Executing alpha pattern.
Heading 236.
Operational.
ETA to eyewall 30 seconds.
Roger, Teal-79.
ATC clears Teal-79 operational.
Squawk 20000.
Relax.
This ain't our first cat five.
Yeah, but they don't make them
like they used to.
We have good transmit.
Report status.
Tropopause wind speed 210.
LCLs scraping bottom.
Air pressure...
That can't be right.
Holy crap.
Major, flash traffic to NOAA.
They are not gonna like this.
J'accuse.
Good morning.
Basement nachos.
Stairwell crackers. Den cookies.
I deny all.
Ooh, is that a wet/dry vac?
Latest model.
- For the record, the nachos were me.
- Oh.
Still, you better be apartment
hunting, Cookie Monster.
Hunting, yes. Finding, no.
Oh, wait, here's something.
"Co-living creative Eco-space
with adult playroom."
Translation?
He's too old to live there.
Ouch, but true.
- Hey.
- Where's the coffee?
- Whoops.
- Good morning, sunshine.
- Sorry, government business.
- Come on.
Oh, God, work is a mess today.
What's up?
Super Typhoon Blessing has
record low pressure at sea level
and is now the most powerful
storm in recorded history.
We're just gonna whistle past
the irony of the name, huh?
The cone of expectancy
puts it on course for U.S. territory
in the Marshall Islands.
I have to prep meetings
for NOAA, FEMA, DoD...
It's the same story at State.
I've got OFDA
and USAID in overdrive.
Whoa, acronym fight. Come
on, babe, we got to go.
- Yeah.
- Ooh, can I get a ride?
No, uh, we have a meeting
this morning.
- Not at the White House?
- Ooh.
- The plot thickens.
- No, it's a campaign meeting
- with Mike B.
- Ooh.
Cone of silence. Bye.
Goodbye.
The merry McCords.
- All hail.
- Hey, Mike.
Gordon.
Ooh! Look at that sporty coat.
It's a tactical anxiety vest.
He hasn't been the same since
a calico moved in next door.
Button-nosed little monster.
He's probably out
murdering birds as we speak.
- Calicos are actually female.
- Whatever. The point is,
cats are the worst,
and no one should have them.
Now, to brass tacks.
I set up an appointment for
you at the White House
- with Pastor Eli Bragg.
- Eli Bragg.
- Of the Christian Redeemers Network?
- Mm-hmm.
It's an advocacy group
for conservative evangelicals.
Yeah, I'm aware.
Pretty extreme.
Let's call them "traditional."
And Pastor Bragg is a big
player in national politics.
His voters vote, and
his donors donate,
which is more than I can say for
your kombacha-sipping fanboy.
It's kombucha.
- "Kambucha."
- What... So, where do I come in?
CRN is having their
annual conference tomorrow,
and if you impress the good pastor...
...there may be a speaking slot
for America's
favorite religious scholar.
I'll hold for applause.
Has Russell signed off on this?
- Please, what's not to love?
- Let's start
with 90% of their political positions.
Health care, climate change,
those detentions at the border.
I'm sorry, what's your...
what's your brand again?
"Hey, it's the nice lady
with the glasses."
Diplomacy. Willingness
to find common ground.
Sure, Pastor Bragg will probably never
support you, but if Henry
can cozy up and show him
you're not the enemy,
maybe we can keep him
from publicly opposing you.
Well, I'm feeling inspired.
This is exactly the kind
of outreach we need
from Henry during the campaign.
I don't know about the campaign,
but I'll sit down with him.
I believe in the power
of scripture to unite people.
Most wars notwithstanding.
- I knew you were gonna say that.
- Hallelujah.
He's so easy.
Why do I even...
I mean, have you seen
these FEMA numbers?
250-mile-an-hour winds
are gonna destroy 95%
of single-family dwellings
with the force of 20,000 Hiroshimas.
Not to mention the storm surge,
which is over 40 feet.
The highest point
on the Marshalls is 30 feet.
And there's more than 50,000 people.
Hey, you can pack it
up. Meeting's off.
Latest tracking from NOAA has
Blessing making a hard swerve
away from the Marshalls,
so Uncle Sam will get a soaking
- but nothing worse.
