Original subtitles

Previously on Political Animals...

T.J.: Before the suicide story broke, I went for five months

without doing blow-- I was good, Dougie!

I'll give you the money.

DOUG: You're still in love with him, aren't you?

Look at you-- the smartest,

most powerful woman on the planet,

and you can't even see

that he is just gonna hurt you all over again.

BUD: Come on, baby, it's me talking.

Just say it-- say the words.

ELAINE: Yes, Bud.

I am gonna run for president.

Without you.

DOUG: My parents, they have spent their lives

putting this country

before our family.

Somebody has to put our family first.

I can't print this without confirmation.

Find it.

My mother is going to run again, against Garcetti.

I'm sorry, that's all I can tell you.

INTERVIEWER: After winning several early contests,

your wife's poll numbers have been slipping,

particularly with women.

People are starting to wonder whether Mrs. Hammond's

so-called "woman problem"--

Nonsense.

Elaine Hammond has done more for women

than any candidate in the primary.

She's championed women's health issues for 30 years,

she rallied for Justice Nash's appointment

to the Supreme Court,

and she's been speaking out

on domestic abuse since law school.

And that's not to mention her work in Illinois,

where, by the way, she's the governor, Mike, not "Mrs."

Now, let me ask you a question: Why is it,

when most people ask about my wife's "woman problem,"

they don't tend to have a vagina?

"Vagina." The former President of the United States

just said "vagina."

Big deal, Barry.

50% of the population has one.

Yeah, well, I don't need to run a poll

to confirm that it makes voters a little uncomfortable

when a president says--

Please don't say "vagina" again.

That word-- especially this president.

My husband has been busting his ass on the trail for weeks now.

Bud is melting down.

The thought that Garcetti could, in any way,

eclipse his own legacy is driving him nuts.

Now California is a jump ball and he is killing us.

I'll talk to him.

All right, everybody, it's been a long day.

We have three states to visit tomorrow.

Thank you so much.

Get some rest.

Good night.

I need you to wrangle your father.

Me and what army of psychologists?

He'll listen to you.

Just keep him on script.

Settle him down.

Your father wants me to win this more than anyone.

You know what I mean.

He's not out to sabotage me.

He wants to help, and he can.

Douglas, you are the only one I can trust with this.

I'm happy to present the Council of Women

Lifetime Achievement Award to Justice Diane Nash.

As you know, I was privileged to be a student

of Professor Nash's in law school,

though, truth be told,

she gave me some of the lowest grades I have ever received.

(laughter)

Though Bud's were worse.

(laughter)

It was a great day for this country when President Hammond

appointed Diane Nash to the Supreme Court.

(applause)

As the first openly gay person nominated

to the highest court of the land,

the world expected her confirmation to be brutal.

It was.

What they didn't expect was that Judge Nash would respond

with such grace, wit and intelligence

that her hearings turned public opinion her way,

and made her confirmation inevitable.

Diane would be the first to tell you

that a gulf still remains between the promise

of equality for women

and the reality for women around the globe.

It's 2012.

We will not let cynical politicians

roll back the reproductive rights

we have fought so hard to gain.

Why do you still give Bud all the credit?

Mm...

It was you who forced my nomination down his throat.

It was Bud's appointment.

But you strong-armed him.

Like you strong-armed Garcetti

into sending Bud to Iran a few weeks ago.

And that speech just now--

you running for something, lady?

I thought our deal was that we don't talk politics.

Allow me to amend it.

President Garcetti's not a novice at this.

I can handle the president.

How is Corinne?

I saw her for a split second yesterday.

She didn't recognize me.

That day is coming

and that is the day I just dread.

I'm so sorry, Diane.

Watch out for Garcetti.

He's watching you.

He's getting ready to strike.

Barrish is running for president.

Says who?

Everyone in DC.

After the whole Iran incident?

Her numbers are even higher than before.

Susan, you and Barrish are buds these days.

What do you think?

That it's cocktail chatter.

It's a lot of chatter.

As long as Elaine Barrish is alive and popular,

people are gonna be afraid she's gonna run for president.

Doesn't mean it's true.

What is true it that Garcetti's team

is so afraid of what she might do,

they're preparing a preemptive strike.

That's the story, and I'm working on it.

All right. Sounds good.

Let's, uh, let's move on to sports.

Um, NFC East Special.

Wait...

I'd like to pitch something.

