03x13 - The Beautiful Game

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Madam Secretary". Aired: September 2014 to December 2019.*
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"Madam Secretary" follows a former CIA analyst and college professor who is promoted to United States Secretary of State as she tries to balance her work and family life.
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03x13 - The Beautiful Game

Post by bunniefuu »

(door opens)

Oh, I missed my alarm!

I'm up! I'm up!

No, no, no. Sorry.

I just went for an early run.

That's right, you have the FBI, and I have ten more minutes.

Go away, roommate.

Look, I got you one of those cinnamon rolls you like from Maggie's.

The kind with the cream cheese on top?

Yeah. Oh.

And a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

(laughs)

What?

Look.

Wait, they put that in the article?

Nice cover photo.

They weren't supposed to mention the nomination.

It's just a rumor.

Kissinger is so jealous right now.

Geez. What'd they do to my face?

What do you mean?

Elizabeth: I look like a creepy plastic doll.

Well, the article is great.

It's all about the Israel-Iran peace talks.

Look, it-it's nice you're getting some notice after all this crazy work you've been putting in.

I must've worked myself to death.

I mean, I look like a corpse.

(sighs)

What, you think if they didn't erase all the lines on my face, I'd be disappointed.

Yeah, I...

I think I'm gonna take a shower.

See why the FBI needs me again.

I bet they wouldn't have worked over Henry Kissinger's face till he looked like a pressed sheet.

(sighs)

There's a good picture of Rabbi Lowenthal.

Oh, yeah, I saw that.

What a brilliant idea, getting Israel and Iranian kids to play soccer together.

He actually got President Shiraz and the Israeli prime minister to agree to go to the game in Jordan next week.

Guy's better at wrangling world leaders than I am.

Maybe he should get a Nobel Peace Prize instead.

(groans)

Seriously.

Are my... crow's feet that bad that they need to be erased?

I love every inch of your beautiful face.

Mo: Virginia Field Force.

Pretty much your standard militia group.

Anti-government, little white supremacy, lots of g*ns and tactical gear.

I still don't understand why you need me.

One of the ex-Covenant of John members we interviewed had a cousin in a militia group.

We looked into it.

Couple of ex-COJ members posted on their Web site.

So the legion of angels is looking for soldiers.

Makes sense if they're planning some kind of action.

It's hard to see what the militia gets out of it.

Well, they both share the same goal, right?

Burn down the basic structures of society.

COJ gets g*ns and know-how, and militia gets a righteous ideology.

And if COJ does have a b*mb from Rex Mayfield...

They bring even more to the table.

Wow.

So what are you thinking, watch and wait or send a team in?

We'd love to move in, if we could only find them.

They were in the mountains near Abingdon when A*F started tracking them about six months ago.

But then they pulled up stakes and got cagey about the new location.

Could they have figured out A*F was tracking them?

Doesn't look like it.

Ian Conroy.

He's been working the group.

Ex-Marine, deployed three times to Iraq.

They love this guy. They want to recruit him.

It could be a trap.

It's the only way we're gonna find out where they are.

We'll have to take our chances and be ready.

So now you need me to help A*F Guy become an expert on apocalyptic Christianity so he'll fit in.

I love it when you're ahead of me.

And here's the seating chart for Camp David.

President Shiraz will enter from the east door.

Which Israel approved?

Yes.

I will confirm with the prime minister's office.

Right. I do not want to lose this peace deal over who gets the top bunk.

Sorry, I just saw the seating chart.

Is this right?

Yes. We'll approve the west entrance with Prime Minister Aaronson.

No, no, no, the table shape.

I spent three days getting both sides to agree to an oval table.

This is a rectangle.

It can't be a rectangle.

That's just the diagram.

The table will be oval.

Can we confirm it's oval? The actual table.

With Aaronson on the bulge-y part by the windows.

Y-Yes, I-I will confirm.

Jay: And the flowers have to be white.

Hang in there, buddy. Almost there.

No, I know. I'm just...

Exhausted from negotiating every single detail of a historic peace agreement.

Blake: Uh, Jay, your wife is on the way up.

Who's that?

