Original subtitles

[Mac] Previously on Commander in Chief:

The president has had a stroke. What happens now? Do I take the oath?

We need you to resign.

If you can't deliver, then maybe you should step aside.

This is what we do. We do the right thing.

You want to be president because you want power.

- That's not me. - Well, that's the problem!

I am gonna go out there and take the oath of office.

The president of the United States!

I want you to be my chief of staff.

They don't see me as a spouse. They see me as an advisor.

Do yourself a favor, Rod. Stay in your lane.

Templeton is not choosing my vice president.

Mackenzie needs to show respect.

She's picked somebody.

Warren Keaton. He won't be confirmed.

Not a chance.

[man] Good morning, ma'am. Good workout?

The best.

You have a meeting with the chair of AIPAC in 45.

- What should I know? - He's a hugger.

Anything in the NSC brief about San Pasquale? It's been a couple days now.

- That's above my security clearance. - Joan, tell me everything.

Command post's in place, surveillance installed,

prelim background checks on all faculty and student body completed.

Big change. Maybe I should take them myself?

With all due respect, ma'am, there's no time...

It's not necessary. It's not as simple as you just wanting to take them.

I'm trusting you with my kids here.

[Nate] Corky!

Corky! [laughs]

- [Jayne] Hey, boss. - Hey.

- [Nate] Hey, Willy. - Nate.

That is a magnificent beast.

The congressman flew in from Missouri to meet.

- I thought a face-to-face. - It's about Warren Keaton.

I hope you're with me on this, Nate.

I think Keaton's dangerous.

That seeing the horror of the battlefield actually softened him,

makes him weak on security. He shouldn't be vice president.

If you're trying to get on the confirmation committee,

that's a matter of seniority. I can't help you.

Hey, that's not why I'm here, Nate.

Congressman served with General Keaton in the Gulf. Strat-ops.

He was in a unique position to hear things.

More than hear. We became friends. He confided in me.

So, you want to be a patriot,

make sure the committee is fully informed on who Keaton really is.

Stevenson's not running for re-election.

You want in on Appropriations?

Patriots should be rewarded.

Congressman, it's not that simple.

There have been deals in place for a while.

He was your friend.

He stumped for you.

He promised me he'd enter politics as a Republican.

I vouched for him. I promised the party. And he turncoated.

He made an ass out of me.

He won't be confirmed. Not with what I know.

Revenge, Jayne.

That's the only motivator I have any real faith in.

I can't talk deals with you, Willy.

Not personally.

Thank you for coming by.

[Rebecca] Oh, really?

Oh, I missed that part. Yeah, I fell asleep.

- [laughing] I know. - [girl on phone] Wanna come over?

Oh, yeah. OK. Let me ask my mom.

All right. Great.

Stacy, um, can I call you back?

Bye, Stacy. Are you hungry?

Um, Mom, could I spend the night at Stacy's tonight?

Oh, I thought it was a school night.

Yeah, it's just, I haven't seen her since we moved here.

- We're in different schools, Mom. - Maybe on the weekend.

- OK, I found her. - [Rod] Hey.

- Hey, Dad. - Morning, sunshine.

- Ready for your first day at school? - Uh-uh.

- Mmm. Dibs on driving. - Not gonna happen.

From now on, Secret Service takes you wherever you need to go.

So we're never gonna be able to drive again?

Maybe at Camp David.

- Amy, what are you eating? - Chocolate-chip pancakes.

Uh-huh.

[Mac] There you go.

Listen guys, I just want you all to be prepared for today.

There's gonna be a larger Secret Service detail covering you.

You'll be paid more attention by onlookers.

Mom, we've been going to the same stupid school for two years now.

- Yeah, no one's gonna care. - That was before Mom became president.

There's a difference. The country has a fascination with the presidency...

- Madam President. Sorry to interrupt. - Jim.

- Morning, Jim. - Hi, Mr. Gardner.

Morning, sweetie. We're needed in the Situation Room.