- So no landfall?
Looks like it's headed
for the Republic of Nauru.
It's your mother's problem now.
Nauru's taking a direct hit.
Communication with the
government is still down.
Who's our point of contact?
Best we got is a guy named David Akua.
Part-time consular official
at the U.N. in New York.
He's on his way down now.
All right, well...
get with OFDA and pivot aid to Nauru.
And you got to open
a channel with DoD.
We're gonna need Pacific Command
to coordinate an airlift from Guam.
Daisy, Matt,
I need a statement ASAP.
Uh...
- support and sympathy?
- As opposed to fire and brimstone?
Yeah, and also, let's do
a donations hotline.
Get it up within the hour.
Yes, ma'am.
- What else you got?
- Working lunch with PolMil.
And did you hear the news
about Ashley Whittaker?
- What? Oh, my God, no. I love her.
- No.
She's dating Bryce Manley.
- Is this really State business?
- What?
Wait a minute. I'm sorry, I
thought she was with Zac Efron.
As if he could compete with the star
of the Swashbucklers franchise.
She's a former
goodwill ambassador, so...
Uh, also, she helped us out
of a big jam in Kazakhstan.
That doesn't give gossip
a free pass. I object.
- Overruled.
- Gossip? It's-it's like the...
Right! My bad.
Administrator.
- Oh, no, Glenn. Please call me Glenn.
- Oh, Glenn.
Yes. I-I'm sorry,
I wasn't expecting you.
Right. The NASA administrator is here.
He says it's urgent.
Uh, are your people on Nauru okay?
Well, the astronomers are fine,
but the Gimbal-Solander
telescope's a total loss.
Ah. Well, I'm sorry to hear that.
Yeah, so am I.
But that's not why I'm here.
Typhoon Blessing is a freak.
It's the most powerful ever,
two months before the official
start of typhoon season.
Set off alarm bells within
the scientific community,
so we went looking.
This was taken
above the monsoon trough
by our new GOES-18 satellite.
Maps are like rashes.
If it's big, if it's red,
it's probably bad.
Yeah, I'm getting hives
just looking at it.
Here's a patch
of superheated ocean.
Rising temperatures are outpacing
even our worst-case models,
so tropical cyclogenesis
is gonna get more frequent,
more destructive.
So Blessing isn't a freak.
It's the new normal.
Well, there was a time
when we couldn't link specific
storms to climate change,
but that time has passed.
Which brings us to Nauru.
The survivors need to leave now.
- You mean until they rebuild?
- No, no.
I mean permanently.
All right, hang on, hang on.
Y-You want an entire people
to just pack up and leave?
Walls, dykes, levees.
We have ways
of fighting rising sea levels.
Well, with bedrock, maybe.
But this island's built on soft coral.
Another high-frequency
wave event could be...
Devastating.
Yeah.
It's like a tsunami
hitting a sandcastle.
And given the data,
the odds of that happening
in the near future
are too high for comfort.
Well...
thanks for the pep talk.
It's about to get peppier.
Our Research and Analysis Unit
ran some simulations.
Today it's Nauru.
Tomorrow could easily be Jakarta,
a sinking city
of ten million people.
- You brief POTUS yet?
- That's my next stop.
But since most of these
disasters cover foreign policy,
- I thought you should be prepared.
- Yeah.
- Well, I appreciate it.
- Yeah.
Hey, hey.
You keep up with Nadine?
Now and again.
Yeah, give her my best, will you?
I will.
Any update?
Uh, yes. We just established a
comms link with Nauru via NASA.
Um, the casualties are
even worse than expected.
President Yispinza
was k*lled in the storm,
as well as all 19 members
of the Nauruan parliament.
How's that even possible?
Parliament House flooded before
they could seek higher ground.
Our best guess is
over a thousand dead.
Uh... hundreds more missing.
That's ten percent of the population.
Okay, let's, um...
let's activate the Overseas
Contingency fund, and...
So, who's in charge?
A-According to their
constitution, David Akua.
The consular official?
Part-time official. He's 23.
He's also pursuing a master's
in public health at NYU.
He came to a, uh...
assistants' mixer at UNGA.
And now he's president.
And here's the kicker.
I don't think he knows.
Ma'am.
