06x03 - k*ller Robots

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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06x03 - k*ller Robots

Post by bunniefuu »

Maybe she got lost.

She didn't.

Says you Magellan.

6 floors, 132 rooms.

412 doors.

And one prodigal daughter returns.

- Hi!

Sorry I'm late.

- BOTH: Hi.

- Yes.

- This place is like Hearst Castle.

- See?

- And I can't stay.

- What?

- What?

Stevie, you promised that you would have dinner with us.

I mean, look.

You are not going to eat and run.

I'm gonna run and eat.

I'm sorry.

We are under water at the Human Amnesty Association.

I mean, you probably know.

There are beheadings in Riyadh and political prisoners in Myanmar.

Versus parents who don't get to see their daughter at Pennsylvania Avenue, - it's just - Ouch.

Look, next time, I promise, - I will clear the decks.

- Fine.

The NIH is cloning you as we speak.

Your father and I are having brunch with your doppelgänger on Sunday, so - Okay.

Love you.

Bye.

- (CHUCKLES)

- Love you.

- Bye.

(SIGHS)

It's finally hitting me, Henry.

We have an empty nest.

Well, there's a remedy for that.

Oh, no.

Lady d*ed, like, nine years ago.

She was irreplaceable.

Those floppy ears.

(CHUCKLES)

She pooped on command.

She did not.

She did once.

Look, you can love more than one kid.

You can love more than one dog.

That is such a lousy analogy.

Why?

Because I'm the president.

(CHUCKLES)

And, clearly, the office has honed your rhetorical skills.

But by that logic, all the more reason.

People love this stuff.

FDOTUS is a big deal.

We are never calling it FDOTUS.

It's our dog.

We can call it whatever we want.

All right.

But the search has to be low-key, okay?

This is a personal decision.

I don't want some kind of circus.

MIKE: All dogs over 15 pounds have merit.

But FDOTUS is America's pet.

So let's look at the polling.

What polling?

The polling that says designer breeds paint you as an elitist, a perception sorely at odds with the image that got you elected.

So, nothing with "doodle" or "poo" in the name, or the villagers will be massing at the gates with torches.

Second no-bark zone's working breeds.

You can't be seen as someone who condones - the enslavement of another species.

- MIKE: I don't.

- Mm.

- So service dogs are off-limits.

That puts the kibosh on retrievers, Pomeranians, shepherds.

Pomeranians?

Who do they service?

The hard of hearing.

They were bred to be yappy.

Not even close to being true.

I know it's a bit over-the-top.

But getting this right matters.

If there were no Checkers, there never would have been a Nixon.

Well, that's actually an argument for not getting a dog.

MIKE: Or choosing the right one.

We boiled 190 breeds down to two choices.

Middlebrow.

Gender neutral but sprightly.

You're welcome.

A beagle or a cocker spaniel?

The data has spoken.

Th-This is a puppy, not a moon landing.

Lady was a bullmastiff.

That's what I want.

- I don't - NINA: Excuse me, Madam President, Mr.

Jackson, you're needed in the Sit Room.

Ephraim, what's going on?

Ma'am, satellite imaging has just confirmed that Laszlo Galassy, the leader of the Knights of Western Freedom has been located in Caucasia.

And we're sure it's him?

Yes, ma'am.

The mastermind behind the m*rder of the entire UN Security Council, including Ambassador Peter Harriman.

So, after nearly two years of cat and mouse, we finally have a bead on him.

WARE: For the moment, yes.

(EXHALES)

Galassy is holed up in a cave complex in the Caucasus Mountains.

A semiautonomous state called South Ossetia.

Lawless?

THOMPSON: Lawless enough that we don't need permission if we want to target him.

- What are our options?

- HILL: The fail-safe is a laser-guided GBU.

A bunker buster.

Downside?

The large blast radius will result in substantial civilian casualties.

PARKER: A more surgical option is to send in Seal Team Nine.

We should expect up to half a dozen casualties on our end.

American m*llitary dead abroad.

Not very appealing either.

HILL: There is another way.

Fully autonomous unmanned ground vehicles.

You mean k*ller robots.

Not the preferred nomenclature, but yes.

I actually didn't think that technology was close to being operational.

HILL: We caught a break.

Fossor Industries is beta testing its autonomous UGVs at Vaziani base outside Tbilisi.

This is a computer simulation.

The UGVs will enter the cave here.

They'll acquire their targets using lasers and infrared technology, suppress resistance, then identify the weakest part of the cave structure and bring it down on the remaining hostiles.

What about remotely operated UGVs?

