05x03 - The Magic Rake

[bunniefuu]

I know what you're thinking.

Why didn't I just call
to reschedule jury duty?

Well, I meant to,

but turns out if you wait too long,

you have to appear in person.

I've just been a little busy.

Got behind on the mail.

Understood, ma'am.

I knew I knew you.

You're a Real Housewife, right?

That's right.

(PHONE BUZZES)

I got to take this.

ELIZABETH: Still no dismissal yet.

BLAKE: All right. Uh, I'll just keep

the schedule loose, then.

All right. How are
things going over there?

Um, Undersecretary Albertell
wants to brief you on China.

There are rumors that a
successor to President Li

might be named at the
People's Congress next month.

Fun times. What else?

Prime Minister Moretti's
office called.

They say he knows
you already declined,

but you would be doing Italy
a great honor

by attending Fashion Week.

My answer's the same
as it was three months ago:

thank you for the invite,
and thank you, no.

Are you sure?
Because I just... you know...

Yes, Blake, I'm pretty sure.

There are better ways to promote
the American garment industry

than hobnobbing
with the glitterati in Milan.

Yeah. Yeah,
'cause that sounds terrible.

Yes, I know. We all share your love

of fancy clothes
and fancy food, Blake.

And wine. Such, such good wine.

Okay, well, wine, yes. Okay, wine.

But I am not gonna take a boondoggle

- on the taxpayers' dime.
- (PHONE BEEPS)

Oh. Wait, uh, Blake,
I got to take this.

Listen, I'm sorry if jury duty
is causing a headache

with scheduling.
It was just last-minute, so...

Yeah. I... No, I mean,
it's fine. It's all good.

It's fine. Uh, really. It's good.

(LAUGHS) Liar. Bye.

- Hey, babe.
- Hey.

So, listen,
I decided to take that job.

Oh, that's great. That's great.

In times like these, POTUS could
certainly use an ethics advisor.

Conrad will be lucky to have you.

The country, too.

Oof. No pressure.

Uh, I just have to stop
by the w*r College

and resign as acting chair.

Oh, they'll be sad to see you go.

Yeah, well,
I won't be sad to see them go.

I mean, as colleagues, I love them.

As people to manage, k*ll me.

- (CHUCKLES)
- (PHONE BEEPS)

Ugh, Ms. Popularity today.

All right, I'm gonna take this.
Let me know how it goes.

All right, babe? I love you.

Okay, love you. Bye.

- Hello?
- MIKE: You know what I hate?

Tourists coming right up to Gordon

and petting him without even asking.

It's like, "Get away
from my dog, you rubes."

What can I do you for, Mike?

Oh, right, sorry. Yeah, your
donors are getting restless.

I have donors?

Not for long. See, they're eager

to hop on board the Bess Express,

but they want to know
where it's going, exactly.

You need to start telling people
what you stand for.

You mean, other than
representing the interests

and values of the United States
around the world?

I'm sorry, but it's

domestic issues that make voters vote

and donors donate.

School choice
or the environment or whatever.

That's a solid campaign slogan
right there.

No, I'm serious, Bess.
You need to get on this

before Teresa Hurst or
some other potential candidate

hoovers up all your mega-bundlers.

Mike, have I ever told you
I was running for president?

No, not in so many words.

So until then, I'm not running,
and I don't have donors. Got it?

And I don't want to talk
about this anymore.

I have to go participate
in democracy now.

I'm annoying, but I'm not wrong.

Juror number .

Yes, Your Honor.

I'm assuming you would
like to be excused,

being that you have
pressing matters to attend to

as our nation's Secretary of State.

Well, that's correct, sir. Your Honor.

Wait.

Very well. You're dismissed.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Or you will be as soon
as you can explain to me

why it took my wife nearly six weeks

just to have her passport renewed.

We nearly had to cancel
the whole cruise.

You know how hard it is
to get a ticket to Barbados?

If that judge had gone on much longer,

they would have had me being on trial,

I'll tell you. (GRUNTS)

Stand aside, ma'am.

- Oh, hey!
- Oh, I'm sorry.

Are you all right?

- Here.
- Thank you.

Are you okay?

Well, I'm about to get sent
to jail, so no, I'm...

Wait, aren't you, like,

the Secretary of State or something?

A woman in the waiting room
thought I was a Real Housewife.

- For real?
- For real.

- I'm Elizabeth.
- Katelyn.

Hi, Katelyn.

- Here you go.
- Thank you.

So, uh...

- what's going on?
- Uh...

