.
I'm s... so sorry.
Mr. Glackland, the Oval...
it's very close to my heart.
There you are.
Here I am.
I thought you might've left.
I've been networking...
haven't had a moment to breathe.
Now's your moment.
I love this song.
We are doing so well, I
feel like celebrating.
Do you think they have
any of that cake left?
Do you want me to look?
Because that sounds like
a job for your husband.
- Kevin.
- What?
Never mind.
I thought he was Kevin.
He is.
Everyone is acting so weird tonight.
Huck, We need you in there, man.
The evening's almost over.
Come on.
You were hitting it off
with that one Army guy, weren't you?
I was...
till I saw his service medals.
And, what, too many medals of valor?
They were in the wrong order.
They're supposed to be in
order of precedence...
personal awards first,
then unit awards,
then nonmilitary awards, then...
Huck, get to the point.
I don't think he's
actually in the Army.
I snuck a picture of him,
and I'm running it through
the military database now.
Wait, didn't they take
your phone at the door?
- Yeah.
- Then how did you...
Why? You need one?
Forget it.
So, who is this guy?
I don't know.
But he's never been in the Army,
which means he's not
who he says he is.
So? Neither are you and Charlie.
Yeah.
Because we're a couple of killers.
Looked like a hasty
exit by the Bashranis.
Do you think that's gonna
impact pending negotiations?
Where's your date? Where's Sarah?
You're changing the subject.
Don't make me have you
escorted out of here.
That would cause quite a scene.
Also, can you imagine tomorrow
morning's news cycle?
Journalist gets kicked
out of state dinner
for just doing his job.
So this is your job now?
This is you with your
journalistic hat on now?
President Rashad
didn't just leave here
because he wanted to be
in bed by 8:00, Olivia.
Something happened.
This is me doing you a solid.
I'm giving you a chance
to make a comment
for a story I'm running
with in eight hours.
There is no story here, Curtis.
The state dinner is over.
Guests typically leave when it's over.
Big surprise.
What?
Nothing... It's your knack for spin.
It is astounding.
It's not spin. It's the truth.
Do you even know the
difference anymore?
Whether it's acting like
you don't know what's
going down at this dinner
or pretending like
you're okay with scheduling
our little hotel room meetups
through your assistant.
You are all about spin.
Be real with me, Olivia.
Or are you afraid of doing that, too?
You don't know the
first thing about me.
Maybe I don't.
But I'd like to.
Liv.
We have a problem.
President Rashad.
President Grant
sent me to stop you.
She wants to talk, oneonone.
I don't know you.
She thought it best to keep
her advisers out of it.
She said you'd understand why.
Wait here.
This way, Mr. President.
First you spy on me,
then you blackmail me, and
when that doesn't work.
You assassinate me in your own house?
Do you Americans have no shame?
Do you?
Worrying about the Americans
when your concern should
be for your people,
groveling for their approval...
while your own country burns.
You're Bashrani.
Threat neutralized.
I'm fine. I'm fine!
The NSA will be coordinating
with your team directly,
President Rashad.
We'll find out how the
assassin got into the dinner
and who he's working for.
- The moment you find something.
- You'll be the first to know.
I already know who's behind this.
The radicals in my country
have been trying to force me
to bend to their will for months.
But now they've shown
their true desire...
to kill me.
They may fail today, but tomorrow...
Mr. President, we're here to help.
If there's anything more we can do...
anything.
Olivia, could you give the
President and me a moment,
please?
Of course, Madam President.
Your fears are by no means unfounded.
I know them all too well myself.
Four to six
are the magic numbers around here.
Four to six credible death threats
are lodged against
me every single day,
according to my friends
at the Secret Service.
Those fears...
They come with the job.
You think I'm afraid of dying?
- I didn't...
- Failure, Madam President,
is more terrifying than
any possible fate.
Failing my people,
leaving them behind,
hopeless and weak before I can finish,
bestowing upon them a lifetime
of discord and anarchy...
That's what I fear.
Not death.
Then you have the opportunity, Mr.
President, right now,
to make sure that that never happens.
Your treaty.
Our treaty.
It's not that simple.
It could be.
It could be your greatest achievement.
Ensuring a better future
for your country?
You do that,
and it sounds to me like
you don't have anything
to be afraid of anymore.
I would need an assurance...
one, in particular.
Name it.
Dakal...
My country's most aggressive enemy.
If I'm to sign this treaty,
then they have to do the same.
If not, it's pointless.
We'll bring Dakal to the table, then.
Leave that to me.
Madam President,
do you have something...
stronger?