Mr. Akua has just arrived.
Mr. Akua.
- Madam Secretary.
- Yes.
Uh, I'm... I was expecting
to see Ms. Zimmer
- from the Office of, uh, Disaster...
- I know.
Um, but I need to speak
with you directly.
- Please have a seat.
- Of course.
I-I don't want to waste your time.
I-I know you're busy.
Uh, I don't even have
my instructions yet
with all the comms still down.
So, what's the last thing you heard?
A WhatsApp from my mother
ab-about the flooding,
but, I mean, that was
before things got bad.
Do you have news?
- Mr. Akua...
- Please, call me David.
David.
What is it?
But I work in consular affairs.
I only took this job
to help pay for grad school.
We're gonna get you
on a flight to Hawaii
that leaves in a few hours.
From there, a m*llitary plane
will take you on to Nauru.
I know you didn't ask to be president.
My mum. I can barely breathe
'cause I don't know if
she's alive or dead,
- and you're telling me...
- We're doing everything in our power
- to find her. - You mean, I'm
supposed to take care of everyone?
To help them rebuild?
I'm afraid rebuilding isn't an option.
What are you talking about?
According to our best information,
the island of Nauru
is no longer habitable.
You have to evacuate.
I'm sorry.
Evacuate?
You spent $100 billion
rebuilding New Orleans.
I mean, if China can
conjure whole islands
in the Spratlys, I'm sure
we can manage a seawall.
- It's not that simple.
- It should be.
Nauru wouldn't be in this mess
if not for the U.S. spewing
massive amounts of carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere.
You owe us.
I know.
But we are past
the point of no return.
Relocation is
the only assistance I can offer.
Nauru has been home to
my people for 3,000 years.
We speak a language shared
by no one else on Earth.
We will never leave.
At the cost of your lives?
Yes.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
apparently I have a plane to catch.
Please tell me
they found his mother.
She's alive.
Took shelter in time.
When he gets home,
he'll see things differently.
Kind of counting on it.
I have my team looking into
relocation, but...
...finding a single country
to absorb the whole
Nauru population?
Tall order.
Especially in today's
anti-refugee climate.
No pun intended.
I mean, that poor kid.
He's the same age as Ashley Whittaker.
Kind of puts the whole
thing in perspective.
Who's Ashley Whittaker?
Seriously?
Come on, the actress.
Tally Rides Again.
The Chronicles
of Ashkenar.
"Tonight we dream,
tomorrow we slay."
Wait a minute, I read about this.
She's, uh, dating
the Swashbuckler guy.
Bryce Manley.
You read about it?
It was on Alison's Insta feed.
I... look, I hardly ever understand
what she's talking about,
but I get the gist.
He's twice her age, people are upset,
and other people are upset
that people are upset.
It's the foundation
for all major conflict.
Look, ca-can I help you?
Where is it?
The emergency chocolate.
Come on.
In a secure location.
You just want to save it
for seductions.
You know, the truth is,
he's kind of right.
Who, Akua?
It is the fault of the United States
and the other major carbon producers.
At least, indirectly.
But the question is,
what do I do about it?
Well, it's a twofold imperative.
There's a moral responsibility, yes.
There's a practical one, too.
Yeah. You know, according
to Glenn,
this disaster in Nauru
is just the tip of the iceberg.
Future generations might not
even get that reference.
That's depressing.
There has to be a way
to tackle this more globally.
I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have
to... stew on this for a while.
I totally get it.
But you know what?
You're kind of sexy when you stew.
Oh, come on.
Mmm...
Talk to me.
Uh, so far, Fiji,
Tuvalu, New Guinea...
they're all willing to
absorb refugees from Nauru.
You'd have to split them up.
No way Akua goes for that.
Yeah, will he go for any of it?
'Cause, last I heard,
he was refusing
to give the order to evacuate.
The secretary sent him
the NASA report.
We're hoping that moves the needle.
What about Australia?
Declined.
They're chockers, apparently.
That means "full."
Then say "full." Keep pushing.
Meantime, we've got our marching
orders... the secretary
wants us to examine the possibility
of a reparations fund
for developing countries
suffering the consequences
of global warming.
Sounds familiar.
The idea's been floating around
policy circles for a while.