So that we can maintain human oversight.

Not an option, Madam President.

The cave walls will obstruct our comms.

Our intel suggests Russia hasn't taken steps to get involved yet.

- But that could change.

- Moscow won't like us in their sphere of influence.

And once Russian troops are on-site, we're looking at a m*llitary conflict.

How soon could Russia have a unit in place?

HILL: Terrain's remote.

Even if Moscow mobilizes now, not before morning, meaning we have a 24-hour window.

ELIZABETH: And our options are civilian casualties, dead SEALs or an untested technology with dangerous implications for humanity.

Yes, ma'am.

HANSON: Mr. Moran, did you take leave of the campaign to attend your parents' 40th anniversary party in Martha's Vineyard - with Ms.

McCord's eldest daughter?

- Yes.

And no finance laws were broken, - Senator Hanson.

- Then why did the campaign belatedly reimburse a donor for your free flight to the Vineyard?

Senator, this line of inquiry is well beyond the Senate Intelligence Committee's charter of investigating Iran's meddling in our presidential election.

The committee's charter, Counselor, also entails anything arising out of that investigation, which you know, as Mr.

Moran was obviously prepped for this question.

OLIVIA: A question I will allow him to answer, provided he can give the proper context.

By all means.

We have to go back to my on-again, off-again boyfriend, Trevor.

Things were very much on again.

- Wow.

- BOTH: (CHUCKLES)

- Petite Auberge?

- Well Kennedy Center?

If I didn't know you better, I'd think you were up to something.

Uh, look, Trevor, we've been in each other's lives for a long time.

A decade is long, yes.

And these last seven months have been really meaningful.

Meaningful enough to I'm sorry.

I'm nervous.

I want to get this right.

Hey.

Blake, this is something I've wanted for a long time.

- Good.

- (CHUCKLES)

Then you agree you should move in.

Oh.

You You just want me to move in?

Yeah.

- Ah.

- And, look, I made a spreadsheet.

Um, housing costs, transportation.

You're in finance.

I know that you will see that the economies of scale are too great to pass up.

I, uh (CHUCKLES): Wow.

I don't know what to say.

Well, there's no rush.

I mean, you know, take it home, crunch the numbers, do your due diligence No, uh, I do know what to say.

Um I guess I was just hoping, after all this time, for something more than an appeal to economies of scale.

Oh, no, it's not just that.

I mean, we're great together.

We have fun.

- Yeah.

- We like the same movies and (CHUCKLES)

beverages.

Beverages?

I'm bad at this.

You know what, you're right.

I do need some time to think about this.

Time alone.

Wait, wait, why?

Because if it took you this long to come up with an economic reason to cohabitate, then we are miles from an emotional reason to do something more what's your word?

Meaningful.

- Trevor - Like get married.

You can't even say it.

- I can so say it.

It's not - No, just let it go.

(CHUCKLES)

I will let you know how the thinking goes.

Wait a minute.

Wait, you can't do this.

We're going to the Vineyard this weekend to meet my folks.

I don't think that's a good idea.

They're dying to meet you.

Trevor.

I was distraught.

Trevor meant the world to me.

But did I really want to marry him?

- Mr.

Moran - I mean, I knew we were compatible.

But marriage is, like, forever.

And (STAMMERS)

I mean, not that I'm a commitment-phobe.

- See, I'm a Gemini, and I think that - Sir, this committee is uninterested in your romantic misadventures.

OLIVIA: Senator, if you insist on a fishing expedition, the witness is entitled to describe the pond.

HANSON: Get on with it, Mr.

Moran.

I'm so sorry.

I wanted to be there more than anything, but this fund-raiser in Cupertino was delayed, and I-I missed the last flight out.

Well, so, head out in the morning.

I would, but there are no direct flights.

I'd be so late.

FRED: Really disappointing.

EDIE: Especially since we were so looking forward to finally meeting your mystery partner.

We don't even know this special someone's gender.

Not that it matters.

(CHUCKLES)

We're going to love them.

You notice I said "them," even though that's grammatically incorrect for our generation.

You're getting off point, dear.

(CHUCKLES)

BLAKE: Don't worry.

We'll reschedule another trip ASAP.

And I'm sending you the best red zin you've ever had.

Shelton's coming.

He has a Cessna.

That is a great idea.

Sorry, uh, who's Shelton?

Shelton Anderson.

He's a friend of ours.

He lives in Menlo Park.

He's flying out tomorrow.

You can hitch a ride.

What?

No, no, no, no.

That'd be a huge inconvenience.

FRED: Nonsense!