I was shopping in Georgetown

and noticed there are two bus systems

servicing the area-- the regular Metro buses

and the Georgetown local circulator--

which I believe is better maintained because

only white people use them.

You don't do investigative pieces, Georgia.

T.J. Hammond is opening a nightclub.

There's gotta be something in there for the blog.

Um, let's get back to sports.

I like your two-parter

on injured Redskins, uh,

in the class-action against the NFL, okay?

What do you got on baseball trades after the season?

Sync and corrections by n17t01 www.addic7ed.com

I'm sorry that Anne can't be here tonight, Douglas.

Brat. We're having dinner.

I'm coordinating with Singapore's

economic minister on your behalf.

Join us.

Sorry... I had vendors coming out of my ass.

I gotta go back to the club.

What's up?

I thought that fell through.

Oh, no. It's happening.

Wow. Mineral water.

You're gonna bore me off the wagon.

Where'd you get the money, sonny?

Turns out my celebrity's worth millions,

and I'm devastatingly handsome in low lighting.

Uh, Mom, not to rush you, but...

Right. Okay.

I am considering running for president again.

Well, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, babe,

but that ain't news.

Against Garcetti.

Ethically, I will have to resign from the Cabinet,

so it's crucial nothing leaks out before we're ready.

Is this the point where you ask us what we think,

and then you ignore what we say, and do whatever you want?

Because I, for one, prefer not to have the New York Post

going through our garbage cans,

counting our liquor bottles again.

And I know the boys don't want

to go through the hell we all barely survived

two years ago, so you can be Queen Shit

of the United States of Elaineland.

Well, I'll take that as a "nay."

Douglas has agreed to be my campaign manager.

Well, don't hate me, Nana,

but I think Mama would be the best president

we've ever had in this family.

MARGARET: Okay. I'm out-voted.

Well, you're all adults, so, go ahead, ruin your lives.

I don't care.

BUD: Whoa!

It's hot as a goat's ass out there tonight.

I was playing poker at Senator Byron's.

Thought I'd swing by.

Sugar. Oh!

Hello.

T.J.: Weird seeing them together, huh?

I'm going to go get some more wine.

Get me one of those shitty mineral waters while you're up.

You know... you have a housekeeper.

And you know I like doing dishes.

It calms me.

I let you boys grow up soft.

Running around the governor's mansion

like a couple of princes.

Speaking, of, sugar,

I'm heading down that way tomorrow

to run a little reconnaissance mission

before the campaign.

You're not on the campaign.

I found Jubal Jacobs.

There's no sense in staging a DNC coup,

unless you know you can pull it off,

and Jubal's the only pollster

who can read the tea leaves this far out.

I thought he wasn't talking to you after what you did.

Well, that was a pack of lies.

Now me and Jubal are on excellent terms.

Come on, Elaine...

now I know you want to hear

what that crazy old bastard has to say.

Fine.

Then Douglas is going with you.

I can't.

It's less than a week before the East Asia Economic Summit.

The last thing I have time for

is some wild goose chase.

Thanks for the water, asshole.

It's largemouth season.

That could be your cover, in case anybody asks

what we're doing down there.

I love fishing.

Too bad I'm busy.

If I am going, you are going.

No way. Yeah.

ELAINE: It'll be good for you guys

to have a little father-son time.

Yeah, and I still got the old tackle on mothballs.

It's gonna be like old times.

Hey, T.J.

Come with me.

Come on, son.

I thought we were leaving him out of this.

Your father is right--

we need a pollster and Jubal is, well...

under the radar.

Garcetti is already starting to suspect.

Besides... you owe me after what you did.

You gave T.J. the money for that nightclub, didn't you?

He's an addict, Douglas.

He should never be anywhere near a nightclub.

I thought...

I don't know--

that maybe if he had something in his life--

something that he was proud of--

that he could stay clean this time.

(quietly): All right...

ANNE: She's running for president?

And you're going to be her campaign manger?!

Douglas, how long have you known?

None of it means anything. Okay?

Dad is convinced that his redneck savant

is going to pull some jackrabbit out of a hat.

It's not gonna happen.

You don't think she can win.

No one has run against their incumbent and won--

not Reagan against Ford, not Kennedy against Carter.

And worse?

This country is just going to hate her all over again.

They'll only see her ambition, not how much she cares.

If she could just wait out Garcetti's second term...

Well, baby, why don't you tell her? I tried.

It's useless.

Annie, we'll just be gone a couple of days.