Major carbon polluting
nations, like us,
provide money to protect
or relocate
the more vulnerable populations.
It was debated at the Stockholm
Protocol, and no one gave it
the time of day. But that was
before Super Typhoon Blessing.
So this could be our moment.
Don't count on it. Trust me,
nothing makes rich people
run for the hills faster
than the word "reparations."
You know, that's a good point.
Maybe we should call it
the Resiliency Fund.
Hides the ball, doesn't lie.
I like it.
Reach out to some
think tanks for polling.
I'm gonna touch base
with my counterparts
in Japan, India, China, and the E.U.
Well, if you need
more motivation, RMSC Tokyo
is reporting a new cyclone
in the Western Pacific Basin.
It should be a named storm
within the hour.
Henry, Pastor Eli Bragg.
Pastor Bragg, Dr. Henry McCord.
Hello, Pastor. Hi, I'm Henry.
- Hi. Ruby.
- My daughter Ruby Bragg.
She's our national co-chair
and spokesperson. We were just talking
about the storm. Tragic swerve.
Certainly took NOAA by surprise.
It's a Providence
for the United States.
- I see His hand in it.
- I assume
you're not implying that
somehow the people of Nauru
deserve this because they're sinners.
Do you doubt God's role
in natural disasters?
No. No, no, I doubt our ability
to read His intent.
Let's pivot to the intent
of this meeting.
I'm sure Henry is very eager
to speak at your conference.
And we are eager to have him. Rube?
Uh, yes. This is essentially
an olive branch situation.
Politically, we're at odds,
but we'd like
to maintain a respectful dialogue.
Particularly if Elizabeth McCord
becomes the next president.
We're exploring our options.
But for this dialogue to work,
we do need to set a few ground rules.
We simply ask that you steer away
from any controversial topics.
We want to build bridges here,
not burn them.
I was thinking that I
would speak about poverty,
what it meant in the life
of Jesus and how his followers
- are called to address it.
- Fine.
Fine by me.
I preach the gospel of charity
every Sunday.
Then it's settled.
Please give Conrad my best.
I'm praying for him,
- as always.
- Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Have a blessed day. Take care.
Oh, thank you.
Of course.
That was interesting.
Yeah.
I get where Mike B.'s going with this,
but the CRN's a viper's nest.
You stay frosty
or you'll find a pair of fangs
dangling from your neck.
Hi.
So, remember when Ashley
Whittaker was secretly dating
Bryce Manley
while also dating Zac Efron?
This needs to take a turn
towards work very quickly.
- Wait for it.
- I was poking around
Bryce's Tumblr.
Turns out he owns a giant property
in Fiji.
Bryce Manley Island.
Well above sea level.
Safe for at least
two centuries, even with
the latest NASA projections.
- Right.
- Plus, if you look past the infinity pools
and tacky statues, it has
the infrastructure to support
Nauru's population and-and
core domestic industries.
Props for thinking outside of the box,
but we don't have the cash.
Mm, might not need it.
I mean, why has Manley been
so MIA since Swashbucklers 5?
Turns out he's in a legal battle
with the IRS over an alleged
"tax-related impropriety."
How much impropriety are we talking?
So much. So much impropriety.
Mm, it's worth a sh*t.
Now all we have to do is convince
a bankrupt celebrity
to give us his island,
convince David Akua
to abandon his homeland,
and then convince Fiji
and the U.N. to recognize
the new island as
the sovereign nation of Nauru.
Hmm, that's a lot of convincing,
when you put it that way.
Yeah.
I mean, no wonder this guy's bankrupt.
Yeah, that's just the private island.
Don't forget about the three yachts,
the six castles,
the 12-bedroom tree house.
Manley's on his way
with his lawyer now.
I'm having Matt and Daisy run point.
How far do we take it?
Give him a medal if you have to.
This is our best chance
of convincing Akua to evacuate.
Well, I hope he reconsidered.
Yeah.
Ready for SVTC?
Uh... we'll find out.
Jay, get a meeting at the White House.
The sooner we can
pivot to a resiliency fund,
the better.
The destruction's horrific.
There are bodies everywhere.
In the rubble,
soaking in the mud.
I am so sorry.