(chuckles) Tell her she gets you back as soon as this thing is signed.

Hours away.

Good morning, ma'am.

I know. NewsSource Magazine mentioned the rumor about the Nobel nomination.

I-I don't know how they got that.

Nominations have been rumored before in the past.

It's not an issue.

I'll gather the staff for the meeting.

About the cover...

You mean that I look like my own... wax statue?

I told them no retouching, and I was assured that we'd get final approval.

Obviously, that didn't happen.

I mean, not that it's bad.

Oh, come on. It's pretty bad.

Are we in here or what? I-I'm all alone.

Could you give us a minute?

Oh, hey, congratulations on NewsSource.

You're officially trending online.

I am?

It's been, um... positive.

Okay, that was a bad "um."

What did that "um" mean?

It hasn't been as focused on the peace deal as we'd like.

Some pundit on Twitter's calling you Madam Sexy-tary.

Could you get back in your crate?

What? It's true.

Frankly, I'm surprised anyone finds that weird Photoshop sexy.

Oh, no, this is, uh, more about your blouse.

What are they saying about my blouse?

Hey. I just got your messages.

No, that's okay. I figured I'd better just bring it.

Uh, you're saving me. Thank you. I-I just, I don't know where my head is.

Elsewhere.

So, it looks like this thing could get signed today.

How 'bout dinner at that bistro you like? What's it called?

Why don't you just let me know how it goes first.

Hey, Abby.

Hey.

Oh, that's a gorgeous dress.

And I am so wearing yoga pants.

Stop it. You're totally working it.

Hey, the car's ready for Camp David.

Go.

Make world peace.

I got to get back to Chloe.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Aw, look at that.

Personal life.

I used to have one of those.

Yeah. Me, too.

(sighs)

I'm gonna need some coffee.

Don't you have a car waiting?

Don't you have a staff meeting?

Yes. Frankie's hazelnut roast.

Smells amazing.

Yeah, she brought it back from Seattle. Get on it.

It goes fast.

Oh. Hey, Kevin.

'Sup?

Hey, Kevin.

I'm Jay. Have we met?

This is Kevin from Budget and Planning.

Guess you guys get a pretty high security clearance, coming up from five to take our coffee.

I'm just good at making friends.

You gave that guy floor access?

Yes, I did.

Blake: And a member of the board of regents at UVA invited you to a reception... something about the Nobel nomination.

Elizabeth: Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

President Shiraz,
welcome.

Such a beautiful setting.

It's been the site of many historic meetings.

I'm hoping today will add to that history.

We only lack a certain prime minister.

Yes, he will be along any moment, as will my policy advisor with our final negotiation framework.

Uh, let's sit.

Thank you.

Jay: You got to be kidding me.

It's a small matter of language.

Amin, how long we been at this?

The whole thing is language.

That's like saying we're all just water.

Iran is obviously acknowledging Israel's legitimacy by engaging in this agreement.

We simply want to change a few words.

Changing "Iran acknowledges Israel's right to exist" to "Iran acknowledges Israel's existence" is more than a word change, it's a firebomb.

We have agreed to pull Quds Forces from five other countries.

We have submitted ourselves to the humiliating scrutiny by the United States of our defense weapons.

We are cutting ties with our political allies...

But this is the main thing that Israel wants.

It's what got them to the table in the first place.

This is from our Supreme Leader.

If we cannot renegotiate, I have to resubmit every point for the ayatollah's reconsideration.

Prime Minister, I am so sorry about the delay.

It's just a slight hiccup in the finalizing of the framework agreement.

Well, we've come a very long way, Madam Secretary.

I know. We are so honored to have you here.

And you must be exhausted from your journey.

So, I tell you what, why don't you guys go up, get settled into your cabins, and... enjoy the scenery.

Dinner at 6:00.

We'll resume talks first thing in the morning.

Okay?

He's gonna hear about the "right to exist" issue.

Yeah, I'll walk him through it tonight at dinner.

Do you know if scotch is kosher?

(chuckles)

I hope that I can spin it so they don't leave.

That's gonna be a hell of a spin.

Not that I doubt your skills.

Still got three days left on the cease-fire.

Including today.