I would've offered, but I
assumed you didn't drink.
It's an old habit
from university days.
I try to keep it discreet.
No fun to drink alone.
I assume, um...
Ms. Pope has told you about Yasmeen.
Your niece.
She has a picture of you
hanging on the wall of her dorm room.
She calls you...
an inspiration.
I wanted her to know that
her future's not limited
by the traditions and
laws of her old country,
that she can be anything
she wants to be.
You certainly don't need to explain...
You are...
extraordinary.
It's an honor sitting here,
next to you, right now.
I should go.
I...
look forward to the two
of us working together.
As do I.
Thank you, President Rashad.
I should've made more of an
effort to mingle or whatever.
I'm sorry.
Stop.
You saved a head of state instead.
You did good, Huck.
Abby.
What was that earlier,
the hand holding?
I was moved by the music.
Yeah, well, let the music
move you and you alone.
But why, when you're
there, right next to me?
Because we're friends...
Friends who do not hold hands.
We're good together, Abby.
Look me in the eye and
tell me we aren't.
I have to go.
God.
You're awfully quiet.
You're never quiet.
You told everyone we were married.
- So...?
- So, we're not.
It's a really
conservative room, Charlie.
It was easier to tell them
what they wanted to hear.
Why's that such a problem?
It's a problem 'cause
we're not married
and we should've been by now.
You said you were okay with waiting
until we got the firm
back up and running.
I was.
But...?
But maybe it's too late.
What are you saying?
I'm saying Quinn and
Charlie were a good match.
But the New Quinn of Quinn
Perkins and Associates?
She doesn't need a Charlie.
She needs a Kevin...
Kevin who can go to
dinner and schmooze
and comes from a good family
that plays polo in Santa Barbara
and fits into that world
without having to pretend
that he belongs there?
II can't.
Not for long, anyway.
The ruse won't hold, and
I think you know that.
You just don't want to say it.
Screw you!
- You're dumping me?!
- What?
We're having a baby!
I am not dumping you!
You're dumping me!
Why the hell would you
even think that?!
You hit me!
Because you're saying stupid things!
I don't love Kevin.
Idiot!
I love you.
I'm marrying you.
And I'm not waiting
another damn minute.
We might have to wait a few minutes,
because I haven't applied
for a marriage license.
- Do you want to get hit again?
- Not particularly.
Sir, a package came for you.
I didn't know what to do with it,
so I put it in your office.
It's a nice painting.
It's not...
a painting.
It's the painting.
It's the "Boy In The
Red Vest" by Cèzanne.
He shaped modern...
Nev... Never mind.
Cool.
And there was a note, too.
Sarah, right?
You're Olivia Pope.
I know.
I've heard such good
things about you, Sarah.
It's nice to meet you.
Can I borrow him for just a second?
Thank you.
That was unexpected.
I'm ready to give you
that comment now.
Okay.
Only it's for a different story...
a new story, a better story,
the story of how President
Grant is going to bring
both Bashran and its
neighboring country of Dakal
together in one room
for a nuclear summit.
That's... that's huge.
It's unprecedented.
Also...
cause for celebration.
And which hotel gets the honor
of hosting this celebration?
None of them.
You're taking me to your place?
Stop talking.
Hi.
Have you seen my purse?
- Fivestar hotels.
- I could've sworn...
We're not gonna take this show
to the Super 8 next, are we?
'Cause something tells me
you like the fivestar
service you've been getting.
You're giving
yourself five stars now?
You can tell me I'm wrong.
I'll be in touch.
- Your assistant...
- What?
Your assistant will be touch.
My assistant handles my schedule.
So, then, dinner, a night out?
Maybe your assistant
can schedule me in?
I'm just saying, this
fivestar service
could extend to outside
the hotel room, too.
Curtis...
my assistant handles
my very busy schedule.
If I'm having a day,
if my tea isn't sitting on my desk,
piping hot in the morning,
if the President ignores
something I've said in the afternoon,
if the state dinner I'm throwing
for the head of state who's in town
is a bust in the evening...
that is where you and your
fivestar service come in.
I'm really not sure how to
make myself any more clear.
So, is that your way of
saying you don't need a date
for the state dinner tomorrow night?
'Cause II was kind of hoping that...
Goodbye, Curtis.
Of course, the state dinner tradition
dates all the way back to 1874,
when President Ulysses S. Grant
welcomed King Kalakaua of Hawaii,
which, as we all know, later
became our 50th state.
Now, at that dinner, there
were just 36 guests
eating 29 courses, if
you can believe it.