Thank you.
I have to ask,
did you read the report?
From NASA? Yes.
And I can see
the erosion with my eyes.
I know the risks are high.
Fatal, if you stay, David.
But the good news is
we may have a lead
on finding you a new home.
Are you familiar with Laweron Temple?
Yes, one of the largest
megalithic structures
in Micronesia.
And I understand
that it survived the storm.
Because it was built to last forever.
With pale, red bricks
that catch the morning sun.
It means little to outsiders,
but it's the center
of our spiritual lives.
It's home, and...
we cannot leave it behind.
So don't.
The Army Corps of Engineers will
move the temple brick by brick.
And build temporary housing
while you wait.
I'll talk to my people,
see what I can do.
Thank you, David.
And good luck.
First of all, huge fans. Yeah, I was
a Swashbuckler every Halloween
in middle school.
And recently, because
that franchise is still fresh.
I've read your proposal.
Can't say the same for my client.
Well, the deal is simple. You donate
your island to Nauru, and
we lean on the IRS to forgive
- your debts.
- So, uh, Ashley says hi.
Your girlfriend. That's great. Hi.
But I have to say no.
My client is attached
to his asset.
It's hallowed ground.
The site of our betrothal.
The locus of our wedding.
You and Ashley?
Congratulations.
Yeah, but why not
just throw your wedding
on one of your yachts?
Or a castle? Or the tree house?
Ooh, the tree house.
Because the alternative is prison.
Prison?
What, wha-what do you mean, prison?
- Jail.
- You're heavily
overextended, Bryce.
You, you told me islands
were a good investment.
- I did not tell you islands were a
good investment. - Yes, you did.
- Or blimps.
- Blimps?
- Blimps are the future.
- Blimps are not the future, Bryce.
- Hello, we talked about this. Just...
- I know.
- How many times do we have to talk
about this? - Islands, blimps.
I am... I'm sensing
some conflict here.
So, how can we make this work?
The Nobel Peace Prize?
- Just the nomination.
- Really?
It'll die in committee,
but I'm afraid Bryce insisted.
And then we get his island?
Pending approval by the IRS.
But all signs point to yes.
Next time I say give
a guy a medal, don't.
An appropriations bill
to pay for other countries
to deal with climate change?
Yeah, just one question on that:
a-are you nuts?
This is our only way
to get our Resiliency Fund
off the ground.
India, China, the E.U.
are already willing to come on board.
But only if we make the first move.
- Yes.
- It's a gesture of good faith.
Made necessary by decades as
the world's top carbon polluter.
Well, haven't we done enough?
We already signed
the Stockholm Protocols.
No. Those were benchmarks
for future emissions.
But many people, including
the Nauruans, are suffering now.
Sir, Congress will laugh us out
of committee.
56% of Americans support
the Resiliency Fund.
- That's a clear majority.
- And since when is a majority enough?
Half of Congress serves
in gerrymandered districts,
beholden to their base.
Guys like Owen Callister won't
even debate climate change.
Some others might admit
it's happening.
But take action?
You... You got another thing coming.
So it's pointless to even try?
Oh, hello, you must be new here.
Did you talk to Glenn?
Yeah. NASA's projections
are staggering.
This is happening.
Extreme weather will destabilize
countries all across the globe.
Triggering waves of refugees
and accelerating the rise
of ethnic nationalism.
Sir, there's already
another typhoon forming
in the Pacific.
It's worth the fight.
Not when we lose.
If Congress rejects
this Resiliency Fund,
it could hamstring our
environmental agenda for years.
I'm sorry, Bess.
I can't let it happen.
We're on our way to CRN right now.
Just, uh, I'll check in
with the Swedes tomorrow.
Okay. Great. Thanks.
That was Jay.
The IRS chief counsel signed off
on the Bryce Manley deal.
And Nauru's on board?
Providing we move their temple. Yeah.
Well, that's great news.
Is it?
Eccentric, broke movie star
with Nobel fetish
donates his private island?
Probably not many times
we can go back to that well.
Which is why I thought
the Resiliency Fund
was a no-brainer.
The crazy thing is,
they can't even debate
the perils
of climate change in Congress,
because a cabal of special
interests won't let them.
Guys like Eli Bragg.