He'll be thrilled.

We will set it up.

We can't wait to see you.

(CHUCKLES)

- And them.

- No, no, no.

Mom Hello?

The secretary thanks you for your continued support.

- It was lovely to meet you.

- My pleasure.

- Hi.

Hi.

Stevie.

Hi.

- What?

Your emotional booty call buddy could use a really big favor.

We have an armed t*rror1st bunkered in a cave.

The only surefire way to protect civilians and American lives in this situation is with autonomous UGVs.

A. I. can operate at a scale and speed far beyond even the most capable trained human soldier.

It's a quantum leap forward.

That's the problem, isn't it?

Precipitous deployment blows right past efforts to regulate a new technology.

I thought I'd bring President Dalton's former ethics advisor in for a consultation.

And we all welcome your perspective, Henry.

But operational imperatives have to take precedence.

- We can worry about ethics later.

- HENRY: Oh, come on, Ellen.

History doesn't give us many examples of that working out.

Yeah, you can't put that genie back in the bottle.

It worked with nuclear bombs.

They were deployed in only one conflict.

And kicked off an arms race that cost trillions and made humanity less safe.

Equating smart weapons with a nuclear stockpile?

At least, with nuclear weapons, mutually assured destruction kept the Cold w*r cold.

But can you imagine a nuclear w*apon under the control of an algorithm with no humanity?

A. I. lacks the human judgment to be able to evaluate the proportionality of an att*ck, to recognize when a foe is surrendering.

And human troops lack the ability to assess threats dispassionately.

And unlike robots, they die.

RUSSELL: Good point.

Except smart weapons aren't engineered to preserve life, they're engineered to take it.

That's what slaughterbots do.

HILL: It's an intentionally term we're talking about microdrones surgically dispatched to to neutralize high-value targets.

Like political opponents?

Journalists?

Entire civilian populations?

Come on, Henry, you're deliberately conjuring - a dystopian nightmare.

- Well, what would you call thousands of robots using facial recognition technology to hunt down and k*ll - human beings?

- Same thing I'd call an aircraft carrier or a nuclear submarine a deterrent.

Plus, the only defense against a swarm of robots is a more advanced swarm of robots, which is why - we can't fall behind.

- WARE: A. I. is the tool that makes the world safer by obviating the need for conventional weapons or troops.

SUSAN: That's not safety.

That is a new kind of danger, which is why Pakistan, South America and most African nations are already begging the U. N. to stop this in its tracks.

ELIZABETH: And we can't assume that only moral actors are going to have access - to smart weapons.

- Exactly.

Microdrones can be cheaply mass-produced, outfitted with C-4, bioagents, and once they get into the wrong hands HENRY: Which they will, 'cause they can be spoofed, they can be hacked.

HILL: The technology is inevitable.

Which is why we have the obligation to get there first.

To make sure that we develop ethical versions before the unethical versions come out.

Ethical k*ller robots really?

WARE: All due respect to the Cassandras among us, ma'am, we're not talking about a a drone army today.

We're contemplating a few autonomous weapons whose deployment will spare American lives.

It's never long before "few" becomes "many.

" Susan, where are we on a smart weapons treaty?

The same place we were in the Dalton administration with Russia and China dragging their feet.

While they pour billions into R&D.

So an arms race among the three superpowers is already upon us, whether we want it or not.

And the thing about arms races - is you want to win them.

- HENRY: We've already outlawed chemical weapons, lasers that blind, neutron bombs Negotiating a ban takes time.

Yeah, well, there's the rub, Henry time.

If Fossor has perfected this technology, how long before a Chinese or Russian contractor does?

HILL: And if Russia or China b*at us to the punch, we will never get them to the table.

This isn't just about bringing to justice one t*rror1st who att*cked the U. N.

Security Council, ma'am.

A-A As imperative as that goal is, it's about protecting America while we still can.

I just don't want to do this right now.

You've been pacing back and forth the past hour.

You're the one who once told me you think better when you multitask.

Well, I was probably distracted when I said that.

Behold Delilah, straight from a championship bloodline in Newcastle.

My goodness.

- What a beaut.

She's beautiful.

- Her mom won Best in Show at Westminster you're in the presence of royalty.

She just looks so sad.

You know, she needs a little time to acclimate after being separated from her mom and her litter mates.

- What?

- I meant lovingly conveyed to her forever home.

Mike how old is that puppy?

- Four, six weeks.

- My God, she's pining for her mother and her litter mates?

- You can't - Antidepressants.

Wha It works for the polar bears in Central Park.

Perk 'em right up.

- No.