We'll work on extending it first thing tomorrow.

Look, I know you've been through it a million times, but...

Inducements for Israel to get them to let go of the "right to exist" language; I'm on it.

What about the Ashkelon Pipeline?

Maybe we could get Iran to forgive Israel's debt?

It-It's not... it's not enough, but I'll try.

You want me to reach out to Shiraz's staff or do you want...

No, no, I got it. You got to call your wife.

Okay.

And break plans with her again.

(car horns honking)

Lowenthal: Nothing is more important to the future of Israel than these peace talks with Iran.

If we can shake hands with our Muslim brothers, we will show the world that anything is possible.

What do you say, Rabbi Lowenthal, to those who object to any compromise with a country who refuses to acknowledge Israel?

What are we compromising?

50 years of enmity, v*olence, destruction, isolation?

Try to explain this to children...

(people screaming)

(knocking)

Yeah.

Yeah.

You heard?

I'm on with Henry. Hear what?

Rabbi Lowenthal, the guy planning the soccer game in Jordan, he just got bombed at a peace rally in Haifa.

Tell me he survived.

22 demonstrators, documentary film crew and the rabbi... all dead.

Henry, I got to call you back.

(sighs) Well, has anybody taken responsibility for it?

Not yet, but the bombing was close to the border with Lebanon.

Hezbollah's been making noise about the peace deal.

Okay. You take Aaronson's people.

I'm gonna go to Shiraz.

Aaronson may be heading back to Israel. I just got word.

No. Stall him.

Whoever did this is not going to k*ll these talks.

Shiraz: Iran has made so many concessions throughout these negotiations.

Elizabeth: Yes. And for that I'm very grateful.

But your reversal today on acknowledging Israel's right to exist...

There's nothing to be done in this point.

It's out of my control.

You have to know that I can't ask Israel to give up its most important deal point without offering them something in exchange.

What do you ask now?

Cut all ties to Hezbollah, political and financial, effective immediately.

That is outrageous.

Hezbollah hasn't taken credit for this att*ck.

But you've already agreed to end your support for Hezbollah as soon as the agreement is final.

I'm just asking you to say so now.

It's... an... an act of empathy for a country in grief.

For this concession, Israel would have to publicly acknowledge its nuclear weapons program, Najid. and submit to all the same inspections Iran must endure.

Effective immediately, or the cease-fire ends.

It's impossible. It's impossible.

Yet you come to me to ask the impossible.

Unripened fruit is bitter.

Perhaps it's time to... to-to admit that none of us are ready for this agreement.

I'm sorry.



Professor. Here to take me to Sunday school?

(chuckles) Well, the Covenant of John is a long way from Sunday school, but sure.

Eh, I'm just messing with you.

Dr. McCord went into the Covenant of John compound in Bolivia.

We're lucky to have him work with us.

Did you get a chance to look at the material I sent you this morning?

Uh, yeah, a bit.

Bible's pretty crazy, man.

Part of Revelation's enduring power is its intense imagery and symbolism.

That's why every age has its own interpretation of it.

Now, there's a strong possibility that this group's understanding of the seven seals will include some reference to the government siege on their compound in Bolivia, so let's start with those verses.

Bring it.

Okay. The opening of the fourth seal releases what?

Uh...

The four horsemen...

Of the Apocalypse.

And the four horsemen represent?

Uh... John, Paul, George and Ringo?

Ian, uh... I can't stress highly enough how important it is that these people feel you share their beliefs.

Yeah. I'll go over it. I'll be ready.

You can't just read it, you've got to know it.

They will do anything for this group, leave their families, even k*ll, for what they think this means.

This is a cult, Conroy. There's no ego.

Yeah, I got it.

Henry: We're just trying to protect you.

If you go in there unprepared, it could cost you your life, not to mention the operation.

(sighs)

Ask me what it's like to come home from your third deployment, and you can't hold down a job 'cause you keep going off, and the only thing that makes any sense is what you used to be able to do defending your country.

I understand these people.

Now, do I personally believe the federal government is gonna declare martial law and take every citizen's g*n away from them? No.

But I guarantee you that is exactly what every member of this group will think I believe.