Okay?

I love it when you call me Annie.

I know.

GARCETTI: You know, during

the last year of my father's life,

he forgot he even had kids.

He kept thinking I was his brother Tommy,

who was killed in Guadalcanal.

It was tempting to play along with him.

To pretend I was this uncle that I'd never met...

How's Corin?

Her name is Corinne.

And you and I have exchanged maybe 100 words

before this sudden sympathy.

You must want to spend more time with her, before you...

Hmm.

My retirement

is not a conversation you're entitled to, Mr. President,

neither personally nor constitutionally.

And if I said I was considering Elaine Barrish to replace you?

She's your protégé, Diane.

It would be like having you on the bench for another 30 years.

Which is why Senate Republicans would block her confirmation.

Zelkovic would start a circus.

But Pike's re-election hinges on

Elaine's core constituency.

Shaw uses Pike as a fig leaf,

she gets out of committee 11 to seven.

We predict 85 votes on the floor--

if we act quickly. Mm.

Look.

It's either Elaine now,

or someone more acceptable to the conservatives later.

I'm talking about your legacy, Diane.

About our legacy.

(light knock at door door opens)

Russ... I said no interruptions.

ALEX: He must be in the bathroom.

How can I help you, boss?

A very reliable source just leaked something

that's gonna help your story.

On Garcetti's pre-emptive strike?

Why don't you give it to Georgia?

You're still screwing her, right?

You really want to know? Most people show

preferential treatment to the people they screw.

You do the opposite. I find that upsetting.

Garcetti's supposedly squeezing Justice Nash

off the high bench...

Well, maybe Nash wants out.

She's in her 70s,

and her partner was just placed in assisted care.

According to the source,

he wants to nominate Elaine Barrish.

Who... who's the source?

High-level White House.

Five hundred words by lunch.

No. Wait.

Let me at least get some

legal scholar reaction... Susan.

The White House is going to leak to the Post

or the Times and we lose it.

Give me six hours. You have three.

That kills our story, because if she takes the gig,

then she can't run. No shit, Russ.

Well, you know, breaking a Supreme Court nod...

that's not such a bad story.

No. It's not the story.

Get Elaine Barrish's office on the line.

And then we need a sub for Douglas

for the Central American Trade meeting this afternoon

at 3:00...

Alice, I will call you back.

Thank you.

You know, I should be used to it by now,

but frankly I was a little shocked

by how negative you were last night.

What you were shocked about

was that someone in this family

dared to tell you the truth.

Dougie doesn't have a job without you.

T.J. wants to stay on your good side,

in case he needs a loan, or bail.

And poor Anne...

"Poor Anne..." what?

Never mind.

You know, you are so cynical.

My children are actually proud and supportive of me,

as I am of them.

I have been supportive of you since the day you were born!

Oh, really?

Like when you made me wear a padded bra

starting in sixth grade?

But those trashy Perdue twins were maturing early.

I didn't want you to feel inferior.

Well, I didn't feel inferior until you told me I was.

I never said you were inferior.

You told me I was "gawky,"

and that I should just drop out of dance class

because of how I looked in a leotard.

Sitting on a hard chair all day watching you pirouette

was not my idea of fun.

Somehow the other mothers managed to get through it

without sucking on a flask in front of everybody.

You've never said "thank you," you know that?

Not even once.

Not even when I did all that campaigning

for you when you ran. I have said "thank you"

so many times, and... Oh...

I asked you to hold the Bible for me

when I was sworn in as Secretary of State!

Yeah, and then you criticized my dress.

It was a sequined cocktail gown,

in the middle of the afternoon. That Bob Mackey designed!

It was supposed to be my moment, Mother.

You know, this conversation ceased to be relevant

as soon as it began.

You stopped me.

I was innocently getting a refill.

My mistake.

(phone ringing)

Yes?

All right.

Uh... ask her to meet me at the office.

(Douglas sighs)

Please tell me this isn't the place.

Why are all of Dad's friends such ugly cultural stereotypes?

Shake a leg, boys.

Soon as we're done here, we'll hit the bait store.

One with a Wi-Fi hotspot, Dad?

How am I supposed to coordinate

the Pan-Asian economic summit... Jubal!

Hey, Jubal...

Get on out here, you old son of a bitch...

Aw. Is that any way to greet a friend?

That's what you call it?

Oh, shit! Dad!

Now Jubal... Don't do nothin' dumb.

