Original subtitles

[Mac] Previously on Commander in Chief:

I'm sorry, Mr. Templeton, but you'll need to deplane to the rear door.

What? He's the speaker of the house.

This is standard protocol. I apologize for any inconvenience.

- Let me speak to Jim. - Jayne.

Whatever your gal wants. It's not the time.

- Mike. - It's OK. I got some right here.

- Mike, no, I... - It's OK.

- Mike, you know what? - It's OK, it's OK.

No, Mike. [sighs]

I don't know. I just...

I... [sighs] I'm sorry, I just can't.

I'm gonna come back positive. From the drug screening.

Pardon me?

When the tests come back, I'm gonna come up...

Vince, stop. Now you need to get a lawyer.

It's not for coke or meth or anything.

- Vince... - It's... I'm HIV-positive.

My God, Vince.

I don't want you to go to New York.

I don't want you to be baseball commissioner.

I want you to stay here, with me.

I'd like that.

What's my title?

I haven't given it any thought.

[Mac] The people elected me to this position,

and only the people and their representatives

can ask me to step down.

I will never apologize for doing my job.

If anything, I only promise to do it better.

The question is, can she?

The president, largely perceived as a lame duck,

did get a four-point bump after that impromptu sit-down with the press.

But she's got no friends on the Hill.

How will Mackenzie Allen get her agenda passed?

[groans] Shut it off.

- [man] ...what is this president...? - [TV turns off]

How'd it go with Senate Leadership today?

- Not part of the four-point bump. - Did you veto the gun control bill?

I have reservations about the liability shields. What do you think?

Are you asking my opinion on the record or off the record?

What does that mean?

It means you said you were gonna offer me

a legitimate role in your administration,

and instead you're asking me to be secretary of pillow talk.

Rod, I am way too tired for this, OK?

I just asked what you think.

OK, you wanna know what I think?

Because I'm gonna be honest with you,

which no one else in the West Wing is gonna be.

You have no focus. No forward motion. No game plan.

The guy who could help you make one, who wants to help you make one,

he's too busy picking out drapes for the Vermeil Room.

- When we talked... - Is that what it was? Talk?

- No, I'm just saying... - You asked me to stay. I stayed.

- I'm not firing Jim Gardner. - I'm not asking for his job.

Look, call it whatever you want. Political director, senior advisor,

deputy chief of "got your back"

but make me a part of this administration, Mac.

Officially.

Or this isn't gonna work, professionally...

...or personally.

[water splashing]

- Are you coming with me to school? - Not today. Here you go.

- Why? - Well, I've got things to do, honey.

Like what?

- 'Morning. - Yeah, good morning.

- Get up! - Huh?

- Come on. - Yeah.

- Mommy! - Hi, baby.

- Did you eat breakfast yet? - Uh-uh.

Um, why don't you go on ahead and get started.

- I need to talk to Daddy first. - OK.

OK, look, uh, I've been thinking.

And not just overnight.

For weeks now, really.

You're right.

I... I have always looked to you,

counted on you, needed you. We are in this together.

And if other people can't handle that,

the hell with 'em.

So...

So yes.

And I report directly to you.

I will make sure that's understood.

[Vince] I can't believe we work in the White House.

- Yeah. Pretty awesome. - It never gets old.

Are you and Josh coming over to the house tonight?

- Kelly! Sure. - It's me, OK?

Contrary to popular belief, the walls are not bugged.

- [Jim] Vince. - Yes, sir.

- Got a minute? - Sure.

And bring red wine tonight.

- Something with "reserve" on the label. - [Vince] OK.

So how can I help you, Mr. Gardner?

I got the results of your drug test back.

- You're clear. - [sighs]

That's a relief. Thank you.

That said, there may be issues with the Secret Service.

Do they have to be told? Being that I came back clean.

The government has no right to ask about my orientation or HIV status.

- You really wanna walk this tightrope? - I don't have much choice.

