Original subtitles

[Mac] Previously on Commander in Chief:

Templeton's boxing us in.

Templeton is not choosing my vice president.

If you want a man who's worth a damn in this job,

you gotta make this job worth a damn.

I'm serious, Mom. You should, um, move in here with us.

I am moving out of the West Wing and back to the first gentleman's office.

Do you think what you did was right?

I am not gonna have trouble sleeping tonight.

You are relieved of your duties.

See what happens when she tries to get her nominees confirmed.

- It ends. - It's just begun.

[siren blares]

[Rod] Attorney General Brantley. How does that sound, Carl?

Not bad, not bad.

The kids are happy with the public schools?

Logan's a little nervous about the move.

Schools are good.

Are you selling that great house of yours?

We got three offers on it the day you nominated me.

I couldn't believe we sold it just like that.

What if he doesn't get confirmed?

[Rod] He ran for governor as a Republican. The party was behind him.

The committee is majority Republican, so he is de facto vetted.

Sounds so easy. I don't know why I am perpetually nervous about it.

For tonight, let's just relax and have a nice, quiet dinner out.

- [yelling] - Madam President.

[woman] Mr. Brantley, how does it feel to be nominated?

Just a nice, quiet dinner out.

[commotion continues]

- [woman on TV] In other news... - [knocking]

Come on in.

- A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Addison. - Oh, please. Lance.

Jayne, turn off those televisions. Come. Sit down.

Sorry it's so damned late.

Day's schedule's been chock-a-block.

Please. Mr. Speaker, my pleasure.

- I'd make time for you at any hour. - Lance is the best campaign guy around.

Got Lawson elected, Calvino,

- Riggs in Montana. - Riggs?

- You ran a good race. - Thank you, sir.

I'd love a chance to work with you.

I think you're the best presidential candidate.

Thank you.

Before Calvino, I ran Marcia Tucker's gubernatorial bid in Connecticut.

- Took on Carl Brantley in the primary. - [Templeton] Oh, Mr. Brantley.

Madam President's best friend, her choice for attorney general.

Yes. I did opposition research on Brantley.

We never used it. Tucker dropped out, and we didn't want to damage Brantley.

What'd you find?

One of his first political appointments was the Connecticut parole board.

- [laughs] - Now, during the four years he served,

they granted parole to almost 15,000 inmates.

These are the briefs for the cases we found,

and the best one's on top.

Proud boy.

Somebody gets paroled or furloughed, and then they commit a crime.

- Lenox Walsh. - What did he do?

Shot an 82-year-old grandmother in the face.

[inhales deeply] Hmm.

What can I say? You've had a stellar career.

No, no, no. Ending up here, that's stellar.

Being the AG of Connecticut, that falls somewhere between,

uh, pretty good and not too shabby.

Fast forward two weeks, attorney general of the United States.

OK, well, that gets into stellar territory.

Tell the truth. How is Sue doing with all this?

Well, she's not pleased about leaving Hartford,

but she... she does know how much this means to me.

And to me, I hope. I'm not gonna lie to you, Carl.

Every day around here is hard,

24/7 in a way... I can't even begin to describe.

It's so important to me to have people who are at the top of their game.

People I trust.

So tomorrow is gonna be a hell of a long day for you,

but if I can swing it, I'm gonna have my VP give you a few pointers.

You recall he went a couple of rounds with the Senate at his confirmation.

You'll sic General Keaton on me?

He'll chew me up before I get through the doors.

Be good for you, toughen you up.

Remember how I used to kick your ass at Ms. Pac-Man?

Oh, yeah. And foosball.

Well, who'd have thunk it?

Mac Allen, queen of the Hartford Arcade...

...president of the United States.

It was the first gentleman's choice to withdraw from the president's staff.

[man chattering over earpiece]

Would you be asking these questions if the president's spouse

were female and the president male?

Mr. Calloway is an accomplished, talented individual.

He's also a loving father and, yes,

he's the husband to the president of the United States.

You seem to have a hard time reconciling these roles. He doesn't.

- [man] Thank you. - OK. Thank you.

Anytime.

- Clear? - [man] All clear.

- That was great. - For your boss or mine?

Ours.

The longer I know you, the creepier you are. Have you been lurking back there?

I'm a political consultant. 'Course I'm creepy.

- You see my memo? - [sighs] Yep.

We have to sell Brantley as toughest sheriff east of the Pecos,

231 convictions, pro-death penalty.