Tonight, President Grant will
be playing host to 120 guests
eating just five courses
at our state dinner
for the President of Bashran.
Excuse me, what's this tarp?
That's the old pool built by
President Franklin Roosevelt.
It's under construction.
As some of you may know,
President Roosevelt had polio,
so he actually used the pool t...
It's Olivia Pope, everyone...
- our very own Chief of Staff.
- Hello, hello.
You all picked a very busy day
to visit the White House.
Welcome.
Mr. Vice President.
I wish you'd stop doing that.
- Doing what?
- Being so formal.
I'd like this to be informal...
colleagues, but friends.
I see. You're here to complain?
We were friends once, weren't we?
- But now what am I to you?
- At this moment,
we are preparing to host
the president of a country
who just caught us spying on him...
not a great place to start when
the point of tonight's dinner
is to talk this man into giving
up his nuclear capabilities.
Add on top of that,
the fact that Mellie
doesn't have a a First Lady.
So the questions I've
been forced to field...
have been about china patterns,
about centerpieces, and I
am not a wedding planner.
So, what are you to me...
another person in my office
about to bother me about
tonight's dinner.
Unless... and I would love this...
you can tell me you're
here about something else.
Out with it.
It's about tonight's
seating arrangement.
Goodbye, Cyrus. I'm sitting
next to Fenton Glackland...
Fenton Glackland...
which I assume is no accident.
You assume correctly.
Why, Olivia? What sin did I commit?
What gods have I offended
that I've been sentenced
to sit for two hours
next to Fenton Glackland?
Or is it because I'm
gay, and he's gay,
and you think we speak
some secret gay language?
You're next to Fenton
because he's one of the biggest
campaign contributors we've got,
and he made a special request
to be seated near you.
Olivia, we're talking about a man
who wore flipflops to his TED Talk.
Look, we've all got our work
cut out for us tonight.
Did I mention Mellie's
trying to charm a dictator
into a nucleararms treaty?
The least you can do is chitchat
with a billionaire tech mogul
whose support we depend on.
He's a Sasquatch...
a libertarian.
Exactly.
Last election cycle,
he donated on both sides of the aisle.
Down the line,
when you're mounting
your own campaign,
Glackland could be
a useful person to know.
You want me to be your friend, Cyrus?
This is me being your friend.
Get out of my office.
You want four tickets
to the state dinner
that's happening tonight.
That's the one.
Yeah, I can't help you.
On the phone, you said it
wouldn't be a problem.
Because I thought you were
asking to be my date,
which would be fine,
but I only get a plusone,
not a plusfour.
David, we need clients...
highprofile clients...
the kind of clients that
attend state dinners.
Those people came to OPA
because they knew Olivia Pope.
If we want them to come to QPA,
then they need to know who we are.
If you all need to
be there that badly,
why don't you just ask Olivia?
Olivia has a lot on
her plate right now.
And I don't?
Abby, I'm the Attorney
General of the...
Of the United States of America.
Yes, I know, and you
are also my friend,
and I bought you lunch, so you owe me.
We have lunch together all the time,
which I always buy, so
technically, you owe me.
You know what? Let's not
get into who owes who.
Abby, I don't know if you recall,
but you used to work
at the White House.
Yeah, that's the key
phrase, "used to."
You don't think that the idea of
me showing up at the White House
and begging the Social Secretary
for scraps is a little sad?
Is it more sad than the
idea that I can be bought
with a plate of lomein
and an egg roll?
They are very good egg rolls.
We're in!
Four invites to the state dinner,
all courtesy of David Rosen.
- Who's Kevin Dunwoody?
- Kevin Dunwoody is you.
We had to give you
both fake identities.
You're not Rihanna or Adele.
The White House isn't
gonna issue invites
to "Huck" or "Charlie."
I don't know if I see
myself as a Kevin.
- You want to be Kevin?
- I don't want to go at all.
This is a huge opportunity,
and we cannot afford to pass it up.
Plus, I'm the boss, and
I say we're going,
- so we're going.
- Fake identities?
Infiltrating secure
government buildings?
It does sound a bit
like the good ole days.
Start right in on the nuclear treaty.
- Should I go with "Mr. President" or...
- President Rashad.
He's going to try to steer you toward
the Joshua Stewart debacle,
seek some sort of apology for
spying on his country but...
What's one incident
when a nuclear treaty
equals peace in the Middle East?
We've only got this brief
meeting and the state dinner
to convince him to take a bold step.
Got it.
President Rashad, welcome.
Madam President, thank you.