- I don't think that's true anymore. - It is in my world.

Where I come from,

it would be easier to be you than me.

I'll have an off-the-record talk with the Service. I'll take it from there.

Thank you.

We aren't going on record so you can create a nice food fight

between the speaker and the president.

She seems quite good at generating her own negatives.

Look, we'll talk tomorrow at lunch. Hawk 'n' Dove.

Get The Post to buy.

They want conflict, tension, palace intrigue.

Who are we to disappoint?

Harrington's trying to come up with opp research on the president.

- Using the utmost discretion. - Always. He's crazy.

All those opposition research guys are, but he's discreet.

You know, she was never really properly vetted,

not like a real president.

The press kept blowing her kisses on the campaign trail.

We're not having much luck finding anything on her press secretary,

other than that she was her speechwriter before, which speaks volumes.

- [chuckles] - We found a little nugget on her aide.

Vince Taylor. He's been with her campaign from the start.

- The airplane guy? - Mmm. Gay guy.

Apparently had a bad relationship when he was 19.

- His parents filed a restraining order. - Oh, bloody hell.

I think half the people here are homosexual.

Staff and members. It's no big deal, Jayne.

We got his pharmaceutical company to do a little digging with local drugstores.

Seems that the aide to the president pays cash for his antiretrovirals.

He's HIV-positive.

Yeah. Sad.

Very.

Hmm.

Hm, hm, hm, hm.

Hm, hm, hm.

[chattering]

Mike.

- So... - So?

Um...

...is everything... is everything OK?

Yeah, sure.

You don't sound OK.

Don't like being led on, I guess.

I didn't. I mean...

I mean, you said it was OK.

Yeah, well, didn't want you freaking out on me.

Later, OK?

Wait. That's it?

Pretty much, yeah.

Mike, I'm sorry. It's just... I wasn't ready.

I... Come on, we were at a party.

Let me know if you change your mind.

Mike?

You're a real jerk, you know that?

[bell ringing]

Got a call from Governor Strama.

The people of the Granite State think it's time...

[knocking]

[both] Madam President.

Relax, it's just the leader of the free world.

We were just talking about putting some travel on your schedule.

- Carlos, can you give us a minute? - Oh, of course, ma'am.

[door closes]

- Is there a problem? - [Mac] I don't think so.

Jim, I'm moving Rod into the West Wing.

I see. In what role?

Strategic planning.

Would it be petty if I said that seemed like a big part

of the chief of staff's job?

Jim, you have the hardest job in Washington,

working for a president with no allies.

You have to, every day, build a coalition just to get anything done.

You're chief of staff,

you're de facto Independent Party head, magician.

This is gonna help you. It'll help all of us.

Completely your call, ma'am.

Thank you.

- Good morning, everyone. - Madam President.

Please, be seated.

We have lots to discuss.

Thank you.

We all came to the White House two years ago

with Teddy Bridges, myself included,

my staff included.

It took time for all of us to heal,

to work through the tragedy of his death,

all while keeping the business of the country running.

We've done extraordinarily well.

What we haven't been able to do, to move beyond, is reacting.

The time has come to transition this administration

from one of mourning to one of action.

With that in mind, I would like to welcome Rod Calloway to our staff.

Effective today, Rod is in charge of strategic planning.

Thank you.

All right. Let's get started. Jim.

Got cornered by Don Hamilton at the Corcoran last night.

He wants the president to have the first Ed Board meeting at The Post.

[Kelly] The Times might be a smarter way to go. Paper of record and all.

The president feels a more effective use of time

- might be in weekly press conferences. - Weekly?

- Mm-hm. - Last president to do that was Truman.

Look, we've got to take advantage of the uniqueness of this situation...

Fine, but if you go out there every week taking unfiltered questions...

- Which I am more than capable of doing. - My concern is we risk overexposure,

watering down a real moment of presidential power.

Go out there every week, it's a waste.