Oh, come on.
You know the CRN is all in
on climate change denial.
Do you want to turn around?
Well, I want to hold
their feet to the fire.
Babe, I'll go there.
As long as we're willing
to accept the consequences.
You bet.
Look, I'm-I'm all for shared values.
But the planet is dying.
We have to, at least,
be able to talk about it.
Sold.
All right, how much time do we have?
Genesis 2:15 uses two Hebrew words
to describe God's purpose
in placing man in the Garden of Eden:
"Avad" and "Shamar."
Meaning "serve" and "protect."
It's the core of our purpose
here on Earth,
and our instruction
for worshipping God.
But it's hard to claim
you love the Creator,
if you're ignoring the profound harm
being done to His masterpiece.
The longer we neglect our duty to God,
the farther we stray from His purpose,
and the closer we are to succumbing
to an existential thr*at to humanity:
climate change.
I know that wasn't
the speech you imagined.
The whole point of
the invitation was unity.
We face a common thr*at.
Solidarity is our only option.
Your husband quoted Genesis,
but the moral of that book
is that humans are fallible.
Most doctors used to think
that leeches cured pneumonia.
You really want to put
your chips on that square?
Your megachurch is in a
flood zone near Greensboro.
Millions of your followers
are within reach of
Atlantic hurricanes.
We can help protect 'em,
but we need to act now.
Ma'am, I'll level with you.
In my opinion,
this whole climate thing
is just a Trojan horse
to grow the power
of the federal government
and undermine our liberty.
Not the government I work for.
Or one I want to lead.
Come along, there are
some folks I want you to meet.
Okay.
Hey, Ruby.
Dr. McCord.
I, uh, I liked what you said
about God's masterpiece.
I did a semester abroad
in New Zealand.
And hiking above the Milford Sound,
looking down at the fjord,
I've never felt closer to God.
I felt the same way
when I was a pilot,
- seeing the curvature of the Earth.
- Hmm.
Too bad the Earth's flat.
Unfortunately, my father
isn't really one for hikes.
Or empirical date.
I'm guessing you are.
It's a generational thing.
Kind of hard to deny science
when you can reach into your pocket
and FaceTime your friend from Kenya.
You think I'm a hypocrite
because I accept global warming
and I work for CRN.
Have you seen any of
the footage from Nauru?
I'm not caught up on it yet.
There's an interesting young man
down there, uh, David Akua.
- You heard of him?
- No.
You should Google him.
I will.
Goodbye, Dr. McCord.
You sure I can't get you
something to drink?
No, I won't be here long.
You've been saying that
for the last 20 minutes.
Because they keep not getting here.
- Hello.
- Not a moment too soon.
I wet/dry vac'ed the carpet,
I ran the dishwasher.
I applied for some apartments...
I'm off to bed.
- Thank you.
- Mike.
You just can't play ball, can you?
It was my speech, Mike.
Cut the crap, Professor. We both
know you're in this together.
So what if we are?
We started a dialogue.
Yeah? Well the pastor ended it.
CRN just announced
a $10 million donation
to Owen Callister, so congratulations.
You just lost Iowa... and me. I quit.
Are you kidding?
No, kidding was what
I was doing to myself
by thinking you could actually
make this work.
By crawling through the muck,
toiling thanklessly
for a pompous blue blood
who'd rather be self-righteous
than president.
- Excuse me?
- Hey, let's just take a breath here.
I spent months getting you
this opportunity.
And you-you flush it because
you're feeling mopey
about your Resiliency Fund,
whatever the hell that is.
Mike, it's time for you to leave.
- I'm on my way.
- Mike.
Hey. I am not your puppet.
If I see a chance
to shift the paradigm,
I'm gonna take it.
Why can't you just trust me?
Because I'm not a politician.
And that's exactly why
you're gonna lose.
Okay. Well, tell USAID
to pre-stage supplies
and have PACOM standing by. Yeah.
Keep me posted. Thanks.
That was Blake.
Tropical Storm Phoebe
is now a typhoon.
So, Netflix and chill?
Is there a category for
"self-righteous blue bloods"?
Mike went too far.
I... thought maybe you
were gonna punch him.
Me, too.
What if he's right about me?