No.

No.

- (DELILAH WHIMPERING)

That puppy is going back to her mother and her litter mates, unmedicated.

Mike, don't even Don't open your mou Dah.

- (DELILAH PANTING)

- My God.

Okay, Senator Rowland he breeds English sheepdogs, and he's a swing vote.

Take her home.

Right away.

I'm supposed to find a dog that's an only child?

The president's daughter joined you on a cross-country flight with the head of a PAC that doled out eight million dollars in support of candidates - during the last election cycle.

- Yes.

At any point, did you ask Mr.

Anderson to donate to Secretary McCord's campaign?

- No.

- Did Stevie McCord?

Hardly.

Stevie and and Mr.

Anderson didn't exactly hit it off.

SHELTON: Look, all I'm saying is the country's not ready for a female president.

It's too polarizing an idea.

That is what they said about giving women the vote, about letting them be in combat I mean, glass ceilings are meant to be shattered, Mr.

Anderson.

Someday.

Maybe.

With someone who's a bit more likeable.

(LAUGHS): Excuse me?

Plus, she's never run for anything.

Now she's suddenly gonna find the energy to crisscross the country for months?

She'll wilt by summer.

- Guaranteed.

- Okay.

- Uh, first of all - Frosé.

- Uh - Yes.

Excuse us.

(WHISPERS): It's a party.

- No fighting.

- I only need five minutes with him.

It'll be a very short fight.

My folks are freed up.

It's time to meet Fred and Edie.

Just smile, let me do the talking.

Mom, Dad.

This is Stevie McCord.

- Hi.

- Elizabeth McCord's - daughter?

- Yes.

Very nice to meet you.

Hi.

No wonder you didn't tell us.

- This is big news.

- BLAKE: Well, not that big Blake mentioned a mystery partner months ago.

- BOTH: Oh.

- So you must be very far down the road.

FRED: Edie, Edie (LAUGHS)

- As you know, your dad and I moved in together after two months and four - five days.

- Five-five days.

When you know, you know.

So do you know?

Oh.

I, no You know what?

Why don't you guys do a song?

No, no, we're gonna wait till after dessert.

A grand finale.

Nothing beats a prologue.

- Come on.

- Well, what do you think?

- All right.

- Sure, okay.

Hey, everyone, our son wants us to do a ditty.

What do you say?

(INDISTINCT SHOUTS)

- Right?

- All right.

FRED: Okay.

(PLAYS JAUNTY INTRO)

Let me call you sweetheart I'm in love with you Let me hear you whisper That you love me, too Keep the love-light glowing - (WHISPERS): I'm so sorry.

- In your eyes So true Let me call you sweetheart I'm in love with you.

(PLAYS A FLOURISH)

- GUESTS: Aw.

- MAN: Bravo!

EDIE: Thank you!

(CLANKING)

ELIZABETH: Peter.

Hey.

It's good to see you.

Same.

I didn't know you were a car guy.

Hell yeah.

Yeah.

And this one she's gonna be transporting precious cargo.

My kids.

Brooke and Kevin.

We're going on a long trip.

Got to make sure every lug nut is tight.

Be a sport.

Hand me the dingus out of that tool chest.

The what?

- The doohickey.

- Oh.

A doohickey.

What's a doohickey?

You know.

The thingamabob.

Come on.

I'm running late, here.

I'll look it up.

I'll-I'll look it up.

- No, Henry.

What?

- What?

What?

- Hey.

Listen.

- (SIGHS)

(GRUNTS)

I had a dream about Peter Harriman.

(GRUNTS)

Yeah?

He was fixing a car.

Mm.

Going on a trip with his family.

And he asked me for a tool, but I I didn't know which one he meant.

I couldn't work my phone.

Again with the phone.

- I mean, come on - Not about the phone.

He was right there in front of me.

It was so real.

Well, you're trying to bring his k*ller to justice.

It makes sense.

Why was he talking to me about his kids?

Because the justice would be for his family.

And-and the car?

And the tools?

What does that mean?

Well, maybe you're looking for the right instrument to get the job done.

I don't know.

Or maybe it's about machines needing human oversight.

Or maybe it's about the pint of rocky road that you ate.

- (GRUNTS)

- Half pint of rocky road.

Symbolism there, too.

Half pint.

You know what that means.

Mm-hmm.

- There's more left.

- Yeah.

- So Okay.

Go ahead.

- Okay.

HILL: We have a B-2 with the GBU payload circling the target.

SEAL Team Nine is at the ready, and the autonomous UGVs are in situ.

Madam President?