All right? See my friend Sam back there?

He could part your hair with that Sig-9 if he wanted.

You got some kind of gall,

showing up here on my property after you screwed my wife!

Of course he did. Yep. Figures.

That is a lie, right?

That is a hurtful, slanderous accusation.

Now listen up.

I didn't come here to fight.

I came here to offer you a ride on the Big Ticket.

Well, too bad. You termed-out.

Not me, shithead. My ex-wife.

Elaine? Ruing for President again?

But only if you say she can win.

All right? So do me a favor...

crunch Elaine's polling numbers.

Huh? Tell me if we're chasing a dog here,

or if she's got a chance at beating Garcetti in the primary.

And you don't mind if me and the boys

bunk up here for a while?

We're gonna do some fishing.

That's how you hook a fish.

ELAINE: When are you running it?

Tomorrow.

But I can't guarantee

it won't get leaked elsewhere first.

A Supreme Court nomination is big news,

but when it's you, it's huge.

Puts you in a tight spot.

If you say "yes," Garcetti removes the threat of

you running against him in the primary.

If you say "no," you confirm you're running...

or thinking about it.

Is this the part where you ask me

if I'm running for President, Ms. Berg?

Nope.

Then why are you telling me this?

I owe you.

And I don't approve of what they're doing...

shoving one of the greatest Justices off the bench

and using your friendship as leverage...

Even by White House standards, it's... gross.

And a little genius.

Thank you for telling me this.

I'll hold the story off as long as I can, but...

when this breaks, every reporter in the world

will want to know your answer.

Alice, get me Justice Nash.

Holy shit!

I got one, I got one! BUD: Yeah?

Ah, good boy! Good boy.

Now take it slow.

Don't rush it, T.J. Just... Yeah, yeah.

Just reel her in, nice n' easy.

That's it.

What are you doing?

Dad, I have a job at the State Department.

You have to learn to unwind, Dougie.

Stress is a killer.

You know, even when I was President,

I always took time to smell the roses.

You remember those weekends

in Camp David?

The time that you boys caught that big ole rainbow trout?

I remember your press aide handing me a fish

and snapping my picture, if that's what you mean.

That's it, just reel her right in.

Good boy.

Dad. The Silverton interview is tomorrow.

We need to go over your talking points.

I don't need no baby-sitter.

Now, I know you were sent down here by your Momma

just because of my "female anatomy" incident.

We are at a critical juncture. Her numbers are softening...

Well, they ain't soft, they're liquid.

They're like diarrhea running down this campaign's leg.

She's off 5% with working-class women,

7% with independents...

(sighs)

Well, I'll tell you what...

you give me a lift to the studio in the morning,

we can talk lady-voters to your heart's delight.

Good night, son.

(thumping dance music playing)

Surprise!

What is going on here?

God, doesn't Mom ever give you a night off?

Lose the tie. It's midnight. Get rid of them.

Even me?

I... I thought you were...

I told my boss I was driving up to Santa Barbara,

picking up some tile

for a client.

I can't tell if you are

happy, or...

This calls for a drink.

I was thinking something stronger.

Anne is not the only surprise tonight. No.

No, I'm not doing ecstasy with you, T.J.,

and neither is Anne.

Okay? Well, it's too late.

How long's it last?

Four, maybe five hours.

♪ Booty booty booty booty

♪ Booty rockin', show-stoppin'

♪ Everybody back-poppin'

♪ Knees jerkin', girls workin'

♪ Work it till your stomach hurtin' ♪

♪ Don't stop get it get it

♪ Break it off till you your body sweatin' ♪

♪ Everybody rides in, that don't mean we stoppin' ♪

♪ Let them know you work it

♪ Dust it off and jerk it

You were right.

I can't believe how wound up I was.

Your skin... feels like water.

Anne... Hmm?

...will you marry me?

♪ Dust it off and jerk it, jerk it ♪

Yes, yes.

Yes.

Whoa!

Hey, I got one! Okay. (phone rings)

Oh, shit. Hey, can you grab it for me?

Speaking.

Please put him through.

Forget the damn phone.

Hello? Can you hear me, Mr. Ong?

I'm sorry, I seem to lost you.

Did you say you can make it?

You're gonna lose it, son. You're gonna...

Goddamn son of a bitch!

Son, let me show you how to tie a blood knot.

I got it, okay? Just back off.

You know what? Just forget it the whole thing.