Because of that, we're gonna have to push our prep sessions

for Keaton's confirmation hearings.

I can start those up for you.

Vetted a fair amount of candidates in my time.

That be helpful, Jim?

Sure.

- We're in the same class. - Guys. I'll see you later.

- Later. - [Rod] Good luck.

- This about the agents in San Pasquale. - Yes, ma'am.

OK.

Room, attention.

- Madam President. - What do you have?

I'm afraid, ma'am, we've had some bad news.

Our nine agents were found along the San Pasquale border. Dead.

Shot in the back of the head.

We have agents on the ground with eavesdrop capabilities.

They're working the case.

I'm sorry, everyone, please sit down.

- Are these the agents? - Yes, ma'am.

Does anyone know their names?

Ma'am, that's Raymond Carvelli.

- And where is he from? - [man] Carvelli's from Omaha.

Jeff Reich from Austin.

Martin Hemstead from Naples, Florida.

Samuel Mitroka from Bridgeport, Connecticut.

James Kaczmarek from Minneapolis.

Paul Wright from Appleton, Wisconsin...

[man] The agents managed to shut down the Martinez cartel.

They were beginning to make headway into the Bevaro organization.

How much are we talking?

Two billion a year. The big drug money's elsewhere.

The government of San Pasquale.

Drug trade doesn't flourish in a vacuum. We have no proof

and no diplomatic relations.

Not since General Sanchez initiated a coup a year ago.

There have been almost 200 juntas

since San Pasquale was founded, borders on a national pastime.

Sanchez toppled Juan Duran,

the first democratically elected president in years.

[exhales]

I want to talk to General Sanchez.

- Call him directly? - [Roman] Ma'am.

The leader of the free world does not give audience

to the unelected head of a thugocracy.

He has to hear it from me directly.

I want him to turn over the person or people who killed our men.

To us. He needs to hear that from the president of the United States.

His ego's not gonna let him do it otherwise.

- Make the call happen. - [Roman] Yes, ma'am.

[police siren wails]

Basically, you're taking over the faculty parking.

A portion of it, due to its proximity to our on-campus command post.

Look, I know you guys have a job to do...

Sir, our responsibility is to protect the first family of the United States.

I understand that, but it's hard enough on my teachers...

Some of whom were found to have police records.

We've slated those faculty members for a more exhaustive background check.

Is that...? Is that always gonna be here?

We anticipate some level of media exposure today.

Ma'am, I must repeat my concerns about this call.

You have, thank you.

[beeps]

General Sanchez, this is the president of the United States.

[speaking Spanish]

[Sanchez] My English is good.

General, I am sure you're aware that nine American citizens

were found assassinated on your country's border.

A tragedy. Although we can not confirm the murders took place in San Pasquale,

I assure you we will investigate this crime.

Tell me, madam, these Americans, they were tourists?

This is Jim Gardner, chief of staff.

They were independent contractors working on the pipeline efforts there.

I'm relieved, for if these men were spies,

well, that would complicate matters.

But if the president of the United States assures me otherwise...

General Sanchez, we are very grateful

for your willingness to investigate this matter.

We would like to send a team there to assist you.

Mmm, I am confident in my own men.

[speaking Spanish]

Thank you. Thank you, general.

And you, Madam President.

[beeps]

[Rod] I need two boxes from storage,

- both labeled vetting books. - [Nora] I'll send Louis.

We start the prep at 1:30.

I also need the video of the vice-presidential debate.

- But the FAPE event is at two. - FAPE?

- Friends of Art and Preservation... - In Embassies, right.

We're going to need to reschedule that.

That's been on the books for months.

The Keaton hearing. That's our priority.

Sir, I just don't think that falls within the purview of what we do.

It does now. You said it yourself,

I am the first first gentleman, so it's a whole new ball game.

- We get to make up the rules. - Yes, sir.

- [Grace] Hey, guys. - Mrs. Bridges.

Hi, Nora, Rod. How are things going?

Well, I'm being run around by Nora here.