The B-2 can stand down.

I'm not prepared to inflict casualties on an innocent civilian population.

Well, I'd like to know where people land on this.

Ed?

Autonomous UGVs.

HILL: I'm for any option that protects our troops.

UGVs.

UGVs.

SEALs.

Russell?

I'm convinced the risks of this tech outweigh the benefits.

SEAL team.

Well, I appreciate the input.

Thank you.

And I don't dismiss the need to protect our troops.

But there are good reasons why successive administrations have sought a preemptive ban on autonomous weapons.

Deploying them now will have consequences we're only beginning to grapple with.

We have the finest m*llitary in history.

Let's use it.

Alpha 1, it's a go.

SEAL TEAM LEADER: Copy that, Admiral.

(QUIETLY): Go, go, go.

No comms until they exit the cave.

So now we wait.

Base, this is Alpha 1.

Target has been neutralized.

We have a dozen captives in custody.

SEAL team remains at full capacity.

Copy that, Alpha 1.

We're gonna do an aerial recon to sweep for any kind of remaining resistance.

Then (BOOM)

ELIZABETH: What's going on?

Ed, what's happening?

Switch to Camera C.

(expl*si*n)

At 9:14 a. m.

Eastern Daylight time, President McCord deployed a SEAL in the Caucasus Mountain region to neutralize Laszlo Galassy, mastermind of last year's deadly sarin gas att*ck at the U. N.

The mission was a success, but during the operation, eight members of SEAL Team Nine were k*lled, and six others were injured by a shoulder-launched surface-to-air m*ssile.

- The nation mourns their loss.

- (REPORTERS CLAMORING)

Was Russia apprised of the operation?

No.

Frank.

I understand the president was given the option of using fully autonomous weapons instead of sending in troops.

Is that true?

You know I can't comment about operational matters.

What was President McCord's rationale for putting troops in harm's way instead?

- Please answer the question.

- (REPORTERS CLAMORING)

(DOOR OPENS)

Someone leaked our smart weapons deliberations.

There were a limited number of people in that room.

All of whom probably read in their subordinates.

We're gonna have to cast a wider net.

- Get Director Banks on it.

- Yes, ma'am.

And when I find out which son of a bitch leaked this A more pressing issue is the next of kin.

I don't want them thinking that I jeopardized their loved ones unnecessarily.

I wouldn't be too concerned about that.

You have a well-earned reputation for safeguarding human life.

I'm not worried about my reputation, I'm worried about the bereaved.

I want to meet with them as soon as possible, okay?

Yes, ma'am.

You know, we might also have a diplomatic opening here.

Public disclosure of our ability to deploy autonomous weapons could finally bring Russia and China to the table over a ban.

We may be in luck.

WTO's in town this week.

Well, let's get Secretary Thompson to backchannel with Chen and Avdonin.

Thank you.

(DOOR CLOSES)

This has been asked and answered, Senator, several times.

SENATOR HANSON: And I find it impossible to believe that at no time did the secretary's daughter, who joined her campaign only a week earlier, have a heart-to-heart with one of this country's most important bundlers.

They did have a heart-to-heart.

I suspected as much.

Continue.

Third-party candidacies are a colossal waste of time.

Pointless spoilers.

The historical record is undeniable.

Lincoln was a third-party candidate.

Yes, he was.

- And look what happened to him.

- That's (CHUCKLING): Excuse me?

You love your mother.

And, uh, that's endearing.

But facts are facts, sweetheart.

(CHUCKLES)

First of all, I'm not your sweetheart.

Easy.

I didn't mean to To what to traffic in stereotypes, like this country's not ready for a female president?

Or that women are unlikable.

Or that my mom, who was secretary of state for five years, and before that she was a-a top CIA operative, all while raising three kids, but-but she she just doesn't have the energy for a man's job.

- No need to get bent out of shape.

- Sure.

Yeah.

I mean.

implying that my mother's gonna be assassinated.

Why would that offend me, - Dessert's up.

do you think?

I don't know.

(CHUCKLES)

Good afternoon.

Uh thank you for agreeing to meet with me.

I can only imagine how difficult this moment must be.

I wanted to thank each of you, personally for your sacrifice.

Tell me about your loved one.

Lieutenant John Marshall.

Thank you for your sacrifice, Mrs.

Marshall.

And yours?

My twin brother.

Master at Arms First Class, Danny Fitzpatrick.

He was my best friend and I still owed him 50 bucks.

Thank you.

My son.

Chief Special Warfare Operator Oscar Diaz.

He loved the Yankees.

And the ladies.