I got to get a new phone.

Oh, Dougie. Sorry, man.

Why didn't you tell me

Garcetti had offered you a golden parachute,

and that I was the parachute?

I didn't want to get your hopes up.

A seat on the Supreme Court,

I thought you'd jump at it.

Can't you see he's playing us against each another?

Of course I can.

But forget about the politics for a moment

and think, consider what you could accomplish.

Why aren't we talking about what I could accomplish as president?

Oh, so it's true?

I'm considering it, yes.

You'll be a pariah.

You remember your last campaign?

They branded you as an ambitious bitch.

If I hadn't known you...

I would've believed them.

Do you want a president

who would force a justice like you off the bench?

It's ruthless. Elaine,

these last two years have been good for you.

Garcetti may be a bastard, but he let you do your thing;

let the world see

the heart of that brilliant 22-year-old girl

who walked into my law class

determined to make this country a better place.

If you challenge the sitting President,

voters will see your motives as selfish.

I know, it's not fair,

but ambition looks better on men.

I don't care how it looks.

I'm doing it because it's right.

I learned it from you.

Then take my seat.

This isn't Garcetti, Elaine, it's me.

Your friend.

I'm offering you the chance to spend

the rest of your life telling Presidents

what they can and can't do.

Nothing in my inbox and nothing in your hands.

Where's my story?

I didn't write it.

I need to talk to you.

I told Barrish about the leak.

You what?

I needed to warn her. Warn her?

Jesus. Why, Just, just hear me out, Alex.

So you can justify meddling in the story

that you're supposed to be covering?

I mean, I should fire you...

I needed to give her time to outmaneuver Garcetti.

Listen to me. The Secretary is gonna try

to unseat Garcetti in the primary.

Says who?

If you say "high level" source,

you can just, you can pack your stuff right now.

First-person...

inside the Hammond family.

This is real, Alex.

Holy shit.

I haven't been able to get confirmation,

but this was the perfect opening.

Tipping her off builds trust,

puts me deeper in the inner circle,

and gives me a front seat to the political story of the decade.

Unless she takes the spot on the court.

Which... she won't.

Right.

Because you're just like her.

This explains why you haven't filed in two weeks,

and why you like you've been sleeping in a ditch.

What is, what is this?

Chocolate pudding, I hope.

I'm crashing on my sister's couch since we split.

(laughs) You must love that.

Mm. I tripped over a Big Wheel on my way

to the bathroom last night.

Why don't you come over tonight, let me cook you dinner?

Alex...

I miss you, Susan.

Just...

shut up.

How about a little "Words With Friends?"

I'd love to, but my phone went for a swim in the river.

Where's T.J.?

He's out cleaning the fish, I think.

(sighs)

Oh, shit.

Baby, what's wrong?

Oh, no. No, no.

No-no-no-no-no-no.

Excuse me.

President Hammond,

although you have denied your wife's difficulty

with women voters, do you think this controversy

might have to do with you?

Is it possible that many women don't respect your wife

because you haven't respected her?

Rachel, I admit I was wrong.

Elaine does have a "woman problem".

I think some girls feel threatened by a woman

as intelligent, as accomplished and hell, yeah,

as beautiful as my wife.

And that's why they feel more comfortable voting

for her rival, who's inferior in every single way...

just because he has a pretty head of hair and a penis.

(remote control drops)

Yeah, you heard me right.

I said "penis."

Sorry, man.

DOUGLAS: Great. You know what?

You just cost us California!

There isn't a chance in hell now

that anyone with an ounce of estrogen is gonna vote for Mom.

Oh, now you weigh in, my no-show handler?

Why didn't you tell me she was lesbian?

She isn't.

But she sure seemed like one to me.

You know what? You can't stand

that Garcetti might replace you as the face of this party,

so you and your massive ego are destroying this campaign!

I never needed you to look after me, Douglas,

but it'd be nice if you'd been man enough

to save your mother from this train wreck!

She deserved a bold, earth-shaking, barnstorming campaign

that redefined politics and galvanized the nation!

And what did she get?

A reheated, poll-tested shit sandwich served up

by the likes of Barry Harris.

And you stood right by and let him.

Go ahead, blame me.

Blame me for everything like you always do.

I'm gonna go find T.J.

I'm sure he's fine.

You don't need to babysit him.

You're smoking.

Uh-oh.

What country isn't going to exist by morning?

Or are you celebrating your Supreme Court offer?