You need to drop that guy like a hot rock.

And start over with who?

Conroy already built his contacts online.

That group could have a b*mb ready to go, and we don't even know where they are.

No. We're sending him in.

Okay. I hear you. Anything I can do to help.

Thanks for working with him.

Mr. President. Ephraim. I'm sorry to keep you waiting.

You had a few crises to manage.

(sighs)

Hell of a thing about Rabbi Lowenthal.

I read about him in your NewsSource article.

Tragic loss.

So what do we know about his attackers?

Haifa's proximity to the Lebanese border made Hezbollah the immediate suspect in the bombing.

But we just got word that Israeli Intelligence has determined that the culprit was a member of the ultra-right-wing orthodox community.

The attacker was Israeli?

Fiercely opposed to the peace process.

They have security camera footage of him placing expl*sives before the demonstration.

The rhetoric's been so overheated.

Do they have him in custody?

Not yet. Which is why news of this hasn't broken.

I think I can work with this.

I'm sorry. I've got to go try and stop a plane.

Elizabeth: Prime Minister.

I'm so glad I caught you.

Madam Secretary, I'm sorry we couldn't sit down at Camp David.

I wanted to express our profound condolences for your loss.

I am touched by your compassion.

We hope you will bring Rabbi Lowenthal's assassin to swift justice.

We understand he's still at large?

(chuckles)

It always impresses me the reach of U.S. Intelligence.

Well... now that we know the att*ck wasn't perpetrated by Hezbollah, was in fact committed by one of your own citizens, and isn't there an opportunity for us to... to finish these peace talks?

No, no, no. Madam Secretary...

N-No. Maybe not here.

Then maybe when you go to the soccer game in Jordan.

What better tribute to Rabbi Lowenthal?

No. We cannot continue these talks.

Look, you're pushing us too far, too fast.

It's turning my countrymen against each other...

Jews k*lling Jews.

Ido, if you get on that plane and the cease-fire expires, then everything Rabbi Lowenthal lived for, all the progress that we have made for a better future, is gone.

He will have d*ed for nothing.

If we make this deal with Iran while they still refuse to acknowledge our right to exist, then this, too, will refute everything that Rabbi Lowenthal stood for.

You see, Elizabeth, these symbols can always be turned to suit our own purposes.

My greatest purpose is and always will be to serve my people.

Thank you for your condolences.

I wasn't able to stop the prime minister.

He says he left because of the assassination, but I am beginning to think that neither side had any intention of signing the agreement this week.

For what it's worth, I got confirmation that it was the Ayatollah who objected to Israel's right to exist.

At least Shiraz wasn't hiding behind that.

Are you getting anywhere trying to work back channels?

Not yet, but I found out that "Shiva" in "sitting Shiva" means seven, so I'm trying to get Iran to extend the cease-fire seven days while Israel mourns Rabbi Lowenthal.

(phone rings)

Okay, that's-that's good.

Um, keep me posted, all right?

Thanks, Jay.

Sorry.

Hey, Mo. What's up?

I passed on your concerns about Ian Conroy to the higher-ups.

They want you to be his handler for the mission.

(chuckles) I can only imagine what he thinks about that.

He's up for it.

Doggie likes the man with the rolled-up newspaper.

No, no, no.

He needs someone who believes in him, and the minute he finds out that's not me, which he will, he is gonna flip out, and that could put the entire mission at risk.

I hear you, man. All right, I had to ask.

Okay. Listen, uh, consulting, whatever you need, I'm there for you, okay?

Good luck. Bye.

(sighs)

Sounds like somebody's getting let down easy.

Oh, you ready for this?

Being celebrated for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination I haven't gotten and no longer feel I deserve in the slightest?

I am so ready.

Come on.

Nelly: Madam Secretary. I'm so honored you could come.

Are you kidding? We're old Wahoos.

We're thrilled to be here.

(chuckles): I'm sorry.

This is my husband Henry McCord. Nelly Conlon.

Such a pleasure to meet you.

Conlon Hall is my favorite place to hear music.

Oh, you are so gracious. Call me Nelly.

Oh, do you mind if we get a quick photo?