(CHUCKLING): He was learning Swedish 'cause he said the girls over there were amazing.

(CHUCKLES)

I just wanted to say Well, I wanted to assure you that their sacrifice was not in vain.

They were heroes, Madam President.

Wh-Why do you need to tell us they didn't die in vain?

Because I know what's being reported.

That smart weapons could have spared them.

MARSHALL: They weren't trying to be spared.

They were trying to do their duty.

It's what they signed up for.

DIAZ: What they deserve is a president who stands up publicly for their sacrifice.

FITZPATRICK: And doesn't apologize for it.

ELIZABETH: I haven't.

I DIAZ: No, ma'am.

Due respect.

You've done something worse.

You've stayed silent as your critics have made it seem like this mission was a mistake.

MARSHALL: But it wasn't a mistake.

An evil man was brought to justice, right?

(PEOPLE MURMURING IN AGREEMENT)

They did that.

Yes, they did.

I am so grateful for your bravery, and the bravery of your loved ones.

Thank you.

Absolute Madam President.

This is a surprise.

We were expecting Secretary Thompson.

Well, I decided to step in.

That's problematic.

As you're aware, there is a protocol we subvert by parleying directly with you.

I know.

I also know that even with inducements, President Li and President Salnikov would decline to discuss meaningful limits on autonomous weapons.

We're not authorized to have this discussion I just need you to listen and run my proposal up the flag pole.

Okay?

What are the contours of the agreement you are seeking?

A complete and total ban.

(LAUGHING)

There are strong moral arguments here.

But I do think that we likely will find more common ground in the practicalities.

We're all going to spend billions of dollars on this arms race.

Drive up our national debts, mortgage our children's futures.

Forgive my cynicism, but this is a propitious time for your government to push for such a ban, isn't it?

CHEN: Yes.


Now that you've achieved operational capability, you're looking to lock in your strategic advantage.

Strategic advantage i-is an illusion.

If nuclear weapons taught us anything, it's that no country can win an arms race.

I trust you both remember the madness of that one.

We see a U. S. president in domestic trouble, trying to use us to gain political capital.

This is not about my presidency, for God's sake.

Ming.

Konstantin.

Look, e-even if you like the idea of autonomous weapons, what happens when a hacker encodes a virus to turn them on Beijing?

Moscow, or Washington.

The whole point of smart weapons is that we cede control.

And if we cede control, they're our ticket to oblivion.

An existential thr*at with no room for error, no way back.

But there is a way out, if we work together.

CHEN: And if we choose not - to come to the table?

- Well, I intend to give an address from the Oval Office tonight.

To announce what?

Either that the three superpowers have agreed on a comprehensive ban on autonomous weapons or that my government is plowing $30 billion in R&D to deploy them.

- You're bluffing.

- Your bosses have five hours to get back to me with an answer.

RUSSELL: An Oval Office address.

It's bold.

It's brave.

You think it'll backfire.

I think you seem to feel an overwhelming need to explain yourself.

Isn't that a president's job?

A president's job is to lead, with strength.

Not to appeal to be understood or-or supported.

Well, you put it that way, feels like the old patriarchy telling me to do things the way they've always been done.

By men.

I don't know how to communicate without you hearing those things.

Try advising me as a president and not as a woman.

Point taken.

- I have a second critique.

- (CHUCKLES)

Talking about smart weapons?

Y-You are about to scare the crap out of the American public.

And presidents who do that typically are not popular and are not effective.

Russell, do you do you agree that autonomous warfare poses a serious thr*at to humanity?

Yes.

And that it's a president's job to concern herself - with such things?

- Yes.

Well, then, for today, I won't worry about being popular or effective.

I'll worry about being presidential.

(SOFT CHUCKLE)

I'll have drafts of, uh two different speeches for your review in the next 90 minutes.

HANSON: It comes down to this, Mr.

Moran.

Were you aware that two weeks after you met Mr.

Anderson, his PAC donated half a million dollars to an outside dark money group supporting the secretary coast to coast?

Ye Uh, yes.

Everyone on the campaign was.

It was a big deal.

And a mere two days after that windfall, you and Stevie McCord belatedly chose to reimburse Mr. Anderson for use of his private plane.

- Right?

- That's correct.

Why would you reimburse him if you're not soliciting him - to donate to your candidate?

- Because we wanted to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

Because you knew it was an in-kind campaign donation.

That's not true.

Which you only declared after the target of your solicitation cut you a check.

Proof you were trying to bypass campaign finance laws.

That's also not true.

Laws you also broke by illegally coordinating with his PAC.