It's, like, uh, my stupid ex
didn't pay the insurance

on the car, but I didn't know that

till I got pulled over, so...

Sit down.

Uh, so then they fined me

and suspended my license.

But I have to drive
to get to work, so...

How else am I supposed to pay
the fine?

Well, that makes sense.

So, what happened?
Did you get pulled over again?

That time, I got arrested.

And then the DA... who's,
like, my age, by the way...

uh, he offered me a deal.

Pay some more fines,

and then I only have to
go to jail for days.

What did your lawyer say?

Take the deal.

She's a public defender, so
she got, like, a million cases.

But I go to jail for days,

I'm definitely gonna lose my job.

Plus, I'm gonna have a record,

so good luck finding another one.

I mean, I work hard, okay?

Extra shifts every week

even though it keeps
me away from my kids.

Like, I'm trying to get
my associate's degree.

Like, I know that I messed up,

but, like, what was I supposed to do?

I think you need to ask the judge

for more time, for a continuance.

- A continuance? Okay.
- Yeah.

And then you can talk to a lawyer

who actually has the time
to represent you.

This is the number
of a legal aid foundation,

and they represent people for free.

And give them a call.
Maybe they can help you out.

- Okay?
- Okay. (SNIFFLES)

WOMAN: No, I can't give you that.

Oh, that's my lawyer. I got to go.

Here's my card.

If you have any more problems,
just call that number.

Wow. Thanks, Elizabeth.

Good luck, Katelyn.

Continuance!

JAY: Good news. We just got word

that M-Sec has been excused
from jury duty

and will be back shortly.

- Blake has the revised schedule.
- Yes. It took some work,

but everything
that we had to slide around

has found a new place.

- Behold.
- I don't know whether

- to read it or frame it.
- JAY: It's all here.

Far East desk for the China briefing,

her sit-down with SecDef,

even the meet and greet Daisy wanted

with the high school kids from Houston

who won the civic engagement contest.

- Huh?
- Yeah, great.

The schedule might be my finest work.

Okay. Next item. Matt, can you
write a brief statement

about the factory
fire in Emilia-Romagna?

Oh, on it.

Uh, latest body count

was up to workers, I think.

- Brutal.
- BLAKE: Is it just me,

or is anyone else surprised that
a fancy brand like Beneventi

has such awful working conditions?

They probably don't.

They farm a lot of their
work out to subcontractors,

who farm it out again until
you get to sweatshops.

Well, it's probably best

that M-Sec isn't going to Milan
for Fashion Week.

It's not the best look

while they're still pulling bodies

out of the smoking rubble.

Actually, that is exactly why
I want to go.

Morning, ma'am. You changed your mind?

- Morning.
- Morning.

Yeah. Look...

a few years ago,
there was near global buy-in

on the Fair Work
and Trade Agreement, right?

Right. All it took was
a horrific factory fire

in Bangladesh.

Frankly, yeah. I mean, that
was the galvanizing moment.

The language in that agreement
held companies responsible

for the practices
of their subcontractors.

If that had been ratified,

it might have prevented this tragedy.

Yes, but it wasn't,

because the countries and companies

who benefit from sweatshop labor
just stalled

until the noise blew over
and the world moved on.

Why would this time be any different?

Because we're gonna make
a bigger noise.

There was no reason for me
to go to Fashion Week before.

But now?

I mean, where better

than the zenith
of the global apparel industry

to say to the other leaders,

"How can we sit here sipping champagne

"when unfair labor practices
have literally k*lled workers

just days ago and hours away?"

Do you think that maybe
that'll help us

- get the agreement signed?
- It might.

Great.

Call Prime Minister Moretti.

Tell him the good news,

that I am taking him up
on his invitation.

On it.

♪

Now is not the time to politicize

the issue of so-called sweatshop labor

while Italy is still grieving.

And embarrassed.

I share your passion,
but you must understand

this is, uh,
this is not an Italian issue

but rather a Chinese one.

You're saying the factory was owned

by a Chinese company?

Also, tragically, staffed
by illegal Chinese labor.

Which Beneventi
and other luxury brands exploit

so they can still say
their goods are made in Italy.

Remind me, uh, was China prepared

to sign on to the Fair Work
and Trade Agreement in the past?

They were less than eager.

Being that they dominate
the global garment industry,

what good would an agreement
be without them, huh?

I would argue that a concerted,
united campaign

by their chief competitors and markets

could pressure them to join it.

Better we secure
China's participation first

and make a public
announcement at the time.

So in the face of this horrific,
preventable tragedy,

you want to do nothing.