You know, one of the
reasons I've relied
on Mike for all these years is because
his assessment of people
is always dead-on.
So, for him to say that about me is...
This is the part where you... you say,
"No, he's mistaken and insane."
He's not mistaken.
- Uh, thanks, pal.
- Or insane.
I mean, tonight, maybe a little.
But... you are stubborn
and high-minded
and, ironically, for a former spy,
completely allergic to duplicity.
So are-are you finished?
There's a but.
He-He's overreacting.
First of all, the evangelical
community is not a monolith.
So Pastor Bragg gave money
to Callister.
He represents
a narrow band of believers,
and within that, there's dissent.
I actually had a productive
conversation with his daughter.
- The spokeswoman?
- Yeah, Ruby, yeah.
Also, Mike B. talks
about your campaign
- like the election is tomorrow.
- I know.
Right? I haven't even declared.
It's a long game.
So y-you're saying there's hope,
maybe I didn't just ruin everything?
I'm saying that if you're
involved, there's always hope.
Oh, my God.
I love you so much.
Got any chocolate?
I wasn't expecting to hear from you,
not after we backed Callister.
I don't care about the money.
Neither does my wife.
Then why are we here?
I looked you up.
You used to be an activist.
Coal ash is a major problem
in our communities.
And you spoke out.
My father raised me to believe
that my voice matters.
He was right.
Christ is good news
for the poor and vulnerable.
We're compelled to care
for our neighbors.
Charity is a cornerstone
of our ministry.
We do good work without
addressing climate change.
And if you don't,
then none of that matters.
God's creation will be uninhabitable.
I, um...
I looked up that guy
in Nauru, David Akua.
I can't imagine
what he's going through.
So use your voice. Speak out.
Yeah, that's...
that's easy for you to say.
I could trash my career,
blow up my family.
I know it's a leap,
but you're more powerful than
you give yourself credit for.
If you believe that what we do
in this life determines the next,
there isn't any choice at all.
What did you have in mind?
A simple resolution?
Yeah. The Resiliency Fund
was too big of a swing.
- I get that now.
- What would this resolution say exactly?
The truth.
That carbon pollution
causes climate change.
Too bad the truth
doesn't whip votes.
But Ruby Bragg does.
What if I told you
she was backing this?
She'll go against her father?
In public?
If she can divide
CRN's lobbying power,
it may put us over the top.
Then feel free.
But are you sure you want
to go all in on a resolution?
- It's symbolic at best.
- Absolutely.
And unfortunately,
it isn't just symbolic.
As crazy
as this sounds,
we have to define truth
and agree on a shared reality
before any real work can even begin.
Excuse me, sir. Madam Secretary,
you have an urgent
call from Blake Moran.
It's about Typhoon Phoebe.
Please tell me that it's shifted.
Uh, the American and
European models both
have Phoebe making landfall in
Nauru in less than four hours.
She's already a category four.
Give me David Akua on SVTC
right away, please.
Yes, ma'am.
The USS Comfort
and the amphibious
transport ship San Antonio
are anchored off Yangor.
They can embark every single
Nauruan in less than an hour.
What about our temple?
I'm sorry, we're out of time.
Look outside, David.
The storm surge is rising.
I promised them.
I mean, what-what do I do?
Declare martial law.
Order everyone to staging points
and follow the instructions
of Pacific Command.
I-I don't know what to say.
The truth, David.
Even when it hurts.
Even when people don't want to hear.
It's not that simple!
You don't know
what it means to them, to me.
I... There might be
a chance if we can...
David?
David?
Why haven't we heard anything?
Well, the outer
storm bands knocked out
our satellite relay in Guam.
Comms are slower than usual.
Jay Whitman.
It's PACOM.
Evacuation's complete.
Come on. How many?
A few dozen refused
to leave the temple,
but everyone else made it off
before landfall.
What about David?
What about David Akua?
Is he on the manifest?
On the USS Comfort.
His mom, too.
Thanks, Admiral.
Now the real work begins.
Uh, Ambassador Harriman
said the U.N. is ready
to take up the vote on the
sovereignty transfer tomorrow.
We'll make sure to keep
up the pressure in the media.
What about the storm?