Well, we accomplished a lot together, didn't we Nora?

That we did, ma'am.

I'm just going to go grab a little breakfast.

OK.

- Let me know if you need anything. - Thanks, Grace.

I feel so sorry for her.

She was so happy being the first lady.

Uh, Grace, I could use your help on something, actually.

[Grace] What can I do?

- [Jim] What are you thinking? - Sanchez did it.

I feel it in my gut. He had our guys killed.

Where is President Duran living now? In the States, right?

He fled to D.C., to Georgetown, right after the coup.

Good.

Jim, I want to meet with Duran. Face-to-face.

- What would the agenda be? - I need his advice.

The people elected him. He knows the people. And he knows Sanchez.

Done.

[police siren wails]

[telephone rings]

Special Agent Dulcer. Yes, ma'am.

[Dulcer] It's the president.

Hi, Mom.

Oh, hey. How's it going?

We're almost there.

- How's your sister? - Stuck up.

- Same as always. - Be nice.

- Pass me over, will you? - She wants to talk to you.

- Hi. - Hi.

I just wanted to tell you have a really great day.

Thanks. You too.

Listen, uh...

...I was thinking that maybe later we...

Intercepts from San Pasquale.

Um, hey, Mom. Look, we gotta go.

OK, bye. Bye honey.

[Rebecca sighs]

- I'm so not doing this. - It'll be fine.

- [police siren wails] - OK, we have a landing.

[indistinct yelling]

Rebecca, let's go. Let's go!

Horace. Come on. Come on. Horace.

[people shouting]

[man] Horace, right here.

[man] Horace, over here! Horace, what's it like going to public school?

[woman] What's it like in the White House? How do you like public school?

- Come on, Becca. - I don't want to go.

It's all right. I'm right here.

I got you.

Do you get along with your mother?

What's it like in the White House? Do you have a boyfriend?

Sanchez implicates himself all over these transcripts.

"They keep sending them, they'll keep dying," quote-unquote.

He knows we're listening.

- He's taunting us. - He's sending a message.

He's saying, "You work your end of the street and I'll work mine.

Get your agents out of my country."

We know he's responsible for the murders. What are my options?

- Sanctions, embargos... - No, that takes to long.

Those are public options. Non-public, that's different.

We've used private contractors before.

- Mercenaries. - Won't work.

One thing Sanchez knows how to do is protect himself.

So... citizens of our country were brutally murdered,

and you're telling me there's nothing I can do about it.

Right?

I want a plan to arrest Sanchez.

To get him into an American court. And I want it within the hour.

Yes, ma'am.

Morning. Morning.

Morning, general.

Morning.

- You moving in? - Just set it right there. Thanks.

Our research on you from the campaign.

You can imagine what Templeton and his committee will have,

given that they've got 300 FBI agents researching you too.

Doesn't bother me. I've taken a lot of hills on the battlefield.

These hearings may last maybe four days.

And for that we gonna need four weeks to prepare you.

Forget it. I'm not sitting on my ass for a month

practicing what I already know I'm gonna say.

- And what's that? - The truth. Just like in the campaign.

Which you lost.

Speaking of the truth, we'll need to discuss exactly how to deal

with the verbal assaults you made on the president during the campaign.

Is that what this is gonna be about?

Getting even with me over what I said about your wife?

Thank you, guys.

- You can close the door. - [man] Yes, sir.

[door shuts]

General Keaton... you wouldn't have been my choice for vice president.

But the president selected you and I've been tasked with getting you confirmed.

That is what I am going to do, whether you like it or not.

You may know how to take a hill, but you don't know how to take Capitol Hill.

You have to understand, Madam President,

Washington is a sensitive place,

populated by sensitive people, vain people, people who are easily insulted.

I should have been more inclusive in my vice-presidential search?

Some feathers have been ruffled.

- Yours? - Me? No.

Not me. No, I gave Jim five names.

I'm sure you gave them a thorough going over.

But some of my colleagues, several of them, in fact,

they... [sighs]

They may want to make a show of things.