Nice job with the first gentleman question.

I'd have called the guy a sexist.

That's the difference between you and me.

I'm the press secretary. You're not.

And a fine one at that, but there's being sincere and truthful,

and there's being effective.

My mother was at an ATM to get money

to buy a birthday present for my daughter, her youngest grandchild.

The bank's security cameras recorded the whole thing.

A man came up with a gun.

She cooperated, gave him her money.

And then she started begging.

I can only imagine what she was saying when he...

- ...shot her in the face. - [reporters] Mrs. Maxwell!

Are you calling on the president to withdraw Brantley as her nominee?

Justice for Victims is a family group.

We're not telling the president what to do.

We're just here to simply let people know

how victims of crime feel.

Mrs. Maxwell, as a victim of crime, how do you feel about Brantley's nomination

to the highest law enforcement position in the nation?

Lenox Walsh was in prison until Carl Brantley paroled him.

A month later, he killed my mother.

To the president, Carl Brantley is an old friend.

To me, he's the reason my mother was murdered.

[man] A victims' rights group charged the president with cronyism

and being soft on crime after it was revealed

that Brantley, her attorney general nominee was responsible for the parole

of a man who subsequently murdered a Connecticut grandmother...

- Game on. - It's a start. What's next?

...Senator Joe Peck, chairing Brantley's hearing.

We should talk to Joe Peck. Make sure we're on the same page.

I've already got Lance setting it up.

Good girl.

Gonna be an interesting day at Mackenzie Allen's White House.

[sprinklers rotating]

Kelly, don't take it personally,

but I hate when I see you waiting for me first thing in the morning.

A group called Justice for Victims

just did a little dog-and-pony show on the Capitol steps.

You can't go ten feet without somebody with a picket sign and a problem.

Their problem's Carl Brantley. They're calling him soft on crime, thereby...

Painting me as soft on crime. All right, what did we do?

Paroled a man who went on to kill an elderly lady.

- Good morning. - Thank you.

Well, it's an unfortunate reality,

but some parolees go on to commit another crime.

Did they mention when Carl served with me as D.A.,

he put more criminals behind bars than anyone in Connecticut history?

Thanks. You wrote my morning talking points.

Mm... wanna trade jobs?

As stressful as my jobs is, I think yours is a little harder.

Kelly, Carl's a good man.

- I'm counting on you to hold the line. - Always.

- Ma'am, they're ready in the Sit Room. - Thank you.

- Make sure the vice president joins us. - Yes, ma'am.

- [beeping] - [chattering]

- General. - [man] Morning, madam.

Warren, how are you?

I was fine until I heard about this situation with the cargo plane.

Yesterday a KC-130 cargo aircraft experienced mechanical difficulties.

They put down for maintenance on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

He checked out fine, he took off this morning.

About an hour later, the pilot missed calling in his waypoints

- then missed a refueling rendezvous. - Crashed?

We've got searchers going over the flight route,

but we haven't found a crash site.

But there's an added problem, ma'am.

- What was on board? - Most of the cargo was routine stuff.

It was spare parts, body armor, things like that.

However, we also had a shipment of 100 of our latest generation

- Block III Stinger missiles. - Handheld missile launchers.

We're doing everything we can to locate and secure the cargo.

With your permission, I'll stay on top of this on your behalf.

Keep me posted.

Oh, it might rain. Shouldn't you have an umbrella?

Guys don't use umbrellas, Grandma.

Does that mean I won't have my soccer practice?

Mm, probably not. Are you ready for your trig exam?

- [Amy] What's trig? - Fancy math. I think I need a tutor.

- Uh, I'm good at numbers. - [Rebecca] Ask Stacy for help.

- Good luck on your test. - Bye.

- Have a nice day. - [Rebecca] You too.

Oh. See you later, alligator.

- What are you gonna do till then? - Oh... well, um...

I... I'm not really sure. I was thinking maybe I might...

- ...I don't know... - I gotta go. Bye!

Oh... bye.

Let's put it this way.

The president and I had a different vision

on how best to run the country.

I wanted to enforce the law of the land as I had under President Bridges.

- And she? - She wants to fire anyone

who voices a dissenting opinion or takes a tougher stand than hers.

Here is the reality of the modern world.

A criminal's civil rights

cannot outweigh the rights and safety

we guarantee our law-abiding citizens.

In other words, she's soft on crime.

Yeah. She's hard on her staff.