Well, with someone else, maybe. With Mac, it's a win.

People appreciate candor.

Now that's what they got last week,

and that's what they're gonna get every week of her presidency.

All I need now is something to be candid about.

- Kelly, you'll set it up? - Yes, ma'am.

OK, great.

Carlos, walk me through your assessment of re-authorizing Head Start.

- Congratulations, sir. - Thank you, Vince.

- Between us, welcome back. - Thank you.

- Jim... - Rod.

[Kelly] OK, thanks. Bye.

I just talked to the nets about these weekly press conferences.

No one's committing yet, at least not live.

- Not surprised. Lot of air time. - They'll come around.

Mac at the podium will be a ratings spike.

From your lips.

Uh, Jim, listen, I know that this must be kind of awkward...

I just want to make sure that our chain of command here is clear.

If you worried less about your own turf and more about what's right

- for the president... - I learned a long time ago,

never cross anyone who sleeps with the boss.

Jim, I'm focused on her new agenda here.

You have a White House to run. Run it. We'll get along just fine.

You know where my office is.

And get me a copy of last night's Nightline.

- I missed the segment on South Africa. - Mm-hm.

- Ma'am, sorry to interrupt. - [Mac] Hey, Kelly.

I have some friends... friends of my parents

are in town and asked for a tour of the White House.

- I'd be happy to meet them. - Oh, thanks, they'd like that, but...

Vince, give us a second?

Of course.

They brought this with them. They thought you should see it.

In the '60s, the woman's father was a political fundraiser in Florida.

He died a couple of months ago. They were cleaning out his attic,

they found these 16mm films they had transferred to tape.

This one has footage of Nathan Templeton at a private fundraiser in 1965.

You may want senior staff to see this.

[Templeton] They're trying to make segregation a dirty word.

But segregation is the word of God.

If the Lord Almighty wanted colored people to mix with whites,

to live with whites, to marry whites,

He wouldn't have placed them on separate continents.

Nine men in Washington can't change natural law.

They can't change God's truth.

I say black robes are worse than white robes.

[laughter]

Oh, my God.

Don't try to excuse him, Mac. We can use this.

Templeton was a kid. Kids say stupid things.

That wasn't stupid. That was racist.

I may not agree with his politics,

but I have never heard a racist word come out of his mouth.

Honey, you just did. Now we can shut him down.

That's not who he is now.

[sighs] Stop turning the other cheek, Mac.

I'm not gonna destroy a man's life over something he said

nearly half a century ago, no matter how hateful it is.

Look, if he had this on you, he wouldn't hesitate to use it.

I won't make Templeton my role model.

- He's a politician. - I'm not gonna turn into that.

[laughs] You're hopeless.

I'm the president of the United States.

- Do we still have that date tonight? - We'd better.

[police siren]

Did we have to meet in a parking garage?

I know. Very Deep Throat, isn't it?

There's a guy on your staff. Vince?

Taylor. Yeah.

Templeton knows about him.

His... status.

He's gonna out him.

[sighs] He's a kid. I mean, for God's sake,

he's the guy that holds the president's coat.

- Why ruin his life? - To chip away at her.

Keep her on her heels.

- And you're telling me this why? - He doesn't own me, Jim.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I respect the man,

but sometimes he goes farther than even I'm comfortable with.

[school bell rings]

- Horace, stay with me. - Uh, I can't, Mrs. Burke.

- I'll be late for swim practice. - Then you'll be late.

Then I should tell the Secret Service.

They'll figure it out. Sit down.

You cheated on your essay, Horace.

Mr. Cummisky said you bought it online.

- I wouldn't even know how to do that. - I'm the assistant principal, Horace.

I only sub in English once in a while. Even I've read that same essay 30 times.

I guess there aren't a lot of new things to say.

Word for word. ExcellentEssay.com.

C'mon, Mrs. Burke,

like I can borrow the president's credit card and order an essay?

Wow, you really had to stretch to work your mom into this discussion.