Ah.

A little bit of, "Next time she'll remember

which side her bread is buttered on,"

that sort of thing. You know what I mean.

Not really.

You don't even look tired. That's great.

You look great. Keaton has problems.

More personal than political, but problems nonetheless.

- Like what? - No.

No, I can't. That would mean breaking a confidence.

But I just wanted to advise you.

Then I am so advised.

Good.

- [Nate] Thank you. - Thank you.

Oh, I am correct, Madam President,

am I not, in presuming

that you will meet with the Gang of Eight over San Pasquale?

San Pasquale? What are you talking about?

Oh, bloody hell, Jim.

Mr. I Can Neither Confirm Nor Deny.

- I'm aware of my obligations. - Good.

Because everybody's still a little edgy

after the Nigerian action.

See you all. Thank you.

[door opens]

[door shuts]

- [man] Yes, sir. - Yeah, yeah, Nate. Come on in.

Oh, boy, oh boy, was that something, I'm telling you.

I swear, we're gonna pick up three additional seats in Southern California.

It's a helluva lot more fun campaigning when you're not doing it for yourself.

You were great out there, Mr. President, brilliant.

You wanted to see me, sir?

Ah, Nate. I gotta get rid of her.

She's taking meetings on the Capitol Hill, with congressmen

and cabinet members and governors.

- She's spouting her own agenda. - That was inevitable.

Stevie Wonder could see that coming.

Well, I...

She's not a lap dog. She's a Doberman pinscher.

She doesn't like the leash you got on her.

The stuff you've given her to do

would make Walter Mondale's vice-presidency look activist.

You need to give her something she can get her teeth into

without... without making you bleed.

You gotta recognize something useful in her.

She's a woman.

It's so easy to deal with women if you just remember they're not men.

I've made up my mind. I want her out and I want you in.

She-she got you elected.

She's bizarrely popular. You can't fire her.

It'd be a shock to the system.

I'm not gonna be the fall guy in that.

That's not gonna happen.

Not with my plan.

Oh, you son of a...

You want her to fill the Talmadge vacancy.

It's what she wanted in the first place, anyway.

Are you sleeping with her? That's what it's gonna look like.

I mean, why else would you put her in the Supreme Court.

It's four to four. She'd be the swing vote.

You can't do that. She's a loose cannon.

- It's the only way to replace her. - Well, hell.

I can't be a part of that plan. No, I'm sorry.

Come on, Nate. It's the vice-presidency.

- It's a demotion. - Not with you in it.

Just...

Just tell me you'll think about it.

Sure. You're my friend. You're my president.

[telephone rings]

[man] Mr. Speaker, may I help you in some way?

No. I'm fine, thank you. Excuse me.

So, what, are we supposed to ask for your autograph now?

- No, but feel free to buy me lunch. - Yeah, right.

- You're the one with all the cash. - Not.

- So, what's it like? - What?

Living there. Being you.

Not that different really.

- Bull. - I mean, you know,

other than the help.

[girl] So, like, how many butlers and stuff do you have?

Six. Plus maids, cooks.

What about a masseuse? Some presidential...?

- It's not Vegas. Relax. - When do we get to come over?

Uh, I gotta go, guys.

- Hey, Bec. Want some company? - Not really.

- [yelling on TV] - [Mac] They can't do this.

Ma'am, do you want me to see if I can maybe...?

Well, who's on the desk? Let me talk to 'em.

Oh, geez. I gotta go. Hey. Heads up, boys and girls.

- Gather round, folks. - Madam President.

- We're OTR, OK? - Ma'am, we're hearing some reports

about some Drug Enforcement agents who may be missing in San Pasquale...

Guys, this is not a press conference.

Look, I get the appeal of covering the children of the president.

It's fun. It's, uh, endearing. It's marketable.

The one thing it's not is news.

Don't you think the press should determine what is and isn't news?

Yes. I do. Still, some of you are parents.

And I assume you have the same rule number one that I do.