Senator, you are free to refer these matters to the FEC, but you have Mr.

Moran's answer.

HANSON: Yes.

And I need him to answer this, too.

If the purpose of your interactions with Mr.

Anderson was not fundraising, why did you send this text to the president's daughter during your parents' party?

And I quote: "You have to butter up Shelton. " Simple.

He was our ride back.

- Hey.

Would you please just apologize?

- No.

No!

I will not.

We have an event in L. A. tomorrow.

It's gonna be a long walk from the vineyard.

I hate this whole entitled crustacean-obsessed colony.

I only came here because it was a favor to you.

How is making a scene a favor?

STEVIE: I was defending my mother, the person that you work for.

Remember, Blake?

Ooh.

What the hell is going on with her?

Yeah.

We love her.

(DOOR OPENS)

I present Goddess, which is not very - ELIZABETH: Oh.

of the people, so before we go to press, we should probably change it to something like Goddess of the People.

She is a looker.

And with a daily grooming and vitamin regimen, - she will stay that way.

- Seems like a lot of work.

- Not for you.

- Well, still, I don't know if I'm comfortable with a dog who spends more time on her hair than I do.

She's not really a "rolling around on the lawn" type.

I agree.

More of a "fetching a vote on the floor" type.

Well, I appreciate that, Mike.

But we are going to want to have a relationship with the animal.

Well, she's very relatable.

Why don't you try communicating with her before you decide she's icy.

Well - (BARKS, GROWLING)

- Whoa, whoa!

Goddess.

Goddess.

I think she senses your hostility.

Or she's an overbred, tightly-wound bitch.

Once she realizes you're alpha, she will fall into line.

I'm already trying to convince China and Russia that I'm the alpha.

I don't want to have to worry about it with my dog.

- She's not a fit.

- Everybody wants a Gordon.

There was only one.

- I know.

- I'll keep looking.

- Thank you.

- (GODDESS BARKING)

Two speeches, Madam President, as promised.

- Daisy.

- Still no word from Beijing or Moscow?

Nope.

And the clock is ticking.

Multibillion-dollar arms race, comprehensive ban treaty.

I mean, I I'm used to things coming down to the wire, but wow.

Well, you damn sure have enough on your plate.

I need to bring this to your attention.

(SIGHS)

This is the leaker?

Yeah.

I want to see him as soon as possible.

Thought you would.

He's on the way.

Oh, my God.

Hey.

(BLOWS KISS)

Meet FDOTUS, a mutt - of indeterminate age and ancestry.

- Hi.

She's got no papers, no Instagram feed.

- (LAUGHS)

- And she can't do a single trick, can you?

I'll let you break it to Mike.

- Oh.

- Oh, good girl.

Oh, good girl.

Well, how did you do this so quickly?

- What do you mean?

- Well - in Dupont Circle, - and FDOTUS practically jumped in my lap.

- Come here.

- Didn't you, buddy?

- Oh, she's perfect.

- Mm, isn't she?

- I don't like the name, though.

- That's silly.

- Well, that'll come.

Hi.

Hi.

- Okay, I'm gonna leave you guys to get acquainted.

Oh, okay.

(CHUCKLES): Hi.

- Whoa!

Oh.

- Come on, go play with Mama.

I'm afraid she imprinted on me a little bit.

- That's okay.

- All right.

But you'll definitely be her human.

We'll bond later.

It's been a long day, Senator.

- Are we about done here?

- Just a moment.

Yes.

Here it is.

(WHISPERS): I have to pee.

- Mr. Moran, you insist your trip to your parents' party had no campaign-related purpose.

Yes, that's correct.

And yet you didn't rejoin the campaign for another five days, did you?

- No, I didn't.

- Because, having sealed the deal with Mr.

Anderson's PAC, you were trying to land more big game, weren't you?

I was definitely trying to land big game, Senator, but it had nothing to do with politics.

(DOOR OPENS)

- Trevor?

- Hey.

How was San Francisco?

Uh, good.

Well, wh-what are you doing here?

It was a ten-hour drive from D. C. , but there's something I have to say.

- Me too.

- Me first.

Um Look, I overreacted because I was disappointed.

Okay?

But I love you.

And I want to be with you.

And if you'll still have me, I'll move in, and the future will be what it'll be.

Okay?

Yeah.

Yeah, I still want you to move in.

Under one condition.

- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)

- Mom.

Dad.

- Huh, what?

- I want you to meet someone.

- (SHORT CHUCKLE)

Hey.

- This is Trevor.

My fiancé.

W So Uh y-you're not with her?