- I wouldn't be sittin' here. - Explain.

OK. No offense, but I kinda feel like you wanna prove

you're not doing me any favors.

So in your world view I decided to pick on you

because you live in the White House, right?

Your mom is the most important woman in the world?

That's a hell of a way to get ahead.

Puts me on the fast track for principal. Are you kidding?

Don't play the blame game, Horace. You plagiarized an essay.

Maybe I forgot a couple of footnotes.

Mr. Cummisky's giving you an F on this assignment.

If you rewrite it in your own words, I won't report you to the Honor Committee,

and that's out of respect for the president.

Also known as the only favor I'm ever going to do for you.

- Can I go now? - Get out of here.

[hip-hop music playing]

[whistle blowing]

- [gasping] - Relax, turbo.

Coach is still in the bathroom. You didn't miss anything.

What's up with him?

Don't let Flemming bug you, man.

OK. Why?

About your sister.

Did he say something? What'd he say?

That him and her, you know…

...had sex. Big deal. Who cares?

Dude, don't.

- Hey, Flemming! - Horace!

- Horace, stop! - Flemming, I want to talk to you.

Hey, Mike!

Horace!

We don't have a problem, man.

Look, if you're pissed off about the other night, go kick your sister's ass.

It was her idea. She picked me for the honor. End of story.

- This is a bad plan, Horace. Come down. - Was I supposed to send her home?

- I like her. - Why don't you keep your mouth shut?

- How hard is that? - Dude, I tried.

But, you know, sometimes guys just gotta share.

I mean, damn, she's the president's daughter.

I did the president's daughter!

Let's go, Horace.

[grunts]

Now is not the time for us to talk about the tape.

No, ma'am. A different subject.

At ease, Jim. You're making me nervous. Sit down.

A staff issue has come up.

You're the chief of staff. Can you handle it?

Vince wasn't entirely honest on his security app, ma'am.

OK, I'm listening.

- He's HIV-positive. - What?

Since when? Is he OK?

He's fine. He's been taking antiretrovirals for almost ten years.

- Are you certain? - One hundred percent. There's more.

You mean his orientation?

Don't you think his private life is his own business?

Not anymore. Templeton knows.

How? From us? A leak?

No. He's got his own outside sources.

He's gonna try to embarrass you, Madam President.

Now is it time to talk about the tape?

But why didn't you tell me yourself, Vince?

I wanted the job.

Would you have hired me if you knew I had HIV?

You would have hired somebody nice and healthy,

who wasn't gonna embarrass you, who wasn't gonna die on you.

I heard about your roaches, your rusty pipes, your parking tickets.

But you couldn't trust me to tell me something really important.

Well, the roaches were the center of my world.

Don't dance with me, Vince. A lie of omission is still a lie.

There's a right to privacy, ma'am.

I'm not required to reveal my medical history or my...

My personal choices.

Gay is a little, three-letter word, Vince. You can't even say it?

I am not particularly comfortable with labels.

- Like "security risk"? - I would never allow that to happen.

I'd resign first.

I accept.

I'm sorry, Vince.

No. I understand.

The last thing I need right now is public embarrassment.

It has been an honor to serve you, ma'am.

Don't ever call yourself anyone's friend.

I confided in you.

- I didn't have a choice. - Oh, please.

People say that, but it's never true.

You're not a private citizen.

You are the special assistant to the president of the United States.

You're gay, you're infected, you're news.

Nathan Templeton plans to drag you out of the closet

and use the omission on your security app to burn the president.

I didn't work on policy, Jim. I'm a nobody, an ex-nobody.

You've spent more time with the president than anyone else has.

You're important to her. She relied on you.

That put you in his cross hairs, you and everybody else on her team.

Now he wants to hurt her any way he can.

You'd better call your parents, Vince.

[rock music playing]

[knocking on door]

- [music turns down] - [Rod] I knocked.