And, by the way, this is not Mac the president talking.

This is Mac the mother.

Don't mess with my kids.

OK, ma'am,

- I think we should... - Thank you, everyone.

Thank you, ma'am.

[Kelly] I can't be in the press room and suddenly be hit

with kidnapped Drug Enforcement agents. I have no idea what's going on.

These people think I'm hopelessly out of the loop.

- It's classified. - It's obviously not that classified.

I'm sorry. I should have known there would be a leak.

I have to be able to do my job. Part of that is knowing

when to keep her from the press.

[Grace] ...United States is represented...

What's going on there?

I don't know. She's definitely raised the bar on squatting.

[whispering] Nora.

- I'll into it with the president. - Thank you.

- Mr. Gardner... - What is Grace doing?

This is a Friends of Art and Preservation in Embassies event.

The first gentleman asked Mrs. Bridges to cover for him.

You have to help me, I don't know what to do with him.

- Hi, Tommy. - Hi, Amy.

- What's this room called? - The East Room.

- They do all the fancy events here. - Like what?

I don't know. Never got to go to any. Who's that?

That's my nanny. Who's that?

My nanny. My mom's kinda busy today.

- Want to see something cool? - Sure.

This is wrong. See? It says "United Sates," not "United States."

My mom will fix that. She's the president now.

You know, you're never gonna see her again.

- Huh? - You just won't.

[Mac] This is the only time Grace has done anything.

The task may have been given out of kindness,

but we can't un-ring a bell. With her showing no signs of leaving...

I'll talk to her.

She's not the one who needs to be talked to.

- I'll take care of it. - [telephone rings]

Gardner.

- OK. President Duran is here. - Good.

Where is he?

- Thanks. He's in the residence. - [Mac] OK.

Ma'am, Mr. Gardner, NSC needs you in the Oval.

- Thanks, Vince. - My pleasure, sir.

Let's see what staff has to say. Then we'll deal with Duran.

We can find no legal remedy to justify the seizure

and forced extradition of President Sanchez.

We have Sanchez bragging about the murders. What else do you need?

An indictment, which takes time.

It took two years after the grand jury

in Miami for us to be able to pick up Noriega.

There is little legal precedent for us going after Sanchez

or any other head of state.

Qaddafi bombed Pan Am and we didn't try to arrest him.

And that makes you proud?

I'm the attorney general, Jim. I'm being asked for my legal opinion.

We cannot go down there and arrest him. End of story.

- Can we block his assets? - You have the authority under IEEPA.

Sanchez has no assets to block under U.S. jurisdiction.

Everything he has is in offshore trust funds

and various front companies that only Treasury can go after.

- Let's do that. - That takes time.

Eventually, the OFAC is gonna go to CIA

and require open records on intelligence sources and methods,

including illegal wiretaps, and that is something we cannot and will not do.

We're going to end up dropping this case.

Are you telling me, are you seriously telling me

that all my options are exhausted?

There are more options.

Give us a few hours.

I always hoped that my first visit

with the American president would take place in the Oval Office.

We felt it best to meet privately.

We have reason to believe General Sanchez

murdered American Drug Enforcement agents.

My sources tell me this as well.

My team is preparing options for me as to how to arrest him.

Mr. President, when this happens, are you prepared

to reassume the office to which you were democratically chosen?

Madam President, are you planning on invading my country?

That is not my desire at all.

But somehow, Sanchez will be brought to justice, so,

again, do your countrymen have a leader?

That depends on your conditions.

Jim, would you give us a minute alone?

I'd like to speak to Mr. Duran privately,

president to president.

I am available if you need me.

There are no conditions, Mr. President. This is your country,

whose citizens were deprived of the leadership they chose.

I only ask that you turn over to the United States these killers.

They are enemies of San Pasquale as well.

This all may happen rather quickly.

I would stay in D.C. if I were you.

I understand.

War isn't pretty. And sometimes innocent civilians get caught in the middle.

That's the sound bite that will lead the news.