Tracking east. Possible thr*at
to Samoa, but we'll stay on top of it.
All right. Thanks, guys.
Ma'am.
Nina, did Mike B. return my call?
No, ma'am.
Get my motorcade, will you?
Right away.
Have you looked at the MRI?
What do you mean you haven't seen it?
I sent it via Dropbox
over an hour ago.
No, I'm not yelling
at you, Fräulein.
- Bitte. I am...
- Yes, I know there's a wait list.
Bitte. Bitte.
I will, I will resend.
Spezialität Hundeklinik in Hamburg.
They have a drug trial
that has shown promise
in transgenic mice.
But, yeah, I know
what you're thinking.
Experimental drug
therapies in-in Germany...
iffy track record, right?
But desperate times, huh?
This is about Gordon, huh?
He has a sarcoma.
It started in his
liver, and now, well,
it's apparently everywhere.
Chemo is not an option, it's
too late for surgery, and
I swear I saved this to the desktop.
Sweetheart,
bless your heart.
I waited too long. I should have
brought him in weeks ago.
Instead, I blamed the cat.
Mike, you didn't know.
He's old.
Did you get a second opinion?
I got five.
And now they're recommending
palliative care,
which is vet-speak for
"quitting," which I won't do.
We're gonna save you, buddy.
You can help me clear him
through E.U. Customs, right?
I saved it right here on the
desktop, I swear to God.
Mike. Stop.
Just stop, okay?
You know how Truman said
if you want a friend
in Washington, get a dog?
I did.
God, now what?
I'm your friend, Mike.
I'll always be here.
I remember when Gordon came
to UVA as a puppy.
He peed in the faculty lounge.
He peed in my office.
- In my shoes.
- He, he always
looked right at you
when he did it, too.
Oh, those were the days.
Eight hours to Germany.
What am I thinking?
That it's really hard to say goodbye.
Thank you.
And I'm sorry about yesterday.
- Don't worry about it.
- Ah.
Oh, in your stupid climate resolution,
you really should add a...
an expression of sympathy
for the people of Nauru.
No one wants
to look like a heartless jerk
for a symbolic vote.
I thought you quit.
What did I just say about quitting?
The Dalton administration
has just put forward a resolution
that takes responsibility
for global warming.
Now, your father called
it "toxic propaganda."
With respect, I disagree.
I love my dad, but he's so
afraid of government regulation
that he's willing
to ignore 99.9% of scientists.
You know what's scarier
than big government?
Massive typhoons
in the Pacific.
Drought and wildfire
in the American West.
Starvation and disease.
But those things, when they happen,
aren't they the will of God?
The Lord calls us
to be stewards of this Earth.
Now, if He really wants
these things to happen,
why would He give us the power
to change it?
I disagree
with the Dalton administration
on more issues than I could name,
but I represent a generation
of young evangelicals
who care about climate change,
and we won't stay silent any longer.
- Wow.
- So, to be clear,
you pers...
She's good.
Her old man better watch his back.
Or you could just be moved
by her sincerity, you know.
Sorry, sir.
Um, Dad, you wanted to know.
The vote
on that resolution is starting.
Ruby Bragg's
TV interview is trending on Twitter.
And my sources on the Hill say
the phones are lighting up.
PR-wise, it's an earthquake.
Maybe let's avoid natural
disaster metaphors for a while.
Final tally on S-Res 607.
"A resolution in support
of the people of Nauru
"in their difficult time,
"and in recognition of
the role carbon emissions
"by industrialized nations played
as a contributing factor
to the disaster."
51 in favor, 47 against,
two abstaining.
Resolution passes.
Admitting climate change?
That's a watershed.
I just wish these resolutions
had the force of law.
- Me, too.
- Guys, there's
something you need to see.
What is that?
That is... Nauru.
Zoom in.
We are zoomed in.
Wait. Go back.
Where is it?
Not there.
That-That's impossible.
It's happened before,
in Hawaii, the Bay of Bengal.
Yeah, but those were specks.
Nauru is eight square miles.
The coral sediment collapsed
under the wave pressure.
And without bedrock...
You're kidding. So the entire island
just... disappeared?
NASA confirmed. It's gone.
Wow.
05x16 - The New Normal
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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.
"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.