Feel free to come to the State Department

and eavesdrop there as well.

You know, you keep talking about Diane Nast this

and Diane Nash that.

I don't know. She seems like a real downer to me.

Her partner is dying, Mother.

No, I was talking about the way she dumped

all over your plans for becoming President.

Didn't you dump on them first?

A campaign would just turn everything

all upside down around here.

That's why I said what I did.

But you're never satisfied, sweetie.

And even though you hate all

that campaign bullshit as much as I do,

you'd be miserable if you didn't go for it.

And when you're miserable, we're all miserable.

So I think we should just bite the bullet

and you should go for it.

Besides, you look shitty in all black.

Mom... Hmm?

I love your pep talks.

Yeah, well.

(sniffing)

T.J.?

Cleaning fish, huh?

We had a deal. We had a deal.

You can't even go one day

Stop! Without getting high?

Hold on, hold on. It's Dad and this fricking place.

I-I should be home working on the club opening,

but I came because you wanted me to.

I just, I needed something to take the edge off.

Okay? I'm sorry. I know I messed up.

Don't pull that shit with me. Not today.

Drop the goddamn act.

Just don't tell Mom and Dad, okay?

You're worried about them?

Why about me? I gave you the money.

Douglas...

please.

Get out of here.

We'll discuss my investment when you're sober.

Hey!

Told ya he was fine.

Sure, yeah, he's great.

And you didn't screw Jubal's wife.

How many times I have to say it?

I did not touch that woman.

I know, Dad. That's your genius.

It's not a lie if you believe it.

Well, if you want to convince yourself

that you're not a cheater, hmm?

That Mom can upset Garcetti, that T.J.

is just fine, well, you go right ahead.

You know what your problem is, Dougie?

You don't have any faith in people.

I don't need to take character advice from you.

What's this really about, son?

Now what's your beef with me?!

Come on. Spit it out.

It's not my fault!

It is not my fault that she lost!

Yeah, I know. I know, son.

I did everything.

I wanted her to win so bad!

I did everything I could!

I know you did, son, and she knows it, too.

You, you lost it for her, not me!

Yeah... I know.

I know I did.

(moaning)

I should, uh...

Hey, slow down. Slow down.

We can have dinner here, and then, um,

if you feel like it, you can stay here tonight.

No big wheels to trip over.

(chuckles)

There's plenty here to trip over.

Besides...

I'll get out in time for you to call Georgia.

That was meant to be a joke.

You're not saying that you'll

get back with me if I split with her.

No.

Definitely not saying that.

Why Georgia?

Was it to hurt me?

No.

By the time I slept with her,

you and I had, uh, faded.

You remember our first night in Monterey?

Yeah.

The night Garcetti named his transition team.

(chuckling): Yes.

You see, you remember the politics,

and I remember how beautiful you looked.

Even with your nose buried in your BlackBerry.

I'm not blaming you.

I'm trying to answer your question.

(sighs)

It's who you are-- the way you chase a story.

I mean, that's... you live for it.

You don't need love the way you need your work.

At least you didn't need mine.

Do you remember my first moot court competition?

I was the only first-year you chose.

I thought I was pretty hot shit.

And then you proceeded to eviscerate

my argument word by word.

I had so much flop sweat,

I... I thought I was going to float away.

I was extra hard on you.

I wanted you to learn to be rigorous and brave

and not to give up.

It was a good lesson.

I came back the next year, and we beat Harvard and Yale.

Hmm.

Diane, I don't want to be on the Supreme Court.

I want to run for president again.

All right, counselor.

Convince me that you're not doing this

because this is still a competition to you

and you didn't come in first.

It's different this time.

I can't turn away 'cause it's hard.

I can't turn away because it'll piss people off.

I do have deep convictions

about what's right and what's true.

And, unfortunately, Paul Garcetti

did not have you for a teacher,

and he didn't learn to be rigous or brave

or to stand up for his convictions.

So I have to run again.

And yes, I have to win.

In two years, when I become president,

I will name your replacement.

Corinne will be gone in two years.

You better win, Elaine.

JUBAL: Elaine can win.

She can win.

Your mother's lead

is beyond the margin most everywhere.

The whole ticket comes down to just three states:

Ohio, Colorado and right here, Virginia.

And Virginia, like the other two,

hinges on just a few battleground counties.

Prince William, Fairfax, Madison.

That's my backyard.