I think that's why she surrounds herself with less than experienced hands.

Are you saying Carl Brantley isn't qualified?

Well, not if being qualified means being her buddy.

I mean, come on, it took her six months to nominate her best friend?

- [Mac] So it's a coordinated attack. - Melanie's reputation precedes her.

It's sour grapes and will be taken that way.

Frankly, she's irrelevant.

She's the former attorney general commenting on the nominee.

And she's bringing home a twofer for the Templeton camp.

The president's soft on crime and big on cronyism.

[sighs] What about this Ilene Maxwell? Her claim.

The guy was in jail for petty theft.

No one could have predicted he'd take up meth

and become homicidal after parole.

The White House takes a defensive stance, it'll be perceived as just that,

defensive. I say no comment. It's one case with a freak outcome.

My opinion? Nominate the deputy attorney general.

Someone already doing the job. Harder to remove.

I'm standing by my nominee. Get parole board statements,

go over the record, prepare talking points. I'm not backing down.

Yes, ma'am.

- Ma'am? - He can handle

whatever they throw his way.

- He's committed to staying the course? - [knocking]

Warren. Tell me you're here with good news.

- I wish to hell I could. - We located the missing aircraft yet?

We have Global Hawk UAVs flying a grid at 65,000 feet over the area.

We haven't found a crash site.

Given the nature of the terrain, it's highly unlikely we'll find survivors.

- At least, in time. - We're sure?

Yes, ma'am. I know that American casualties are hard to stomach,

but we have to turn our attention to this weapons cache.

Block III weighs 15 pounds. It's easier to use than a digital camera.

A terrorist, hell, a teenager, could take himself to the Memorial Bridge,

wait for a jet to leave Reagan National and blow it out of the sky.

I don't need to tell you how grave a situation this could be.

And if we fly low-flying planes or helicopters in there,

we risk the wrath of the Pakistani government.

I just know we have to get those weapons back. Let's do it.

[man] And after the brutal murder of Audrey Maxwell by a killer,

you and your parole board set free,

you didn't think of offering some sort of apology to her family?

To be honest, the first I heard of this case was this morning.

You don't recall the case? It... it wasn't important?

The board reviewed thousands of cases a year.

At the time this was a petty thief.

He became a cold-blooded killer.

You don't think parole boards should follow up?

Say, when an innocent grandmother gets shot in the face?

[Carl] The system does follow up.

But there's no mechanism in place

that would allow an individual parole board member,

uh, to track decade-old cases.

And you know that, senator.

So is your position that

no one is responsible for this sort of mistake?

As a society we're just to... accept it?

Would that be your position as attorney general?

He's a good man with a strong record, a conservative prosecutor.

He shot an 82-year-old grandmother in the face.

No, he didn't shoot anyone. He sat on a parole board

that reviewed thousands of cases. Of those, one person...

Shot an 82-year-old grandmother in the face.

- Why do you keep saying that? - Oh, I don't know.

It's catchy? It's got a certain ring?

Because we better get used to hearing it.

They tested those words. Every variation.

Killed an old lady. Murdered a woman for $300.

They tested it all. But when they got

to "shot an 82-year-old grandmother in the face," it blew off the charts.

- Doesn't make them right. - It doesn't matter what happened

or who he is or what kind of attorney general he'd make. He's going down.

The only question is whether we go down with him.

Daddy, have you seen Grandma?

No, I haven't.

She's always here when get home from school.

- [sighs] Did you check the kitchen? - Yep.

OK, and her room?

- Maybe she went out for a walk. - She doesn't like to walk.

It hurts her feet.

Well, I am sure that she is here somewhere.

I don't think so. She took her purse.

I hate political polling.

Focus groups make my skin crawl.

That being said,

we had Lance Addison run a little poll for us.

The majority of Americans think it's wrong to set criminals free.

Shocking, isn't it?

I have to hand it to you.

You really made dollar out of a dime with Brantley's record.

Thanks to your gracious participation.

Well, anything to help in your toe-to-toe with our president.

Current president.

Her Lance did another poll. It seems, contrary to Ms. Allen,

that the American people feel you cut quite an impressive figure.

You tested ten points higher than the mayor of New York

when asked who was tougher on crime.

Well, like they say, hindsight's twenty-twenty.

Well, I look both ways, Melanie.

And to my mind, you were robbed.

You were robbed of your dignity, of your position.