I'm sorry to ask.

Elizabeth: No, not at all.

I'm finally catching up with social media.

Oh, well...

Evolve or die, right?
I suppose you have some theologian's perspective on all this cultural narcissism, Henry?

Well, I just think it's an expansion of self-representation.

I get it.

Spoken like a man who checks his Facebook page, like, never.

I have Facebook?

I'm gonna get us a drink.

I have to tell you, UVA has had seven Nobel laureates.

I like to think that I've figured out a few things about how to... move the needle with the committee.

I...

I didn't realize that the Nobel committee needs lobbying.

I know, you think they're all off in fjords somewhere.

(both laugh)

But with everything online, any kind of buzz matters.

Like that, uh, NewsSource cover.

That was fantastic.

Oh, I'm-I'm not sure you want some of the attention that's been getting.

It's a historic peace deal.

If some silly nonsense about your legs is what gets your message out there, I say work it.

Bosie!

(chuckles)

Is there something online about my legs?

Nelly: Secretary McCord, may I introduce Victor Boseman, Nobel laureate in Economics.

Oh, cool. It's really nice to meet you.

Victor: Madam Secretary.

Dr. McCord.

Sorry, I'm geeking out a little.

Henry: Well, Elizabeth was a math major, so I'm sure the geeking is mutual.

(chuckles)

What's your theory? I mean, can I ask?

Broadly speaking, it concerns contract negotiations.

Thank goodness we moved on from macroeconomics.

I could never explain that to anybody.

Huh.

Victor: Basically it's a statistical analysis of optimal contractual arrangements, building on Hart and Holmstrom's theory.

Huh.

The idea is to find out if there's a quantifiable balance of interdependence that engages the goodwill of both parties; and it turns out there is.

Nelly: See?

Maybe the whole peace deal is easier than you think.

Victor: Of course, it sounds reductive, but it-it really does come down to both parties having some baseline of mutual interdependence with a few very simple, very clear incentives.

Huh. Is that all?

(laughs)

(door closes)

Elizabeth: Gee, Mr. Math. (sputters)

Silly me, if I'd only just plugged Iran and Israel into the right equation, then, well, they could have been tangoing weeks ago.

Ugh!

Well, to be fair, I don't think he was implying...

Is any of this really fair, though?

I mean, Iran yanking the most important piece of a peace deal hours before we head into our final negotiations.

I mean, is that really fair?

Definitely not.

Some misguided lunatic throwing a b*mb at a rabbi he doesn't agree with, and then 25 other innocent people get k*lled along with him.

Is that fair?

But, hey, if I show just a little more leg, maybe UVA will get another Nobel Prize.

Hey, kids.

You guys are back early.

Possibly drunk.

Well, it's been a stressful week.

Well, you looked smoking hot on your magazine cover.

Oh, my God, do you see that?

I mean, even in my own house, I am appraised like a show pony.

Okay.

All I said was you looked hot.

Alison, it's not a reality show!

Fine. Forget I said anything.

(sighs)

I'm gonna assume this is somehow different than when Dad was called "arm candy" by a magazine, and everybody was just okay with that.

Yeah, it's different.

Oh, hey. How's Ali?

(sighs)

Oh, she's still freezing me out.

I shouldn't have snapped.

Oh, give yourself a break.

I feel like a failure on every level.

You do realize that just getting the Israelis and the Iranians to engage in six weeks of talks alone is enough to get you a Peace Prize?

I so don't care about that prize right now.

Well, whether you care about it or not, it's honoring something real.

Yeah. I just keep thinking about something that Aaronson said when he was leaving.

He said that Rabbi Lowenthal's death was... just a symbol that we could all use for our own political purposes.

It just...

...made it all seem so... empty.

Well, you're not gonna get very far trying to debunk the power of symbols with a theologian.

(sighs)

I spent the whole afternoon trying to explain to this boneheaded A*F agent why someone would be willing to give up their life for something that was scratched out on papyrus thousands of years ago.

(sighs) How'd that go?

Well, I did my part.

Rest is up to them.

It's getting hard to compartmentalize.

You notice that?

I can compartmentalize just fine.