I look forward to visiting
with you in person in Milano.

Until then, Elizabeth.

RUSSELL: Why make a show

of trying to reform
the textile industry

if the biggest player won't go along?

Remember, this is bigger
than just textiles.

Close to a trillion dollar
a year industry.

What's bigger than that?

Automotive, tech.

There isn't a sector
of the global economy

where China isn't unfairly

privileging itself.

What do the folks at
Commerce think, Mary?

Elizabeth is broadly correct, sir.

Chinese government
subsidizes many industries.

Furthermore, they are
unconstrained by labor

and environmental standards.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Sorry.

Still, uh, getting used
to being back in here.

Carry on, please.

ELIZABETH: The Fair Work
and Trade Agreement

would go a long way toward
addressing those imbalances.

And what's your plan, Bess?

We would start out by filing
a complaint against China

with the World Trade Organization

about this business in Italy.

Well, that's a sh*t across the bow.

It's a pretty mild one,
given the death toll.

And then you continue
to build pressure on China

to join the agreement
when you get to Milan.

ELIZABETH: Where Minister Chen

will, apparently, be taking in
some runway shows.

(LAUGHS) Well, I have to admit,

if we're gonna pick a fight
with China,

the optics could be worse.

I like it.

And I think we're right on this, Bess.

But, uh, this is touchy stuff, so, uh,

I want the WTO complaint

and your remarks in Italy
to be... measured.

Understand?

Yeah, of course, sir.

Understood, Mr. President.

ELIZABETH: Hi, you adorable people.

HENRY: Hi, babe.

All right, so, what's next?

Uh, well, uh, given
your stance on, um, uh,

fair trade and labor laws,

uh, there's going to be
even more eyes looking at

what you are wearing in Milan.

Wait. You're going to Fashion Week?

Yeah, but only to make
an important political point.

Yeah, we're not going
to any of the parties

or those silly runway shows.

We're not, Blake.

But, uh, do get in touch
with the Protocol folks.

See if they can find me
some American designers

with solid labor practices.

ALISON: Even though the field

that I'm devoting my life to

is apparently silly,
I could give you some names.

Well, I would really appreciate that,

because when I said "silly,"
I didn't mean the whole thing.

Yeah, wh-when she said "silly,"
she didn't mean

- the industry as a whole.
- You guys don't have to backpedal.

I meant, just... It just gives
me more grist to prove you wrong

by building my empire.

- Ciao, Blake.
- Ciao.

Well, uh, if there's
nothing else, I will, uh,

- say good night. Yep.
- ELIZABETH: No, thanks, Blake.

- HENRY: Good night, Blake.
- ELIZABETH: Good night. Night.

(SIGHS)

Alone at last.

- Hi.
- (BOTH CHUCKLE)

Ciao, isn't that what
we're all saying now?

So are you officially

the ex-acting department chair?

Oh, you didn't think it was
gonna be that easy, did you?

Okay, here's a highlight:
I had to get I.T. to come

and deactivate my
academic user log-in.

- What's that?
- Exactly.

But in order to deactivate it,
you have to have a password.

Which you never set.

Of course not. So, to sum up,

I had to create a password and log-in

just so I could deactivate
my password and log out.

Tell me they're teaching
Catch- at that school.

Tomorrow I have to chair a
Steering Committee meeting

to find my temporary replacement.

Oh, thank God the w*r College
doesn't fight any actual wars.

You know, times like these,
the only sensible course

is to go upstairs...

and watch The Great
British Baking Show.

You read my mind.

Hey. Got a second?

Come on in.

So, I hear you're sending Nikki
on the trip to Milan.

Yeah, she's earned it.

Why, is that a problem?

No, Nikki's great.

I mean, the trip is kind of

about comms and messaging, though.

Yeah, and we just both
agreed Nikki's great.

Say what you want to say, Jay.

You really don't want
to go to Fashion Week?

You, Daisy Grant,

the most fashionable
person in the building?

I just don't want to be apart
from Joanna right now.

I... look, I totally get that.

Leaving Chloe still
kills me every time.

But you always say that your
mom's, like, the greatest

- babysitter in the world, so...
- Look, do you want me to go?

I mean, is that what
you're getting at?

I'm trying to ask if you're okay.

BLAKE: Jay.

The secretary's about to do
a call with Minister Chen.

She would like you on it.

That wasn't on the schedule.
Any idea what it's about?

The massive tariffs
China just announced

that are sending
the stock market into free fall.

That's just a guess.

Oh, my God.