You never served, did you?

That's a great way to endear yourself to the committee.

Call them cowards and desk jockeys.

You told The New York Times that then candidate Mackenzie Allen

was dead wrong on her support of the wall on the West Bank.

- That it... - Was a form of repression.

Are you about to explain how you're right and the president is wrong?

I'm about to show how I'm my own man.

That's exactly what they want you to do.

Show that you're not a part of the president's team.

Finances.

Since you've retired, you have joined the board

of two companies that do business with...

That is it!

Everything is an open game here but my integrity! That is the limit!

The committee could care less.

Believe me, Nathan Templeton and his bulldogs are just salivating

over the thought of you blowing your top on national TV.

Which is why I'm gonna let you take it all out on me now.

Get it out of your system.

Every penny I make from those boards goes directly to charity.

I know.

But let's talk about your medals.

There are allegations that some of your citations...

...may have been exaggerated.

Oh, come on.

- Sir. Mr. Calloway. - [speaks Arabic]

The president wants a minute of your time, sir.

To be continued, I suppose.

Push up the meetings with Labor and Transportation.

And the secretary general of NATO?

The only man I know who can beg in 19 languages.

- Do yourself a favor. Cancel. - Laura, would you excuse us a minute?

- Of course. - Laura.

As much as I enjoy the sound of my own voice, ma'am,

- I do appreciate the break. - Mmm.

Confirmation prep going that well?

- Your husband likes to kick ant hills. - He's good. Been through it myself.

[exhales]

So Templeton came to see me

and he insists he has something on you when your confirmation comes up.

- Did he say what? - That would spoil the drama of it.

There is nothing in my background that'd embarrass you, ma'am.

Good.

Templeton.

I'd like to kick his ass.

- Do you have top-secret clearance? - As a matter of fact, I do.

Good. Then I would like your help with something.

Right here. Right here. Pass.

[cheering]

Stacy, it wasn't fun. It just really freaked me out.

Really? She transferred to Sidwell?

- Oh. - [Stacy] Hey, I've gotta go.

OK. All right, yeah. I gotta go too, actually.

- I'll talk to you later, Stace. Bye. - OK. Bye.

- Hey. - Hey.

So, you ever play?

- What, sports? - Mm-hm.

I was on the swim team in Richmond.

That was a few years ago.

- You don't like it here, do you? - My friends go to private school.

Probably be a lot easier on you. It's hard for us to control the press here.

Is that why there's so many of you guys now?

Yeah. That's why there's so many of us.

Your brother doesn't seem to mind the attention.

He just gets along better.

Maybe you should talk to her about it.

She's still your mom.

[Jim] The door was open.

Hey, Jim. Boy, uh, he's had a big life, our General Keaton has.

Find any scandals yet?

No, but we haven't gotten to medals yet. That's where these guys take a hit.

Right.

Look, uh, things seem to be coming together in the Sit Room.

- Great. - I'm gonna take this off your hands.

You can get back to your first gentleman duties.

What? Come on.

I don't believe this. You're firing me?

- This was just a temporary... - Does the president know?

The president doesn't need to involve herself with this kind of minutia.

[phone rings]

- Yeah. - [man] Sit Room needs chief of staff.

Yeah. He's here.

You're wanted in the Sit Room.

Hello, pumpkin. What brings you here?

I want to show Regal where my mommy works. Could I see her?

Well, I don't know. Do you have an appointment?

No.

I'm sorry, honey, but your mommy's in a meeting.

You're not going to be able to see her now.

But I'll let her know you came by.

[man] Room, attention!

Everyone, General Keaton will be joining us today.

- Al. - Warren.

- Do you have some options for me? - Yes, ma'am. Colonel Wesley?

Ma'am, we'll run two sections of F-15E's,

eight aircraft in all, out of Rosie Roads, Puerto Rico

with a big-wing strategic tanker en route.

We'll go after the specific region of San Pasquale

where the DEA agents were held captive.

- Turn out the lights? - Exactly.