- Guess you didn't hear me. - Sorry. What's up?

- How's school? - It's OK.

Why do you guys always make that sound like a trick question?

It's just a question, Horace. Same old question.

You might as well stop asking. If there was something

I want to tell you about, I would just straight-out tell you.

- When? - What?

When would you tell us?

For instance, when were you gonna tell us about that F you got in English?

- I can't believe she called you. - You've gotten away with so much crap.

You think you can always yak your way out of trouble?

Don't be proud of that!

- You wanna hear my side? - You have no side, Horace.

You cheated. You lied. There's no defense.

I'd rather have you fail a class than con your way into an A.

Oh, my God, you're such a hypocrite!

You and Mom are always on my case...

Oh, come on! You're coasting!

I'm not as smart as you think I am. Becca's the brain.

No. The only difference is that she is busy, and you're lazy.

Oh, yeah, she's just perfect.

- What's that supposed to mean? - It's not exactly a secret.

The whole grade's heard about her and Mike.

And you're ashamed of me?

Well, what's worse, a cheat or a slut? Honest answer.

Come on, Dad, show me how it's done.

You want to turn up the music on your way out?

[volume rises]

Vince offered me his resignation, I accepted it.

That... that does not mean I'm homophobic or discriminatory.

I... I resent the suggestion.

I'm only talking about perceptions, ma'am.

I can't work with someone I can't trust.

With all due respect, then you're in the wrong town, ma'am.

You think I overreacted.

Everyone has secrets.

Do you have any good advice?

Never turn your back on a bear.

Mmm. I think I know what that means.

Getting rid of Vince won't stop Templeton.

It'll only make things worse.

It'll prove the accusation, and you lose your best aide.

You want me to refuse his resignation.

He's still cleaning out his office.

I like your loyalty. You make a good friend.

I hope that you're one of mine.

[Kelly] Madam President,

- I spoke with the Dubidouxs... - Dubidouxs?

Rubie and Frank, my parents' friends with the tape.

There's someone named Rubie Dubidoux?

- It's French. This is the original. - Wow.

Almost ready for you in the Roosevelt Room.

- I don't have anything. - Photo op. Doctors Without Borders.

That's the old schedule. It's changed three times since then.

We'll be 15 late to the photo op. Have Jim join us in the Oval.

I want to keep him in the loop on the Dubidouxs.

- Dubidouxs? - It's French.

You're sure they don't have any copies of this?

- I trust them. - Trust them not to talk to the press?

- They could use a little convincing. - [Rod] What kind of convincing?

They have a daughter. She's a high school senior.

Not the greatest student but a really good kid.

You've gotta be joking.

- Help get her into college. - Any Ivy League school.

- Harvard. Yale. Brown. - How original.

So I do this, you're sure they're gonna stay away from the press?

I think they'd be grateful the rest of their lives.

- [woman] Yes, ma'am. - Hey.

Can you please get me Leonard Billings on the line?

Right away, ma'am.

[door opens]

Vince.

Madam President. Is something wrong?

Well, Kelly, Jim and Rod

have all been working off different schedules all day.

Nan'll get up to speed.

I don't have time to get someone else up to speed.

If you want, I would like you to stay.

Of course I want.

I don't know what to say.

Say that you'll be more honest with me in the future.

- I cannot abide being kept in the dark. - Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

Keeping a secret like this puts the administration at risk.

I felt it was a private thing.

Hard to have a private life when you answer to over 295 million employers.

- Madam President, the speaker's here. - Be right there.

It's the White House, Vince. Think about it.

Mr. Speaker. Thank you for coming on short notice.

Oh, always available for my president.

To what do I owe the pleasure?

Well, a little office politics.

Um, I heard a rumor

that someone plans to leak a story on my special assistant, Vince Taylor.

Ah, that he's HIV-positive.

- Sad. - Yeah.

His health is fine, thank you.

But this is a private matter for him,

and I would hate for it to become public.