ELIZABETH: Minister Chen,

the complaint the United States
made to the WTO

was measured and appropriate.

These tariffs China has announced

are a dangerous overreaction.

To the contrary, Madam Secretary,

your complaint
was a provocative insult.

So insulting, in fact,

that these tariffs
should be considered measured.

Are you threatening more here?

We are cautioning you
to moderate your tone.

The announcement alone has
caused U.S. stocks to plummet.

We can't let that go unanswered.

So now you're threatening us.

Why don't we just talk honestly

and de-escalate
before it comes to that?

What is really going on here, Ming?

You should have considered
the consequences of your actions

before you so rashly embarked on them.

And as to who might win this contest:

look at the trade deficit
between the U.S. and China.

Then ask yourself who you'd bet on.

Good day, Madam Secretary.

RUSSELL: Well, that
didn't go as planned.

It was a massive
overreaction by China.

Which is exactly what
we wanted to avoid.

I signed off on the WTO
complaint, Russell.

(SIGHS)

Nevertheless, we can't let this stand.

My team and I have put together
a preliminary package

of tariffs for your approval, sir.

It's mostly on textiles
and electronics to start.

But we know how this works:

Once we respond, China
escalates, and so on,

until the both of us go
over an economic cliff,

probably taking the rest
of the world with us.

RUSSELL: A few months of being
locked out of the Chinese market,

and many of our pork producers,
soybean farmers,

they could go under.

I'm already getting panicked calls

from their representatives
on the Hill.

We've got to hit back.

ELIZABETH: We should
stick to our strategy.

I go to Italy to pressure China

on the Fair Work and Trade Agreement.

That presupposes China can be
reasoned with at this point.

Why do we think they reacted
so strongly in the first place?

People's Congress
is coming up next month.

They're gonna be naming
Li's successor.

Could be contentious.

Maybe they're trying
to project strength

in a time of uncertainty.

They're trying to scare us off
of a conversation

about fair trade and labor practices

that is long overdue.

DALTON: Well, I think it's worth

trying to have that
conversation on our terms,

before we get locked into a trade w*r

- that we might not be able to stop.
- Yes.

But if your trip
doesn't yield results,

we're going to have to hit them
with the tariffs.

I will do my best, sir.

RUSSELL: Sure.

It's only the global economy
hanging in the balance.

Your motorcade is waiting
outside, ma'am.

Also, a woman named
Katelyn King called.

She said she met you at court.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What did she say?

That legal aid agency
you recommended to her

isn't taking on any new clients.

She's on a waiting list,
but she won't be able

to see anyone before her next hearing.

Also, Mike B. called,
or rather he keeps calling.

He said, "It's never too soon,
but it can always be too late."

I, uh, I'll-I'll keep fending him off.

No. Actually, uh,
I want to talk to him.

Get me Mike B.

(SIGHS)

KELLY: Knock, knock.

So, uh, there's someone
here to see you.

What do you mean? Who?

- I...
- Uh, Ms. Grant.

Hi. Anne Gutiérrez.

Oh, uh, Sister Anne,
with the kids from...

Kids from Houston, yes.

- May I sit?
- Uh, should I... ?

(CLEARS THROAT)

Can I ask you something, Sister?

You can just call me Anne.
Sister can be weird for people.

How did you get past security?

Tell people you're a nun,
they'll let you in anywhere.

I'll keep this brief.

I understand the secretary
has had a change of plans.

Yes, a last-minute trip.

I'm sure someone told you

a cancellation was
always a possibility.

They did, and I understand.

I mean, the kids won't, but I do.

They'll, of course,
still get the VIP tour.

Yes. I appreciate that.

But they won a nationwide
civic engagement contest

and still had to fund-raise
six months for this trip.

And where they're from,
that's not easy.

So if they can't meet the secretary,

they deserve to meet someone.

Well, I'll check with
the undersecretary.

How about you?

Me? Why?

You're on TV. You're the face
of this department.

Why not you?

Look, I, um, I'm pretty busy, so...

So you don't have time to talk
to black and brown kids

who just took the first plane
ride of their lives to get here.

Or maybe they wouldn't want to hear

what I have to say right now,
so maybe you should

just stop bugging me
about it, okay, Sister?

What would you say to them?

Look, um, I know these kids hearing

from someone like me matters,
believe me.

But you're kind of
springing this on me.

So here's the thing.

I was supposed to go
with the secretary to Italy,

but I didn't want to.

I have a daughter.
She's months old.

My parents, they could
have babysat, no problem.

Lately, every time she is out
of my sight, I get nervous.