What about you there, Madam Sexy-tary?

Okay, I knew that was a risk.

I just had... Never mind.

(elevator bell dings)

(footsteps approaching)

Elizabeth: Oh, wait. Hang on.

Before you say anything, tell me you slept.

There was about a half hour in there.

I'd love to negotiate peace in the same time zone.

Where are we with the cease-fire?

Rabbi Lowenthal's assassination pretty much shut everything down, but we've got until tomorrow.

All right, I'm gonna take it from here.

Why don't you try and get some sleep, okay?

Nadine: Good morning, ma'am.

Morning.

I'm sorry to have to bring you a bit of bad news.

Well, that never stops anybody, does it?

(sighs) Well, due to security concerns, Jordan has decided to cancel the Iranian/Israeli youth soccer game that was organized by Rabbi Lowenthal.

They didn't do that already?

Well, the kids still wanted to play, in tribute to the rabbi.

But understandably, Jordan can't take on the risk of another att*ck.

Talks are all but dead.

It wouldn't have mattered much anyway.

Sorry.

Yeah, I'm gonna go lie down.

No, no, no, no, hang on.

This might be exactly the symbol we need.

Can we get the teams here?

Here, uh, where?

D.C. by tomorrow, before the cease-fire expires?

I mean, we're the State Department, right?

We can do that?

Well, it might be challenging.

(chuckles) Trying to get two countries not to go to w*r with each other.

That is challenging.

Okay, I don't know about the rest of you, but after all of the work that we have put into this peace deal, I would like to see one good thing come out of it.

Who's with me?

With you as ever, ma'am.

Yes! Let's bring the soccer game to D.C.!

We've cleared visas for all the soccer players, plus one family member each, and the coaches.

Oh, great. I assume we have Valerie to thank for that.

I'm singing at her nephew's birthday party next month.

Oh, way to work it.

Doing it for shalom.

Okay, I've got the Chronicle and the Times fighting over a feature.

Who did we want to go with?

The Chronicle.

The Times.

Matt: Okay, uh, the National Park Service can provide a decent-sized soccer field in Meridian Hill, but they're kind of k*lling us on the last-minute permit fees.

We'll pay it.

Uh, well...

Jay's wife is calling. She says she's been trying to reach him.

Oh, would someone wake up Jay, please.

Uh, don't. Let him sleep.

He looked like a zombie.

All right, where are we with transportation?

(sighs) Unfortunately, the entire fleet is booked.

Well, let me look into commercial.

Well, there's a larger issue.

Ma'am, we don't have a budget for this.

And I'm not seeing enough to divert from any other line item to cover all of these expenses.

Keep trying.

I'm not letting this get derailed by red tape.

I have a connection down in Budget and Planning.

Let me see if I can shake loose some travel funding.

Elizabeth: Yeah, I have an angle I can try for a stadium.

All right, stay with it, everyone.

Yes, ma'am.

Wow. Are you the coffee fairy?

That depends.

Have you been a good little bureaucrat?

This is an unexpected treat.

What can I do for you, Madam Secretary?

Well, I was thinking about your whole Nobel strategy, and I want to run something by you.

Daisy: I always thought diplomacy is a lot like surfing.

You think you're getting a sweet set, and the next thing you know, you're being worked on some reef you didn't even know was there.

That's why you got to talk to the locals.

ELIZABETH And then it hit me.

Maybe we can't save this peace deal right now, but what if we could save this soccer game?

I'm listening.

My point, Kevin, is that sometimes we need to respond to an immediate situation, like, say, making a last-ditch effort to save a peace deal.

And little things like budgets don't always allow for that kind of flexibility.

Bringing the future of these two countries together in the land of the free, home of the brave... a living demonstration of Rabbi Lowenthal's lifelong commitment to peace.

Maybe if you'd come to me at the beginning of the fiscal quarter with an R-241(b) signed by all parties, I might have been able to help.

Mm-hmm.

But there's no way.

There's, like, literally no way.

Could you stop saying "no way"?

I'm sorry. This is the government, man.

Max, how would you like to help bring peace to the Middle East?

Daisy: Budget and Planning was a complete wipeout.