And you don't want any more bad press about your staffing situation, do you?

- I understand that. - Right. I'm sure you do.

Um, I also hear rumors that this information was obtained

by an insurance lobbyist

illegally accessing private medical records.

Well, the way I hear it, when he was younger,

his parents took out a restraining order on his gay lover.

I mean, anyone can dig that up, follow the clues.

People make mistakes when they're young.

But if they go into politics,

those mistakes can come back to haunt them.

You know what they say, "It's a contact sport. Wear a cup."

I don't know, whatever you'd wear.

[stammers] Chest protector, whatever.

You may want to put on a cup for this.

[clicks TV on]

[Templeton] They're trying to make segregation a dirty word.

But segregation is the word of God.

If the Lord Almighty wanted colored people to mix with whites,

to live with whites, to marry whites,

He wouldn't have placed them on separate continents.

- Nine men in Washington... - Turn it off! Turn it off!

[TV turns off]

If it was your intention to humiliate me...

...you have succeeded.

I don't believe that tape represents who you are today.

It doesn't represent who I ever was.

I was a young Southern Democrat

saying whatever I had to say to get elected.

I think that my voting record since those days

speaks for itself.

But if that were to get out,

it would represent who I am.

It would... be who I am.

But you know that.

It doesn't have to get out.

Nor does the information about your special assistant.

[laughs]

In the old days we used to call this mutual assured destruction.

Mmm. If memory serves,

you were a big proponent of that policy.

McNamara's policy, as it was.

You know this tape could cause a hell of a lot more damage to me

than a staffing scandal could cause to you.

Why hold it back?

Maybe I think the country doesn't need another scandal right now.

Maybe you want to have something to hold over my head.

Mr. Speaker,

after all that we've been through now,

I was hoping we could put aside some of our differences,

become friends.

[chuckles]

This is Washington, D.C., Madam President.

There are no friends here.

There are only enemies... and allies.

This will not put me in your pocket.

But...

...it will put me in your debt.

- [door opens] - I'll call it in sometime.

I don't doubt it.

[door closing]

So I was thinking if the president was willing to put out a statement

about her administration's HIV/AIDS policy,

maybe we could slip something in there about my status,

not make it a big thing.

If you're going public, do it right.

Don't... don't try to sneak the announcement past people.

People hear you have HIV, and they think you're weak, sick.

I don't want anyone to think that about me.

They'll only think that if you quit.

I never told anyone about my HIV because I was afraid.

Maybe if I make this public,

keep working here,

maybe it helps someone somewhere feel less afraid.

Maybe that's how I can make a difference.

There's your statement right there.

[reporters clamoring]

Does the presence of an HIV-positive staff member

working in close proximity pose any threat to the president?

The White House physician, the Secret Service

and common sense tell me there's no problem.

[reporters clamoring]

A recent study indicates the AIDS virus thins out parts of the human brain,

even in patients who are otherwise healthy.

The study you're referring to dealt with 26 HIV patients...

- Madam President. - I'll answer that.

The president of the United States.

Thank you, Kelly. Please.

Regarding Vince Taylor, his hair may be thinning,

but I assure you, his brain is in great shape.

[reporters laughing]

[Mac] We're lucky to have him.

HIV is an issue that affects 40 million people around the world,

along with their friends and family.

Vince has courageously made his condition public

and by doing so helps to make it clear

that people living with HIV

can be as vital and productive as anyone.

- [reporters clamoring] - Uh, you know,

as much as I appreciate Vince,

I'm not here to talk about him.

I have an announcement.

As president, I work for the American people,

and I believe the people deserve accountability.

And so, in the tradition of President Roosevelt,

I am instituting a weekly press conference.

[reporters clamoring]

Madam President, how are you finding your first months in office?

Challenging. It's, uh, exciting.

My daughter would say it's awesome.

And it is awesome.

It has a very real sense of awe.

And sometimes it's just, "Ohh!"