I'll tie this state up in a nice, pretty bow.

But Ohio is going to be tough.

Now, the whole family have to press the flesh

in the old Buckeye State.

Uh, not the whole family, Bud.

Uh, voters only like her without you.

It's not that they don't like you.

It's just that they think you make her look weak.

Well...

well, any way you slice it, this is great news.

I'm going to get me a beer on the porch.

This calls for a toast.

(sighs) Jesus.

Did you see his face?

Don't fall for it, T.J. He brought this on himself.

Your father would crawl through glass for your mother.

My father is a liability--

in case you forgot the last election.

You mean California?

A week before the primary, it wasn't even close.

Those debates killed your mother.

If she sat on her hands, she came off timid.

If she punched back, she came off like a bitch.

That's the reason Bud called

and said to end things before they got ugly.

Your father threw himself on the tracks.

Yeah, he knew,

if he took the heat for her losing,

he might give her the chance to run again someday.

Why didn't you tell me

about the Rachel Silverton interview?

You did all of it on purpose.

You let the country blame you.

You let me blame you.

Jubal said...

Well, Jubal doesn't know shit,

except when it comes to polling.

And if he says I can't be on your mother's campaign,

that means you're going to quarterback.

Now, the first thing you got to do...

We need to put together a war chest.

On the sly, all right?

We need donors we can trust.

That's right, and you be sure

to get in touch with Hal Linderson in Colorado.

Now, you tell him you want a sit-down,

but you don't say why.

What about Virginia?

We'll need you to max out

contributions to Bertoldo's campaign in the fifth.

Discretely.

Use our own Italian wunderkind

to upset Garcetti's hold on the Catholics.

First rule of being a female journalist.

Don't sleep with your boss?

Look, I get it, okay?

No. If you shit where you eat, don't cry about it.

Like I can help it. Learn to.

Nobody takes me seriously.

You want to be taken seriously?

Take yourself seriously.

Your bus story-- it's good.

Go fight for it, get it back,

then write the hell out of it.

Don't let anyone take away your story.

Especially if you're blowing him.

Thank you.

After everything I've done to you...

I can't believe you're still so nice to me.

I'm not so nice, Georgia.

NEWSCASTER (over TV): Justice Diane Nash dismissed rumors

of her retirement today, releasing a statement

that she "fully intends

to continue serving on the Supreme Court."

Hi. Um, I have Secretary Barrish on your phone,

so it's probably a prank, but then maybe it's not,

so I don't really know what to do.

I don't know if I should tell her to come up

or give her water or something like that.

Hi. Hi.

Brought you something.

Thank you.

I just wanted to thank you in person.

You stuck your neck out for me,

and that is a rare gesture in this town.

You know, it's, um...

it's hard to make new acquaintances in Washington.

You know, to meet people you can trust.

And for some reason, it's even harder

with other women, although it always seemed to me

it should be the opposite, right?

Yeah. Anyway,

I wondered if you'd like to join me for a walk tomorrow.

Like, one of your famous power walks?

Well, it's just a walk really,

but, um... is that a yes?

Sure.

Good.

That'll give us a chance to catch up

before I go to Harbin. Where's Harbin?

It's in this lovely, remote province in northern China,

where they have this large population of Siberian tigers.

He's literally sending you to Siberia. He is.

And to Indonesia, Japan, Argentina and New Zealand.

That is so...

"Predictable,"

I think, is the word you're looking for.

Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow.

Madam Secretary.

Oh.

Far too cumbersome.

Elaine.

Just so we're clear...

if my acquaintance were running for president

and I didn't write about it first,

no one in this building

will ever take me seriously again.

I am not running for president.

But I am looking forward to spending more time together.

So am I... Elaine.

(cell phone buzzing)

We keep meeting like this, people are going to talk.

You can't print the story.

I thought you wanted to put a bullet

in your mother's campaign.

Things have changed.

Look, you have to drop it.

I'll owe you big-time, I know.

Relax.

I was planning on holding it.

Till the day she announces.

Then I give the whole story.

Every step.

Every move she made

while she was the sitting secretary of state

to plot her run in the primary

against her boss and former ally,

the president of the United States.

This is how it works, Douglas.

I help you by sitting on the story.

You help me by giving me everything I need to know

about your mother's plan:

Strategy, money, allies, everything.

You came to me, Douglas.

Remember?

I'm happy to keep your name out of my reporting,

but I own you now.

We'll be in touch.

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