Dude's probably not even a real surfer.

Okay, who is ready for some soccer?!

Nelly Conlon just happened to find a spare stadium near Charlottesville.

Yes!

Yes!

Ow! Yeah!

It's okay.

Ma'am, I am very sorry, but we are hung up on travel expenses.

(sighs)

She also happened to mention a slush fund.

I'm just gonna go make a phone call.

Nelly Conlon taking it to the net.

Don't know if you got my e-mail.

Israel released the identity of the Haifa bomber.

Yeah, I-I did, which brings us to our next mission.

Blake, I need you to contact President Shiraz, and then after that, Prime Minister Aaronson.

I want them both at that game tomorrow, okay?

And-and if we can't extend the cease-fire?

Well, then they will be seated across from each other at a stadium watching their kids play soccer.

Let's see them launch missiles at each other after that.

And who knows, might even get those talks going again.

Okay.

On it.

Ian?

I came to see you, Dr. McCord, but they wouldn't let me in.

Well, you know how to reach me. You should have called.

I just wanted to let you know that I know now.

I was deceived by my arrogance before.

Now I see.

Well, that's good.

Why don't we go inside?

No, Henry.

I just wanted you to know that I know.

What is it you know?

I know who shall be redeemed and who shall suffer eternal damnation.

"The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night, they do not stop exclaiming. Holy, holy, holy "is the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is yet to come."

(metallic clink)

It's empty. Go ahead and check.

(sighs)

You did a little studying. Bravo.

I can make them believe.

But I need your help.

You've been inside the wire.

You know.

Will you help me?

David Ackerman from The Chronicle is here, ma'am.

He brought a photographer.

Oh, great.

Let's make sure and get a sh*t with Nelly Conlon.

We owe her big for this.

Blake, what about POTUS?

Uh, he hopes to make it here for the kickoff, but it's unconfirmed.

Nadine: Here comes Israeli Prime Minister Aaronson.

And President Shiraz should be here momentarily.

All right.

Let's just hope this doesn't somehow backfire and derail whatever tenuous peace we had left.

Peanuts?

Announcer: Representing their home countries in the spirit of peace, please welcome our team from Iran.

(crowd cheering)

And our team from Israel.

(crowd cheering)

And now, in honor of Rabbi Lowenthal, we begin.

(whistle blows)

(crowd cheering)

How's it looking, Blake?

Uh...

Well, the prime minister appears... supportive and engaged, ma'am.

What about Shiraz?

Enjoying... peanuts and soda.

Well, tell him if he makes the deal and the sanctions stay lifted, he could have all the pop and peanuts he wants.

That's a good thought.

Blake, get-get me my phone, will you?

(whistle blows)

(crowd cheering)

(phone chimes)

Nothing about Israel's right to exist?

Nope. We're back to the terms of the original agreement: no acknowledging Israel, no severing ties with Hezbollah, no pulling Quds Forces in other countries... you can have it all.

We just want a cease-fire.

But you're adding another five years to the agreement?

Yes. Because we have to give Israel something.

While they submit to zero inspections because they still won't acknowledge they have a nuclear weapons program.

(chuckles quietly)

You know what this is?

This is the most I've seen of my daughter in the last seven weeks. I mean, she's two.

We all miss our family.

Then make the deal happen.

It's exactly what your leaders already agreed to, with five more years of inspections.

It opens up your economy, it puts Iran in a newly empowered position in the Middle East, and it gets you back in business with the EU and the rest of the world.

So go sell this to your boss, and let's all go home.

(crowd cheering)

Come on, drive it!

Come on, red, set it up!

Come on... How do we decide which team we're rooting for?

Iran is willing to totally revert back to the original deal plus five more years of IAEA inspections if Israel will agree to preserve a cease-fire.

So we give up everything we negotiated for?

How is this progress?

Because it's the same deal we had in place before, only now Israel's part of it.

Iran just wants one more thing.

What's that?

Ashkelon pipeline.

Israel pays the outstanding fines it owes.

No. I can't sell that.

Then tell your leaders all they have to do is say they'll pay, give a first installment and negotiate the rest later. Oh, and one other thing... you're gonna sell some oranges to Iran.