American people were robbed of your wisdom,

of the clarity of your decision-making

when she removed you as attorney general.

Well, you won't get an argument from me.

Well, it is my hope

that in one year...

...you will be returned to you rightful position

at the White House,

as the highest law enforcement officer in the land.

- That's great. Thank you. - OK.

- Hey. - Hey. I'm sorry I missed dinner.

- Things have been so crazy. - Yeah, look, uh,

I know you've got a lot on your plate, but have you spoken to your mother?

- Not since breakfast. - She mention going somewhere?

- No. What's going on? - Oh, nothing, nothing.

Just, uh, having a hard time finding her.

At 1:24 this afternoon, Mrs. Allen exited the residence

through the Diplomatic Reception Room and through the southwest gate.

And she hasn't signed back in?

Ma'am, if I may...

...I have every reason to believe Mrs. Allen is safe and secure.

- I'd suggest we just... sit tight. - Why? Do you know something we don't?

Ma'am, when Mrs. Allen left, she gave the agent on duty

an address and phone number where she could be reached in emergency.

- Asked us to respect her privacy. - Why didn't you tell me that?

She also asked that we not tell her daughter.

[Rod] Well, the Service thinks she's fine.

She's a grown woman.

All right. I want to know the second she gets back.

I'll see to it. Ma'am. Sir.

- Ma'am? - Let me guess. Sit Room.

One of the UAVs has picked up a significant heat signature

here in southern Hindu Kush. It's what we'd expect if we had C-130 down.

Problem is, those hills are crawling with terrorists.

There's a lot of very bad people making a beeline for that plane.

- Can we secure the cargo? - We can get special forces

and munitions recovery guys in 12 hours.

If terrorists have recovered the antiaircraft missiles,

we'd be sending our planes on a suicide mission.

- Intelligence estimate, they aware? - Hasn't made the papers.

Well, with any luck, it never will.

Let's just get in and out of there as quickly as we can.

The president took time out with AmeriCorps leaders today

to defend her nominee for attorney general.

I'm only sorry that my opponents

have manipulated a family's tragedy

into an attack on a man who would make an outstanding attorney general.

And I urge the public and the press

to look at Carl Brantley's full career dedicated to law enforcement

rather than one case taken out of context.

Ilene Maxwell, daughter of the slain woman,

disagreed with the president's characterization.

The only context our family needs is that my mother was murdered.

Victims for Justice today released footage from an ATM security camera

which captured the murder of grandmother, Audrey Maxwell.

We should warn viewers this footage is graphic, violent and disturbing.

[Sue] Turn it off.

[TV clicks off]

This was a big mistake, wasn't it?

No, honey. No. It's just...

- It's part of the process. - Really?

Calling you a murderer is part of the process.

It's unfair, I know. But it will end.

When they convinced everyone Carl allows killers to go free?

Sue, it's just noise. They're grabbing at straws.

- Doing what they can to discredit him. - It's working, isn't it?

Sue, you...

- Maybe I should... - No, no, no. I'll talk to her.

It's not your fault, you know.

Yeah, it is.

I chose him.

Where the hell have you been?

Good morning.

Uh, here and there. Out and about.

- All night? - I-I left word with the Service.

Right. That you were at some undisclosed location.

Didn't stop Amy from panicking that her grandmother was missing.

Oh. Uh, I'm sorry.

I meant to get back sooner.

Time just got away from me.

- I'll talk to her. - Good. Do that.

Right after you talk to me.

Where did you go, Mom?

- Atlantic City? - No. For heaven's sake...

- I haven't played slots in years. - Where were you?

[sighs] I was with a friend, Mackenzie.

I do have them, you know.

- Hey. You're home. - Am I?

- So did she say where she was? - Not exactly.

- You run out of razors? - Oh, this?

I got nothing on the books yesterday, today.

It's not a complaint, it's just a fact.

I see. Kinda cute.

Did you see Sue this morning?

I haven't seen either one of them. Have you?

Honey. They're gonna be fine.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

[Vince] Kelly.

Kelly.

- Right this way, Mr. Clooney. - Huh?

- Sorry. I must've dozed off. - Yeah.

I was with you at the mess yesterday when you got that mustard stain.

Did you sleep here last night?

This desk is actually more comfortable than it looks.

Oh, my God, look at the time. I have the morning gaggle at 7:00,

I have 58 minutes to cram all the mind-numbing facts I can into my brain

if for no other reason than to remember things I can't say to reporters.