We'll use all tactical capacity of the 8th Air Force, directed by SOUTHCOM,

and shut down every communication and power grid.

- How does this get me Sanchez? - It weakens him. His military.

Weakens him? You think the military is his source of power?

You're aiming at the wrong munitions plant, Al.

What was it you said on the campaign?

"A war on drugs is a war on drugs..."

"Is a war on drugs."

If I can't bring Sanchez in, I will make him irrelevant.

I will take away what makes him powerful,

what makes the military support him.

Talk to me about eradication. Massive coca crop eradication.

Talk to me about destroying all of the drug agriculture, period.

We use several dozen dusters out of Putumayo.

Hit the country in a massive coordinated strike.

And we take out the hidden cocaine labs.

The ones the DEA agents discovered.

It's bold, decisive. You're going after the drugs. Not the citizens.

I like it.

Get me airtime at 9pm. I'm going to address...

The Intelligence Oversight Act requires that you confer with the Gang of Eight.

Then get Templeton and the rest of them in here. Let's get this done.

We're anticipating the strike will take about two hours.

And how certain are we of the location of these cocaine labs?

Very. The DEA team did their job.

- Air defenses? - [Roman] Minimal.

Suppressive fire from the A10's will protect us.

Madam President, I have sat here

and listened to five presidents

say that the stakes were worth American blood.

Is this?

American blood has already been shed.

Some might say a new president, our first female president,

was sending a signal.

What I'm sending, Alison, is Strike Force Alpha.

Madam President, it sounds to me

as if your staff has not made you aware that, one,

all of the farmers in San Pasquale are coca farmers.

Two, most of the country's coca crop production

is used for legitimate purposes.

And three, if this attack goes forward,

you will trigger an economic depression in that country.

And will incur the world's condemnation for this unilateral action.

Again.

All options have been considered.

I'll be sending all of you an advanced copy of my address.

Madam President, I can ask for nothing more.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

[Warren] Mr. Calloway.

Ah, general.

- Boy, you've been gone for a while. - Situation Room.

- Is everything OK? - It's going to be. Yeah.

I saw something in that Situation Room.

It's not often that I find somebody I'm willing to follow.

Look, I know I blew it in the campaign.

I didn't listen to people who knew what they were doing.

I don't want to blow it again.

This is a team that I want to be a part of.

So I need you to tell me what I have to do to get confirmed.

And I'm gonna listen.

Mr. Gardner is gonna be finishing up your prep.

OK. As long as I still have your ear.

'Course you do.

I did serve, you know.

Three years in the Army. Air Defense.

Yeah.

I kind of smelled it on you. I'll see you tomorrow.

OK.

The two of them together are going to be amazing.

Yes, they will.

Hey, Mom.

Hey, honey.

Um, what's going on?

Uh, I'm getting ready to address the nation.

Oh.

Hey. Are you OK? I heard it was kinda rough at school today.

Um, yeah, that's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about.

Yeah, well, I've already talked to the press.

Mom, they can't do anything about it.

- Who? - Secret Service.

- It's public property. - Rebecca.

Mom, you have no idea what it was like. I mean,

there were agents everywhere and people taking pictures and screaming...

I know. I know. But it's not gonna always be like that.

I hate it there, OK? I mean, I... I always have.

I just... I want to go to school with Stacy.

You know, people like us.

People like who?

- Senators' kids, congressmen's kids... - This is why I can't let that happen.

Mom, please.

I went to public school. Your father went to public school.

So I have to go to public school,

so you can make some political statement?

I just...

I have no friends there.

Jenny? What about Mimi?

Mom, don't you care what I'm going through?

Of course, I care.

Look, it's hard to live under a microscope. I get that.

And this is not what you signed up for.

I have to get ready for this speech, OK?

Let's talk later. But I promise you,

I will do everything I can to protect you and your privacy.

Right. I guess you've done such a great job of that so far, right, Mom?

Madam President, everything OK?

Yeah. Yes. Listen, thank you for writing this so fast.