Being invited here,
as well as having your
undivided attention,
is a great moment for my country.
As it is for ours.
Thank you, everyone.
Thank you.
I do appreciate you making the trip.
I hope we can make
this an historic one,
and start down a very important road
towards a nuclearfree Bashran.
It is an important road.
And a difficult one, no?
Considering that your
country started this
nucleararms race decades ago
and then escalated it by handing out
nuclear capabilities to our enemies,
forcing Bashran to spend
precious resources
just to protect ourselves
on the playground.
- Yes, well...
- And as you also know,
it is different for a leader,
like myself, to feel secure
when your CIA provides ammunition
to rebel factions who want
to remove me from power.
But before you tell me
that you're simply trying
to spread democracy,
when, really, you're
spreading lax moral values
and a godless obsession with sex,
let me just note that
I would be delighted
to discuss the ways to
remove all nuclear weapons
from the entire planet...
starting with countries
who have the most...
like the United States, for example.
That would be historic.
Wouldn't you agree?
Now, how about that tour?
Okay, I've flagged
people on the guest list
most prone to scandal.
We should make sure to
hit them up tonight.
They're our priority.
Huck. You okay?
I don't want to go.
I'm not very good at...
small talk.
Well, you know, you don't
really have to say much.
Just ask one or two questions,
get them talking.
The best way I know how to
get people talking is...
is to hurt them.
But you only hurt people
who don't want to
answer your questions.
These people tonight...
they like to hear themselves talk.
And they love talking
about themselves.
Ask a question, let them talk.
You'll be fine.
Do you miss it?
The White House?
I was a big dog...
effecting policy...
that affected 300 million lives.
I'd be lying if I said
I didn't miss it...
sometimes.
But, you know...
I prefer being a gladiator.
I welcomed this man
into America's house.
This was a mistake. He's unreasonable.
True, but that doesn't
negate the fact that
we need President Rashad
to sign this treaty.
How soon do we think Bashran
can get their hands on a
nuclear weapon anyway?
Thank you, Yvette.
The CIA Director estimates anywhere
- from five months to a year.
- That soon?
Mellie, Rashad's
cooperation is imperative.
Tonight's dinner is crucial.
What do you say we skip the dinner?
Go to Georgetown, have some drinks,
- meet some guys.
- Madam President, if we can focus...
It would be so much fun.
Think about it.
I mean, it doesn't
have to be Georgetown.
We can go wherever the
hot single guys in D.C.
hang out nowadays. Madam President...
That is the problem...
Madam President,
always Madam President.
I am not complaining.
I wanted to be first,
I fought to be first,
and, of course, I knew
the cure for sexism
would come with side effects.
But, my God, Liv.
It never turns off.
You never stop being
President, not for one minute.
It's all missiles and treaties
and worrying about the
safety of the nation
every minute of the day.
You feel like you're
losing who you really are.
You feel like a prisoner.
You feel trapped under the weight
of the power and the responsibility.
It's crushing you.
If only the world would allow you
to do this job and
still be you, right?
Being a woman doesn't
make you original.
You sound just like Fitz,
who sounded just like
every other President.
But I'm not.
I'm not just POTUS.
I am Single Female POTUS.
Do you know what that means?
It means I'm a human chastity belt.
Men have, historically,
always had trouble getting turned on
by powerful women... the idiots.
And when that powerful woman is
the leader of the free world?
Olivia, there is a
famine in my lady bits.
My vagina is beautiful,
she is welcoming,
but she is getting treated
like a murder house.
- I can't get anythingin there.
- Okay!
So that is a colorful
visual I did not need.
You know what I need?
I need a vibrator.
The President needs a vibrator.
Can I get one? No.
Can I go into a store and buy one? No!
I can't order one online.
I don't have a credit card anymore.
I'm definitely not gonna
ask the military valet
who attends to my personal items
to go and pick one up for me.
I can't ask any staffer,
really, because,
I mean, think of the political tea
the Democrats could spill.
The headline...
"Staffer forced to purchase sex
toys for President Grant."
You want to talk about the crown jewel
of the American prison system?
I can't even smuggle an
orgasm into this place.
I just keep thinking...
how would Ken Burns
immortalize this moment
in your documentary?
Well, I hope that he
would use a reenactment.
It's lonely.
I know.
I really do know.
But...
this is the job.
You have to do the job.
I know.
I will work on President
Rashad at dinner.
If I can't get laid, I can, at least,
do something about
nuclear proliferation.
Let's go make some world peace.
One of his startups is developing
"insectbased meal
replacement shakes."