And two minutes to pee. That smells good.

Hey, you did a great job with the Brantley story yesterday.

Thanks.

- And Kelly? - Hmm?

You rock.

Sue, is everything OK?

I blame myself more than I blame him.

I really just didn't think it through.

I don't know why we ever sold the house.

Well, obviously because you believe in Carl's confirmation

as much as Mackenzie does.

[sighs] Look, I thought I could do this, but I'm not sure that I can.

I'm not sure that anyone should have to.

- Is there something I can do? - Make them stop.

Oh, honey, I wish I could.

I wish Mac could. But she can't.

What I can tell you is that it is worth sticking it out.

Your husband is going to be in the position to make history.

[laughs] To be history.

[Sue] It's just... [sighs] ...a lot.

You're doing a stellar job with the hearings.

It's having quite an impact.

We have the poor bastard sweating more than a hooker at high mass.

Yeah, I feel kinda sorry for him.

Not a bad guy.

Pangs of pity from Nathan Templeton?

You want me to throw in the towel?

No, no, no.

Carl Brantley may be a good man,

but it's not about him.

It's about her.

The hearings are hurting her presidency, no doubt.

- How much longer will they last? - [scoffs]

- If she doesn't pull the nomination? - She won't pull the nomination.

She's headstrong. That's her Achilles heel.

How long do you figure?

Another week, ten days.

I'm calling the victim's family. That should give us a good shot of press.

That could backfire on you.

Yeah, that could look like an overt political attack.

From a woman whose mother was murdered? She'll get a pass.

Probably. But why don't we take the high road?

[laughs] Do you have a particular high road in mind?

You know, the president asked us

to examine her nominee's entire career,

not just focus on one case.

So why don't we respect her wishes?

What's this?

Highlight of Carl Brantley's career.

Cases he declined to prosecute when he was a DA,

cases he lost,

other prisoners paroled under his watch who went on to commit crimes.

So he can sit there and deny he's soft on crime

not just once,

but over and over and over again.

In April of 1999,

your office declined to prosecute Percy Chilton,

who had prior convictions for

rape and battery,

after he was arrested for attacking a young woman. Do you recall the case?

No, I don't, sir, but I can tell you that

none of those previous convictions would have been admissible in court.

Perhaps not,

but might they have inspired your office to take a harder look?

We reviewed hundreds of cases a week, senator,

and we looked hard at each and every one of them.

If you'd like me to come and review that file with you...

Let's look at another case you declined to prosecute.

Leon Korakin. Arrested for conspiracy...

- [chattering] - General. Gentlemen.

- Where's the vice president? - He couldn't be here.

- Have we recovered the weapons? - No, ma'am.

- Pave Hawks took fire. - From antiaircraft missiles?

No, it was just small arms. But we had to back off anyway.

Is it terrorists after the weapons cargo?

That or locals who don't want us there for their own reasons.

We couldn't reach the crash site.

- We sending Rangers? - Yes, on their way.

- Let me know when they get there. - Yes.

Did he have an appointment? Warren.

I don't know, ma'am. He didn't say, and I didn't ask.

Thank you.

I know you didn't expect it to get this ugly.

This is a new low. Even for them.

Well, it was a nice idea while it lasted.

Two old friends... changing the world.

- We still can. - You can.

I want to make it easy for you. I'm withdrawing.

I don't want you to do that.

You'll make a great attorney general.

No, I won't. I'm a liability.

Let me worry about whether you're an asset or liability.

I told myself from the beginning,

if I'm gonna do this job, I'm gonna do it with integrity.

I'm not gonna walk away from a good friend

over politics.

This isn't about you standing up for me.

I want out. At some point, you admit defeat.

If you don't want to take the heat, that's your decision.

But I believe in you, and I believe in what we can do together.

And if you'll keep fighting,

I will commit the full power of this office to winning.

Even if we could win, it... it wouldn't end. They'd be all over me.

As your attorney general, anything I do, they'll use against you.

Welcome to my world.

You really think we can win it?

I have no idea.

But I'll go down swinging with you. I promise you that.

Their strategy is to kill us in committee.

If we don't pull that nomination, they'll tear him apart in the hearings.

What if I demand an up-or-down vote in the full Senate?

Make the committee stop raking him over the coals.

Standing by your friend makes you look strong.

Do we have votes to win the confirmation?

- Can you deliver the Democrats? - That's what I'm here for, son.