Oranges?

Yeah.

Jaffa oranges. Doesn't matter how much.

And Iran's gonna sell you some pistachios.

I hear they're really good.

I don't get it.

It's a symbol.

Okay?

Sometimes that's... all it takes.

(crowd cheering)

Yeah!

(whistle blows)

Wait, wait, how do we tell we won?

Did we win?

I don't know. I don't know.

Hey. Look at that, you guys.

Look what's happening.

Oh, ma'am. We may have tears.

That should bode well for Jay.

Where is he?

Yeah, he had something he had to attend to.

(gentle jazz music playing)

You made it.

Yes, I did.

I take it things went well.

Well, Iran and Israel won't be f*ring at each other anytime soon.

That's amazing. Congratulations.

Awesome. Thank you.

We'll see how their next round of talks goes, but we stuck our finger in the dike anyway. (sniffles)

How about you?

Well, let's see.

I reorganized a toy bin and got into an argument with my mother about day care.

What's her problem with day care?

Who knows? She read an article.

(chuckles)

What's up?

I miss my life.

Hey, you'll be back to work soon.

It's not just work, Jay, it's everything.

We are not a family anymore.

I need more than one meal a month, that has to be rescheduled three times over before it even happens.

I know it's been an intense time, but this is a... temporary condition.

You-you have to keep in mind the specifics...

No. Don't negotiate with me.

This isn't a deal.

You have, um... an incredible, world-altering job, and I would never... ask you to give that up.

But I just... don't know if that's what I wanted.

Abby, come on...

I'm not saying anything definitive.

I just... (breathes deeply)

Whew.

I just need some time apart.

Some time to think.

What are you saying?

Hey. She still on with Aaronson?

Just getting final word. Looks like it's a go.

Are we good? Are we here?

She's just getting final word.

All right. Wrapping up the call.

Niceties and pleasantries, and...

...we're approved.

(quietly): Yes.

(whispers)

Yes.

Cease-fire back in place.

Matt: And Saint Jay got us a whole new agreement going.

Daisy: Congratulations, ma'am.

Oh.

And what's with pistachios and oranges?

I'm definitely gonna get some questions about that.

Well, just a little... mutual interdependence thing... that I got from a Nobel laureate economist.

Okay.

Grab your mugs, people.

Daisy: I'm gonna go get some glasses.

Gentlemen's breakfast.

Hey, man.

Huh?

Uh, I was wondering, would it be all right if I crashed at your place for a few nights?

Uh, yeah. Course.

Is everything all right?

Uh, yeah.

Hey there.

Hi.

Can't keep me away.

That's true.

But I can charge you for the coffee.

Five dollars. You can leave it by the pot.

But if you get that requisition form in for next fiscal quarter, I may be able to cut you a deal.

(sighs quietly)

Wasn't in the mood anyway.

Ah.

What do you say to a drink?

You think I'm gonna have a drink with you?

Well, it looks like you're already starting.

We're celebrating a peace deal.

Iran and Israel. Congrats.

That's what we do.

Pull off world peace despite zero support from small-minded bureaucrats with no vision.

Yeah. So tonight?

Just... text me when you're done.

Sorry.

No, no. Stay, stay.

Is that my face cream?

I only used a little. I like the way it smells.

Well, it better smell good; it costs a fortune.

Supposedly, it has pearls in it or something.

(chuckles)

You really don't need that.

Your skin is flawless.

Ugh. No way. I'm having the worst breakout.

Where?

Nobody can see that but you.

(exhales)

I'm sorry I said the wrong thing about your magazine cover.

Baby, you didn't say the wrong thing; it was everybody else.

I mean...

I just...

I... I want people to talk about what I'm trying to do, not about how I look doing it.

You know?

That must suck.

Yeah, it... sucks for everybody.

I mean... it's fun to feel pretty.

But when that's the only thing the world is looking for, they miss so much.

And you do not have a zit.

I am telling you, there's nothing there. Seriously.

I'm really proud of you for being such an awesome diplomat.

And... I thought you looked really great in that skirt.

Can I say that?

You're really beautiful, you know that?
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