Did you know our friend Mr.
Glackland eats bugs?
Literally eats bugs.
Over here.
What's that?
This is the most important
piece of equipment we have.
No B613 command center
is complete without it.
Tiny pleasures.
President Rashad.
He's being difficult.
Mellie's gonna work on him at dinner.
Maybe he'll soften. I doubt he will.
If he doesn't, we're going to need
a little help getting
our treaty signed.
A little help. We're talking about...
Dirt... Hold him upside down,
see what falls out of his pockets.
Think you can do that?
Absolutely.
This was the only place
he felt free, you know.
FDR... the guy who built this place.
Outside, he was confined
to a wheelchair,
but in here... in the water,
it's like he could fly.
Hard to believe now, isn't it?
Let me know when you've
found something.
They say you can see
the castle from every hole,
but I can only attest to the
view from the sand trap.
In life, as it is in golf.
Excuse me, I, can't
take another minute.
I beg your pardon. Fenton Glackland.
I'd say I'm at your service,
but considering the amount
of money I've given,
I think you're technically at mine.
Mr. Glackland.
Your reputation precedes you.
It's only sugar.
Passed a churro cart
on the drive over,
- and I couldn't resist.
- A churro cart?
You realize the chef tonight
has three Michelin stars.
And welldeserved...
I've eaten at all her restaurants.
But her portions? Insulting.
If you're the least bit hungry,
I suggest, filling up on apps.
Truly, I'd assumed that
the firm had closed its doors
when Olivia Pope left
for the White House.
Unfortunately, that's a
popular misconception,
and one we're eager to correct.
- Stuffed date, my dear?
- Ooh!
What a gentleman.
Tell me, how long have the
two of you been married?
Actually, we're...
We're about a year and
half in, right, Kevin?
Right. Year and a half.
I found a poodle on the
side of the road once.
I tried to massage its
heart and keep it alive...
didn't work.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Our next three lunches are on me.
How does that math work?
It should be at least one
lunch for every ticket.
Hey! You already had the plusone.
You wouldn't really make your
date pay for her own meal,
would you?
No. No, I suppose not.
You know, I think I see
Senator Powell over there.
I should go say hello.
- What happened?
- She didn't want to talk.
I told you, I'm not good at this.
Try talking to someone
you might have something
in common with, like...
There are lots of
military people here.
Try one of them.
Liv.
Quinn. You're here. You're all here.
Yes, we are, but I don't
want you to worry.
We're not going to embarrass you.
Huck is on the leash,
this baby is staying in,
so no broken water on
this very nice carpet.
And Charlie isn't even Charlie.
He's Kevin.
Great.
Give me a sec, okay?
What are you doing here?
I was invited here.
You know Sarah Jacobi?
She works at Defense...
- You need to leave.
- That would be rude to Sarah.
If you're here trying to make
some ridiculous point...
No, I'm here trying to
ridiculously impress my date.
You want to meet her? She's great...
She's smart, and, get this,
she doesn't even have an assistant.
Happy for you.
You don't look happy.
I don't have time for this.
Right.
Very busy, I know.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the President of the United States
accompanied by President
Rashad of Bashran.
And may this evening begin a new era
of peace and prosperity for Bashran,
and a friendship which endures
well beyond our time.
Kind words from an elegant host.
Kind words from a President
with a clear agenda,
one that is your
country's best interest.
Your best interest, perhaps.
I'm trying to avoid
a largescale war in the Middle East.
You're trying to put a
feather in your cap
and get a political win.
Securing a nuclear treaty
would be an achievement
far beyond feathers in
our respective caps.
What you're seeking you don't want,
I assure you.
We have an expression in this country.
It's called "mansplaining."
If I agree to this treaty of yours,
I'll be considered weak.
Support for the wellfunded,
welltrained radicals
who want me out of power will grow.
I'll be exiled at best
and assassinated at worst,
and instead of dealing
with me, you'll be dealing
with a hornets nest of
antiAmerican goons
with access to radioactive materials.
We can help you sell the idea of peace
to your people.
I can make visit to your country...
talk to...
The godless white lady
coming to save us?
I don't think so.
Maybe if they got to know me better?
You have a fair point.
You charm and intelligence
are powerful weapons.
I can see that now.
But I'm afraid they're not enough.
Let me mansplain more.
Like I said, the moment I
say the word "treaty,"
I'm either dead or exiled,
especially now that Dakal is
developing its own weapons
right next door.
So I'm afraid your dream
is thwarted by my reality.
Please tell me you've got something.
Our friend likes 'em young.