All right. Let's get started first thing.

Even if we get the Democrats, we won't win without some Republicans.

- How many? - A handful of senators could swing it.

We're not the only ones putting the screws to them.

Templeton. He's got a good strategy.

Beat up Brantley in committee while he sits, collects votes.

He doesn't control what happens on the Senate floor, but...

...the House is his. Legislation, the budget, careers.

If he goes after the same senators we do, it's going to be a tough fight.

- He's got a lot to offer them. - We have to offer them more.

How far are you willing to go?

I'm not gonna make any deals I can't live with,

but we're gonna have to get creative.

You want to start horse-trading? Now?

[Jim] We want to get things done. Don't you?

- Depends what we're talking about. - Well, you tell me.

We all know Carl Brantley will make a strong attorney general.

[Templeton] So if we put Rea in charge of the House Committee on Resources,

Carnes in charge of Science,

then you'd control all you need for...

Senator, I brought you the chance to do right by your commander in chief.

A billion dollar appropriation...

I know you you want her to ease up on those sanctions against Indonesia.

Half of it could go to your state.

You don't get credit for your faith-based initiatives.

[Templeton] A question of loyalty.

[Mac] I'd shine a spotlight on your work.

You can count on the RNC.

We could make farm subsidies more of a priority.

[Mac] If I thought you could start working with me in a reasonable

and constructive way, then yes,

you would have my endorsement.

She said she'd endorse Lee?

- She feels she can work with him. - But Lee?

I like it. It gives us points on the right.

Does it give us the votes to get him confirmed?

- [sighs, laughs] I don't see them. - [Kelly] The vote's not till tomorrow.

- We haven't played our biggest card. - We've given every gift.

- What's left? - What's left is the president.

Her conference is at 5:00. She'll bring it home.

- I hope you're right. - We're close on Quinn, Duke and Paxton.

We'll close them after the press conference. Watch and see.

[reporters] Madam President!

By stopping the hearings and calling for a vote,

aren't you preventing the Senate's full review of the his qualifications?

If they were sincerely reviewing Carl Brantley's qualifications,

that might be so. But we all know that's not the case.

You don't think it's sincere to look at his record?

What record are they looking at?

His highest conviction rate of any prosecutor in Connecticut's history?

What about Audrey Maxwell's murder ?

Carl Brantley sat on a parole board that released a small-time burglar.

The parole board's only failure was not being psychic.

Make no mistake about what's going on here.

A tragic event is being manipulated for political gain.

The people doing it believe that Americans will react so strongly

to crime-scene footage and provocative language that the truth won't matter.

I think Americans are smarter than that.

And I pray that the Senate will rise above it and do the right thing.

I just spoke with Senator Quinn. He's in. Along with Paxton and Duke.

- I think we're there. - Congratulations.

Will it hold until the vote tomorrow morning?

Templeton will find out. So will Peck. They'll fight to the last vote.

Do we have a plan B in case we lose these guys?

- These guys were our plan B. - And we don't have a plan C.

We'll stay on it all night. Keep working the options.

Make no mistake about what's going on.

A tragic event is being manipulated for political gain.

The people doing it believe Americans will react so strongly...

- [footsteps] - [Jayne] Mr. Speaker.

Senators Duke, Quinn and Paxton.

Gentlemen. It's great of you to come. I knew I could count on you.

Well done. Very good. Ma'am.

Warren. Do you have anything for me?

I just got word from the Ranger team leader.

They've secured the crash site,

and the accident response group is on the ground.

- Any casualties going in? - None.

Apparently whoever was shooting beat a hasty retreat.

Do we know who it was?

Opium's the cash crop in that part of the world, ma'am.

I think the Pave Hawks ran across growers moving product.

Hmm. How soon until we have the missiles?

- At this point, it's hard to say. - All right.

- Let me know as soon as they're secure. - Very well.

Warren? Everything OK?

- Ma'am? - Just yesterday, the Sit Room.

Just some family matters I had to look after.

- OK. Thank you. - Yes, ma'am.

- Hey. - I hope I'm not interrupting.

I mean, I know I am, but...

Mom, it's OK. What's up?

Um... guilt.

About...?

Not telling you where I was.

You deserve to know.

- OK. - OK.

- Oh. - This is Bill Harrison.

- How do you do? - It's an honor, Madam President.

Thank you.

Bill and I... um...

Bill is my boyfriend. We have been dating,

uh, on and off for a year now.