[reporters laughing, clamoring]

- [woman] Madam President! - [man] Madam President.

What do you think?

I think she's digging her own grave.

You do?

The press will kiss up to her for a few weeks, the novelty will wear off,

then they'll use these press conferences to tear her up.

- Makes better TV. - I'm a little sick of TV tonight.

Are you OK?

I mean, she just handed herself to us on a plate.

She just ambushed me in the Oval Office.

She knew I had the story of her gay assistant,

and she knew how I got it.

- We'll have other opportunities... - We?

I trusted you, Jayne.

Trusted you to keep my confidences. I trusted your priorities.

I gave you information from him whenever I could.

This time you gave my information to him.

- Mr. Speaker... - I don't want to hear your excuses!

Just get out of here. I don't want to see you again.

- I'll get my things. - Not to worry. I'll have them sent.

[sighs]

[door opens]

[Templeton] Sweetheart?

Honey?

You OK?

You OK?

[sighs]

I just... I just got tired.

Did you test yourself? Are you low?

When did you come home?

Your blood sugar's 55.

We gotta get some juice into you, OK?

Here. Drink that.

Come on. [chuckles]

Feel better?

Thank you, darling.

Keep sipping.

You gotta remember, better high than low with the blood sugar, OK?

Mm-hm.

How was your day?

[sighing]

Fast-poll numbers are up.

- Got positive e-mail spikes. - People love

- the press conference announcement. - Hope it holds over the long haul.

Presidents should be responsible to the people.

It kills me how we have to think about how doing that affects our numbers.

But we do.

Thank you for today, Jim.

Go home. It's been a long one.

Once you knew Vince was going public,

why didn't you use what you had against Templeton?

"Revenge is the weak pleasure of a narrow mind."

Juvenal.

We can't afford to be soft on this guy.

Good night, Jim.

Good night, Madam President.

[chatter over TV]

- [rock music playing] - [knock on door]

- Hey there. - Hey, Mom.

- Good press conference. - You think?

Yeah. Except I don't say "awesome."

What do you mean?

"My daughter would say being president's awesome."

I meant Amy.

- Oh, well, everyone's gonna ask. - Sorry.

I know I'm really busy.

This is an important time in your life,

and I want to be here for you.

You are here for me, Mom. You're in my room.

I know there are some rumors floating around your school.

- Look, Mom, they're just rumors. - OK.

I just want you to know I'm...

I'm not a prude.

I wasn't a virgin when I got married.

Mom.

Look,

I didn't do anything, OK?

Nothing happened with that guy.

He just...

He just turned out to be a total jerk

who's telling lies about me to everyone.

And please don't tell me it doesn't matter what people say,

because... because it does.

It does, I know. I know it matters, baby.

People say things, and it hurts.

Part of growing up is learning to deal with that

and still do the right thing, which it seems like you are.

I'm really proud of that.

- Doesn't stop it from sucking. - Yeah.

Do you want me to talk to the boy's parents?

Oh, no, Mom. That would just make it worse.

OK. [chuckles]

Do you want me to have him arrested under the Patriot Act

- and ship him off to prison in Syria? - That sounds good.

I'll get into it in the morning.

- All right. - Go to bed.

- 'Night, Mom. - 'Night, baby.

I got the memo from Scheduling.

So you're giving the commencement address at Brown, huh?

Everything comes at a cost,

but Rubie Dubidoux's daughter is Brown-bound.

With a major in alliteration.

- [laughing] - [Mac groans]

I'm so wiped. Are you?

Yeah, but... kind of energized.

- I really like my job. - Mmm.

Mmm, you are energized. I like that.

- [door opens] - [Amy] Mommy?

Baby? Potus interruptus.

- I had a bad dream. - You want some warm milk?

- Yes, please. - OK. I'll go get it.

[Rod] No, I'll get it. Let me get it.

Wake me when you get back.

Sleep. You have a country to run.

Come on.

Come on.

Mmm.