That girl can't be older than 16.
When were these taken?
Last night at the Embassy.
Rashad's security detail
snuck her in the back.
Any photos inside the bedroom,
proof that money exchanged hands?
- Nothing I caught on camera.
- Keep looking.
In Bashran, sexual deviants are
either imprisoned or executed.
My guess, he'd rather sign a treaty
than be dragged from his
palace and hung from a crane.
Your wish is my command, boss.
- Coffee?
- None for me. Thank you.
I will, thanks.
You know, Congressman, it's
so funny you mentioned polo.
My husband's family
are mad for the game.
Isn't that right, Kevin?
- Indeed. Quite mad.
- Really?
You're not related to
the Atlanta Dunwoodys,
- are you?
- Um... no.
Kevin's family's all
California based...
Stanford alumns, the lot of them.
You know, I'm told Santa Barbara
has a lovely polo club.
Yeah, but the 1911 is the
best sidearm ever built.
It won two world wars.
New war, new weapon... the M9
is more resistant to sand.
And it's a lot cheaper.
Yeah, certainly doesn't hurt, right?
You, served?
I don't know.
You don't know if you've served?
Is that baklava?
What'd I tell you? Chintzy.
She should skip the gold leaf
and double the saffron foam.
- I'm embarrassing you.
- Not at all.
I'm eager to know how the cake
fared against the churros.
You know what I did today?
Invented a hovercraft
powered by cockroach parts?
I bought a Cèzanne... $105 million.
Well, ducky for you.
Which Cèzanne?
I don't remember.
But my buyer assures me
it's quite famous...
a boy, a vest... something like that.
"The Boy in the Red Vest"?
Yeah, that sounds right.
That's...
one of his most...
You spent $100 million on a painting,
and you don't even know
what painting it is?
It's for my office.
You see, my businesses earn
over $1 million an hour.
That's over $17,000 a minute.
So there's nothing I hate more
than people wasting my time.
But I found a solution.
A billion dollars of artwork
hangs in the foyer of my office...
Warhol, Picasso, Monet,
soon this Cèzanne.
After people walk past all that,
they tend to get right to the point.
Which is how I like it.
- I can imagine.
- The problem is,
what good is that collection
when I'm out here in the world?
You see, we've been at this
dinner nearly two hours,
and you still have not
asked me why I am here.
Mr. Glackland, why are you here?
Because I like to work with experts,
and you're an expert in politics.
The real expert's sitting
at the head table.
I'm the one who rode in the sidecar,
went to prison, then lost.
Don't sell yourself short.
You've seen it all,
played every angle,
seen every mistake.
Okay, I'm an expert.
What do you want to know?
If I wanted to run for governor...
where, exactly,
would I start?
Governor.
You want to run for Governor.
Ladies and gentlemen,
with our dinner service complete,
we would like to invite you all
to join us in the East Room
for a musical performance.
- No, no, no.
- We're not going there.
You're giving me the private tour.
Forced music appreciation?
Hold the performance.
You want the good news
first or the bad news?
Jake... She's not a prostitute.
That's the bad news.
What's the good news?
You can corroborate this?
Is the performance about to begin?
Not quite.
You'll forgive the intrusion.
I felt it was best we spoke privately.
Her name is Yasmeen Talebi.
That's what the Admissions Office
at Dartmouth thinks, anyway.
What they don't know, but you do
is that her name is Yasmeen Rashad,
daughter of Amir Rashad,
your late brother.
I'm told she's a... English major
with a minor in Gender Studies.
I don't imagine that would go
over very well in Bashran.
Neither do you, I'm assuming.
If you did, you wouldn't
have changed her name.
Mr. President...
actions speak louder than words.
You may preach nationalism,
rail in your speeches against
the corrosive effect
of the West on your values,
but sending your niece to the States,
enrolling her in a prestigious college
under an assumed name,
offering her a future
she wouldn't otherwise have at home...
that tells me who you are,
who you really are...
your character.
There are some in your country
who want to drag the world
back to the 12th century.
Don't let them do that.
Sign the treaty.
Do for your country what
you've done for your niece.
You're right, Ms. Pope.
Actions do speak louder than words.
And this...
This tells me that your country
is still sticking its nose
- where it doesn't belong.
- Mr. President...
Ambassador Marashi
warned me about you.
"Watch out for Olivia Pope," he said.
"She's the devil."
Don't let your pride get
in the way of progress.
You threatened his child...
his son.
That tells me everything
I need to know
about your character.
So you can forget about your treaty.
My staff and I will be leaving
immediately after the performance.