- Dating. - We met in Connecticut

at a country club. I still live there... in Connecticut.

Right. Right.

- So am I to understand...? - [stammering]

- We stayed in a hotel, yes. - OK. Well, you know what, Mom?

You don't have to...

I would have told you sooner about us, but, um...

- ...there's a little hitch. - A hitch.

Bill is married.

[stammers] Don't panic. I am not a home-wrecker.

My wife suffered a stroke eight years ago.

She's been in a nursing home ever since.

I figured any way you sliced it, it wouldn't look good.

So when I moved to the White House,

uh... I put an end to it.

But I just couldn't let her go.

You crazy old coot.

Anyway, there you have it.

OK, then. Uh, not quite sure what to do with it, but...

- [knocking] - Sorry to disturb you,

- but I think that... - Oh, no, please.

We have to go. You get back to work. We'll see you... later.

Bye-bye.

- Don't ask. - I won't.

Here. This is from Mr. Gardner.

- What is it? - We lost Quinn, Duke and Paxton.

What happened?

Best guess is that Senator Peck got to them.

He chairs the committee. Where he goes they follow.

- And Templeton got to Senator Peck. - They work hand in glove.

It's all part of Templeton's presidential campaign.

Let's get Senator Peck in here, first thing, before the vote.

Peck is facing a major challenger in his next election.

Stan Dennison, banking billionaire, self-funder.

- I know. - He needs his party's support to win.

That means Templeton's support. He can't afford to rock the boat.

Because he doesn't want to lose his seat.

That may be our plan C.

With due respect, Madam President, the vote's in less than an hour.

There's nothing you can offer that would change my position.

I understand you have a tough re-election campaign ahead,

fighting a wealthy opponent, running behind in the polls.

All the more reason I can't afford to alienate my party leadership.

Makes sense. Makes sense.

You know, it occurs to me

that we need a new secretary of the treasury, right, Jim?

- I believe we are. - [laughs]

You think I'd throw away a lifetime relationship

with the Republican Party for a couple years in your cabinet?

No offense, but I've seen what happens to your nominees.

Oh, no, I... I wasn't thinking of you.

Uh, I don't really see you as a treasury secretary. No offense.

No. I was thinking of your opponent.

He got rich as a banker, he cares about the economy,

I think he'd be a heck of a guy for the job.

And I don't imagine it's an opportunity he'd turn down.

At least that's the impression I got when we met with him this morning.

- You think so? - He said it's a dream come true.

- There you go. - It would take is Senate confirmation,

which I'm sure you could arrange.

That would take him out of your race,

clear the field for you.

I'll, uh...

...have to give it some thought.

You can think about it on the way over. They're getting ready to call the vote.

[woman on TV] In a surprise turnabout, Senator Joe Peck reluctantly endorsed

the president's candidate for attorney general, Carl Brantley.

As voting begins, it is clear that Brantley now has the support

needed for that confirmation. We are told...

Whatever she gave him, we will make sure the punishment is worse.

I don't give a damn about Joe Peck right now.

[Jayne] I'm just a sore loser, I guess.

It's good to lose a battle.

- Teaches you how to better win the war. - She got her man his job.

- It feels like this war is over. - No. This war is for the presidency.

Never lose sight of that.

She got her man. Now she's gonna have to wear him.

Every case his office fumbles,

every failure of justice...

...they're all going to be hers.

From now on, we don't stop.

Attack, attack, attack, attack.

- [knocking] - Do you take walks-ins?

Come on in.

I'm just packing up for the night.

From the looks of things, your night is far from over.

So... Attorney General Brantley. How's it sound now?

Oh, better a week ago, but I'll take it. I'll take it.

I know that my confirmation hearings came at a cost to you.

Don't worry about me.

This is not the last time you're gonna be the target of criticism.

I... I don't know how you handle it at this level.

Some days better than others.

But on the good days, I try to remember that

every advancement in history has been met with opposition.

Remember back in school, I saved your butt by lending you my con law notes?

- Yeah. - I recall you telling me

that you owed me one. Consider it even.

- Ma'am. - Jim.

It's all right.

The recovery team finished its sweep of the C-130 crash site.

- Everything OK? - They've secured most of the cargo.

Most?

The group leader says he only found 50 handheld launchers.

- And the other 50? - Missing.

Maybe destroyed in the crash?

What they found was intact.

- Meaning the rest have been stolen. - Yes, ma'am. They're out there.