Suppose one of these days I'll have to hire a new speechwriter.

Or press secretary.

Yeah, look, I know you have to be pissed.

I really have not let you do your job and I'm sorry.

You are a senior staff member now and I need to respect you as such.

From now on you will be included on every meeting.

OK, at some point tonight,

I'm going to go off text

and I want to tell you why and what I'm thinking,

so when the press freaks out later you'll know what to say to them.

OK.

- Good evening. Where's...? - Furniture's in the hallway.

[Kelly] We had to make room for the camera and teleprompter.

- [man] Thirty-second warning. - Thank you.

The networks are all in. They're not pleased, sweeps and all.

Let's give the president the room, please.

If you do not play a role...

Ten seconds, ma'am.

Nine...

You're good? Text OK?

- Yeah. That's gonna work? - We'll soon know.

Three... two... You're on, ma'am.

Good evening.

This morning I was informed that nine agents

working for the Drug Enforcement Administration

were murdered in San Pasquale.

We have accumulated compelling evidence that San Pasquale's dictator,

General Joseph Sanchez, personally ordered the executions.

Using information provided by the DEA agents,

I have ordered our armed forces,

in conjunction with the DEA, to destroy coca fields in San Pasquale

and all known cocaine labs in the country.

This will happen in the next few hours.

Our fight is not with the people of San Pasquale.

It is not my desire to destroy an agriculture

that has many positive purposes.

So we will destroy 25 percent of the fields...

- She listened to you. - ...for the time being.

We will not tolerate a government

in our hemisphere that is complicit with drug lords...

That's not in there.

...a government killing our agents and killing our children

with their poisonous drug trafficking.

Until there is a new government in San Pasquale

which fights drug lords instead of conspiring with them,

we will continue to act to protect our children.

In a week, we'll destroy another 25 percent of the coca.

And then another 25 and then another.

Shortly, the democratically-elected president of San Pasquale, Juan Duran,

will be in the region.

I encourage the people of San Pasquale,

seize your right to be governed by the leader you have already chosen.

- [Jayne] God. - Bloody hell.

She just called for a coup.

Thank you.

God bless the United States of America

and the citizens of San Pasquale.

We're clear, ma'am.

Thank you, everyone.

[hushed conversation]

OK.

Let me know when the planes are in the air.

Yes, ma'am.

[reporters murmuring]

[clamoring] Kelly!

OK, OK, obviously, the president went off text

so we're passing out an addendum.

Did the president call for an overthrow in San Pasquale?

This president is and will always be

committed to protecting the sovereignty of democratically-elected governments.

However, the country of San Pasquale is run by a dictator

who ordered the execution of American citizens and that will not stand.

Did she call for an overthrow?

President Allen would welcome the return of Juan Duran

to his elected post as president of San Pasquale.

[clamoring]

OK. Yes. Thank you.

[Wesley] Sir, the planes are an hour from target.

And our intercepts and ground teams are suggesting

that protestors are moving into the capital city.

[Mac] Hey.

Somebody couldn't sleep.

I told her maybe she could read down here until she got sleepy.

Of course. What are you reading?

- Robinson Crusoe. - Uh-huh.

- Did you ever read it? - Yeah, I did.

But I had to wait till I was 12.

- Anything? - Not yet.

Kelly, the wires are reporting

that mobs descended on the presidential palace in San Pasquale.

We need to get the press back. I'll get a statement from the president.

[man] You are watching live footage from San Pasquale,

where citizens have gathered at the presidential palace

demanding the arrest of General Sanchez before American warplanes arrive

with the mission of destroying coca fields in the country.

- You're certain of this? - Yes.

[knocking on door]

- Madam President... - Shh.

It happened.

The military turned on Sanchez. They arrested him.

[exhales] Duran?

- He's ready. - Let's get him in the air.

Already on his way to Andrews.

- Turn the crop dusters around. - Yes, ma'am.

Oh, Jim.

The F-15s are still authorized to go after the cocaine labs.

Very good.