BLAKE: Oh.

(CHUCKLES): N No.

Stevie's just a friend.

A good friend, but, um, Trevor's the one I love.

Oh.

Thank God.

- Welcome to the family, honey.

- (LAUGHS)

- Oh!

- BLAKE: I guess - you really mean that.

- Oh, yeah.

So the secretary gave us five days off so we could celebrate.

In the middle of a campaign.

I mean, that is very generous.

- Mr.

Moran - I wanted to go to London, and Trevor's more of a Paris guy, so we booked two Airbnbs.

We added a night in Provence.

We don't even have a date for the wedding.

Mr.

Moran.

As riveting as your detours into your personal life have been, it reluctantly falls upon me to announce that your testimony before this committee is hereby concluded.

You are dismissed.

Oh.

Okay.

(CHUCKLES)

Go.

Now.

Please.

Admiral.

Madam President.

You tipped The Chronicle that this administration was considering the use of autonomous weaponry to neutralize Laszlo Galassy.

That is true.

You're aware that by leaking classified information, you committed a federal crime.

Yes, ma'am.

You should also be aware that you just made this country that you served with honor and distinction for over three decades - less safe.

- No, ma'am.

Excuse me?

You made us less safe.

You failed us.

You sent troops into harm's way when you could have spared them.

You violated a leader's prime directive: to protect the men and women who put on the uniform.

No, Ed.

My prime directive is to protect all Americans.

I'm going to take another step to do that right now.

Sir, you're in violation of 18 U. S. C.

Section 798.

Please put your hands behind your back.

(HANDCUFFS CLICK)

Thank you for your service, Admiral.

RUSSELL: Madam President.

Ma'am.

We just heard back from the Russians and the Chinese.

ELIZABETH: Good evening.

Today, the United States, China and Russia have agreed to an immediate moratorium on the b*ttlefield deployment of autonomous weaponry.

Artificial intelligence holds great promise for humanity in medicine, transportation and a host of worthy human endeavors.

But that promise evaporates when A. I.

becomes an instrument of w*r.

Autonomous weapons can't feel.

They can't regret.

But they can be programmed to k*ll, and when they do, they can't be called back because they're built to override human intervention.

They may even conclude our humanity is the glitch in the system, the weakness that needs to be eradicated.

Humankind has spent more time, energy and money perfecting w*r than on any other human endeavor.

We have fought each other to the brink of starvation and the edge of extinction, but the one aspect of warfare that safeguards our survival is meaningful human control.

The reluctance to put troops in harm's way and the compassion to sue for peace when enough blood has been spilt.

These are considerations alien to robots.

Allowing machines to choose to k*ll us will eliminate these safeguards and will forever erode our freedom and security.

That day must never come.

We must not consign our fate to algorithms.

I look forward to productive talks with our partners across the globe about how to safely harness A. I.

Technology is not the enemy unless we allow it to substitute its judgment for our own.

Congratulations on averting the robot apocalypse.

So tell us about the political one.

Today's festivities included Hanson's committee trying to prove that Blake Moran and Stephanie McCord illegally coordinated with Shelton Anderson's PAC.

- How?

- By hitching a ride - to an anniversary party.

- (SIGHS)

That's better than implying that I whacked a state senator.

It's death by a thousand cuts, Mike, and Hanson just started sharpening his blade.

The press secretary, the president's daughter, her husband they all have yet to appear before the committee.

How long can we keep the president out of the loop?

Not much longer.

- She needs to know.

- MIKE: Well, then, she opens herself up to charges she was coordinating with her staff to subvert the investigation.

It's not good.

No.

You know, I think I figured it out.

You certainly did.

What do you mean?

Getting the Russians and the Chinese on board with an autonomous weapons ban.

What do you mean?

- My dream.

- Oh.

The one where you can't use your phone?

No, that's every dream.

The one with Peter Harriman.

I think it's about being responsible for people in your care.

- Accountability.

- Yeah.

Machines don't have to answer to anyone.

And they never have to look a grieving parent in the eye.

You're talking about a conscience.

Mine's weighing heavy on me.

Well, you made the right call.

It's the first time I sent troops to their death.

It won't be the last.

I still think about the missions I flew.

The souls lost on both sides.

The human toll is something that stays with you forever, I guess.

It's the warrior's burden.

But it also makes you cherish life.

Okay, I'm gonna make us some tea.

We're gonna get some sleep, wake up tomorrow and do it all again and hope to do it just a little bit better.

(WHINES)

Hi.

Hope.

That's your name.

Hope.

Hi.

Thank you.
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