You're making a mistake.
Good evening, Ms. Pope.
So, I said to myself,
if there's this much
waste in San Francisco,
imagine at the state level.
I mean, their systems are obsolete.
Plus, I'm running out
of companies to found.
I saved the best for last.
Of course.
This is it?
The seat of power, the
center of the known world.
Yeah.
Not what you expected?
Well, it's a little...
a little smaller than I thought.
But I guess people were stunted
by calcium deficiency back in...
- 1909.
- We don't really let people...
you know...
I could get used to this.
Screw governor.
Maybe I should drop a few mil
and make a bid for Prez.
Get up.
Get up!
You...
Boob!
You ignorant, entitled...
This is the most venerated
office in the country...
The democracy that defined
modern democracy.
The chance to sit at this desk
is an honor and a privilege,
not some Cracker Jack prize
that gets handed out
to any Forbes 100 upstart
who can "drop a few mil"
when they're getting bored.
FYI, that Cèzanne that you bought
just to prove to everyone
how important you are?
It's worth all that
money for a reason.
Cèzanne's work shaped
the next halfcentury of modern art.
But you don't care.
You can't even pretend to care,
which is why you'll
never win an election,
certainly not for Governor.
And for President?
Don't make me laugh!
So, it's time to call it a day.
I'm leaving.
I'm s... so sorry.
Mr. Glackland, the Oval...
it's very close to my heart.
There you are.
Here I am.
I thought you might've left.
I've been networking...
haven't had a moment to breathe.
Now's your moment.
I love this song.
We are doing so well, I
feel like celebrating.
Do you think they have
any of that cake left?
Do you want me to look?
Because that sounds like
a job for your husband.
- Kevin.
- What?
Never mind.
I thought he was Kevin.
He is.
Everyone is acting so weird tonight.
Huck, We need you in there, man.
The evening's almost over.
Come on.
You were hitting it off
with that one Army guy, weren't you?
I was...
till I saw his service medals.
And, what, too many medals of valor?
They were in the wrong order.
They're supposed to be in
order of precedence...
personal awards first,
then unit awards,
then nonmilitary awards, then...
Huck, get to the point.
I don't think he's
actually in the Army.
I snuck a picture of him,
and I'm running it through
the military database now.
Wait, didn't they take
your phone at the door?
- Yeah.
- Then how did you...
Why? You need one?
Forget it.
So, who is this guy?
I don't know.
But he's never been in the Army,
which means he's not
who he says he is.
So? Neither are you and Charlie.
Yeah.
Because we're a couple of killers.
Looked like a hasty
exit by the Bashranis.
Do you think that's gonna
impact pending negotiations?
Where's your date? Where's Sarah?
You're changing the subject.
Don't make me have you
escorted out of here.
That would cause quite a scene.
Also, can you imagine tomorrow
morning's news cycle?
Journalist gets kicked
out of state dinner
for just doing his job.
So this is your job now?
This is you with your
journalistic hat on now?
President Rashad
didn't just leave here
because he wanted to be
in bed by 8:00, Olivia.
Something happened.
This is me doing you a solid.
I'm giving you a chance
to make a comment
for a story I'm running
with in eight hours.
There is no story here, Curtis.
The state dinner is over.
Guests typically leave when it's over.
Big surprise.
What?
Nothing... It's your knack for spin.
It is astounding.
It's not spin. It's the truth.
Do you even know the
difference anymore?
Whether it's acting like
you don't know what's
going down at this dinner
or pretending like
you're okay with scheduling
our little hotel room meetups
through your assistant.
You are all about spin.
Be real with me, Olivia.
Or are you afraid of doing that, too?
You don't know the
first thing about me.
Maybe I don't.
But I'd like to.
Liv.
We have a problem.
President Rashad.
President Grant
sent me to stop you.
She wants to talk, oneonone.
I don't know you.
She thought it best to keep
her advisers out of it.
She said you'd understand why.
Wait here.
This way, Mr. President.
First you spy on me,
then you blackmail me, and
when that doesn't work.
You assassinate me in your own house?
Do you Americans have no shame?
Do you?
Worrying about the Americans
when your concern should
be for your people,
groveling for their approval...
while your own country burns.
You're Bashrani.
Threat neutralized.
I'm fine. I'm fine!
The NSA will be coordinating
with your team directly,
President Rashad.
We'll find out how the
assassin got into the dinner
and who he's working for.
- The moment you find something.
- You'll be the first to know.
I already know who's behind this.
The radicals in my country
have been trying to force me
to bend to their will for months.
But now they've shown
their true desire...
to kill me.
They may fail today, but tomorrow...
Mr. President, we're here to help.
If there's anything more we can do...
anything.
Olivia, could you give the
President and me a moment,
please?
Of course, Madam President.
Your fears are by no means unfounded.
I know them all too well myself.
Four to six
are the magic numbers around here.
Four to six credible death threats
are lodged against
me every single day,
according to my friends
at the Secret Service.
Those fears...
They come with the job.
You think I'm afraid of dying?
- I didn't...
- Failure, Madam President,
is more terrifying than
any possible fate.
Failing my people,
leaving them behind,
hopeless and weak before I can finish,
bestowing upon them a lifetime
of discord and anarchy...
That's what I fear.
Not death.
Then you have the opportunity, Mr.
President, right now,
to make sure that that never happens.
Your treaty.
Our treaty.
It's not that simple.
It could be.
It could be your greatest achievement.
Ensuring a better future
for your country?
You do that,
and it sounds to me like
you don't have anything
to be afraid of anymore.
I would need an assurance...
one, in particular.
Name it.
Dakal...
My country's most aggressive enemy.
If I'm to sign this treaty,
then they have to do the same.
If not, it's pointless.
We'll bring Dakal to the table, then.
Leave that to me.
Madam President,
do you have something...
stronger?
I would've offered, but I
assumed you didn't drink.
It's an old habit
from university days.
I try to keep it discreet.
No fun to drink alone.
I assume, um...
Ms. Pope has told you about Yasmeen.
Your niece.
She has a picture of you
hanging on the wall of her dorm room.
She calls you...
an inspiration.
I wanted her to know that
her future's not limited
by the traditions and
laws of her old country,
that she can be anything
she wants to be.
You certainly don't need to explain...
You are...
extraordinary.
It's an honor sitting here,
next to you, right now.
I should go.
I...
look forward to the two
of us working together.
As do I.
Thank you, President Rashad.
I should've made more of an
effort to mingle or whatever.
I'm sorry.
Stop.
You saved a head of state instead.
You did good, Huck.
Abby.
What was that earlier,
the hand holding?
I was moved by the music.
Yeah, well, let the music
move you and you alone.
But why, when you're
there, right next to me?
Because we're friends...
Friends who do not hold hands.
We're good together, Abby.
Look me in the eye and
tell me we aren't.
I have to go.
God.
You're awfully quiet.
You're never quiet.
You told everyone we were married.
- So...?
- So, we're not.
It's a really
conservative room, Charlie.
It was easier to tell them
what they wanted to hear.
Why's that such a problem?
It's a problem 'cause
we're not married
and we should've been by now.
You said you were okay with waiting
until we got the firm
back up and running.
I was.
But...?
But maybe it's too late.
What are you saying?
I'm saying Quinn and
Charlie were a good match.
But the New Quinn of Quinn
Perkins and Associates?
She doesn't need a Charlie.
She needs a Kevin...
Kevin who can go to
dinner and schmooze
and comes from a good family
that plays polo in Santa Barbara
and fits into that world
without having to pretend
that he belongs there?
II can't.
Not for long, anyway.
The ruse won't hold, and
I think you know that.
You just don't want to say it.
Screw you!
- You're dumping me?!
- What?
We're having a baby!
I am not dumping you!
You're dumping me!
Why the hell would you
even think that?!
You hit me!
Because you're saying stupid things!
I don't love Kevin.
Idiot!
I love you.
I'm marrying you.
And I'm not waiting
another damn minute.
We might have to wait a few minutes,
because I haven't applied
for a marriage license.
- Do you want to get hit again?
- Not particularly.
Sir, a package came for you.
I didn't know what to do with it,
so I put it in your office.
It's a nice painting.
It's not...
a painting.
It's the painting.
It's the "Boy In The
Red Vest" by Cèzanne.
He shaped modern...
Nev... Never mind.
Cool.
And there was a note, too.
Sarah, right?
You're Olivia Pope.
I know.
I've heard such good
things about you, Sarah.
It's nice to meet you.
Can I borrow him for just a second?
Thank you.
That was unexpected.
I'm ready to give you
that comment now.
Okay.
Only it's for a different story...
a new story, a better story,
the story of how President
Grant is going to bring
both Bashran and its
neighboring country of Dakal
together in one room
for a nuclear summit.
That's... that's huge.
It's unprecedented.
Also...
cause for celebration.
And which hotel gets the honor
of hosting this celebration?
None of them.
You're taking me to your place?
Stop talking.
Hi.