I get up in the night to check on her,

like, all the time.

And part of it's to do
with the att*ck.

I mean, a bunch of white guys

were so enraged by the
prospect of making space

for someone like my daughter, like me,

that they would literally rather
blow up the White House,

rather destroy the country
than share it.

And, also, I can give you the names

of at least five unarmed black people

who've been k*lled by the police
in the last six months.

Just driving along, and
then you get pulled over,

and boom, that's it.

What if my mom or dad
is driving Joanna

from a play group or music class,

and then they get pulled over,
and then...

I'm sorry.

See what I mean?

I'm not very inspiring.

Look, I...

I'm not trying to be selfish.

I just truly don't trust myself
not to k*ll someone's dreams.

I know how you feel, and I wish
I had more answers for you.

I worry about my kids every day.

This is why I was so invested

in them winning that contest,
coming here.

So they could at least feel
their country sees them.

That someone even knows
they have dreams.

I'll see what I can do, okay?

Okay. I appreciate that.

Now, I have taken up
enough of your time.

Thanks, Anne.

I'm sorry I said that
you were bugging me.

Oh, don't be, hon.

That's what I do. I bug people
for the Lord. Bye, now.

CHEN: "'It was much
pleasanter at home, '

"thought poor Alice,

"'when one wasn't always
growing larger and smaller,

and being ordered about
by mice and rabbits.'"

(SPEAKING CHINESE)

English, please.

Will Alice get home?

Very good.

We'll have to keep
reading to find out.

Good night, Ai.

Good night, Daddy.

Bravissima.

_

_

_

_

ELIZABETH: Sign on to the Fair Work

and Trade Agreement.
Talk about signing on.

And the president will
keep our side in line.

I can't do that right now.

Well, that is extremely unfortunate.

Several years ago, Elizabeth,

we bumped into each other
at a bar in Lagos.

Do you remember
what you said to me that night?

Something like,

"Imagine what we could do
if we worked together."

But you see how these tariffs
are the opposite of that, right?

I do.

But many things will become
clear in the next few days.

Things that could positively

impact the relationship
between our two countries

for years to come.

You're on the short list
to become president.

As are you.

Don't waste time denying it.

Instead,
think of what might be possible,

given our relationship.

But I warn you, that future
will be at risk if you continue

to embarrass China over
our trade and labor practices.

So, please,
for a few more crucial days,

proceed with discretion.

BAILIFF: Next Case: -A,
The People versus Katelyn King.

JUDGE BRICKMAN:
Good morning, Ms. King.

Before I enumerate the charges

against you, I have to ask:
do you have counsel today?

I-I... I-I think so, Your Honor.

Your Honor, it's a yes-or-no question.

If the defendant fired her
court-appointed counsel,

then she's elected
to represent herself.

The People would like
to know how she pleads.

I'm afraid the People have a point.

What are we doing here, Ms. King?

MIKE: Apologies for my
tardiness, Your Honor.

Michael Barnow for the defense.

Mr. Barnow, this is, uh,
indeed a surprise.

For all of us.

Life is full of them, Your Honor.

Hi.

May I remind the court that
despite these theatrics,

we're still waiting to simply
hear how the defendant pleads.

I understand that the prosecution

has offered a plea bargain:

days in jail and a fine of $ , .

Does the defense accept that offer?

We do not. Indeed, the fact
that the People are asking

for jail time in this case
is absurd and cruel.

Will the court indulge me a moment?

PICKFORD: Objection.
This plea was worked

out with the defendant's
previous counsel.

A public defender who, in
her haste to close a file,

failed to take even
basic steps necessary

to my client's defense.

Which steps, Mr. Barnow?

Taking a statement from
Ms. King's ex-husband,

who would have averred
he was responsible

for failing to pay insurance
on the car in the first place.

Advising her that she could fill
out a simple form at the DMV

allowing her to drive to work
on a suspended license.

- Wait. You can?
- Here.

Furthermore, Your Honor,
Ms. King is a hardworking

single mother... with no
priors, by the way.

The only guilty party
in this courtroom

is an overzealous prosecutor,

who'll be lucky if I don't
call his boss Larry Broznahan

and tell him how terribly

the People are being
misrepresented today.

- Objection!
- Sustained.

Grandstanding aside,

he has a point, counselor.

Why are you pushing
for jail time here?

- Well, this is...
- You know what? You're not.

Given this information,
I'm going to recommend

that this case be settled
with a reduced fee of $ .

Is that acceptable to both parties?

Mm... Mr. Pickford's handling of
this case has been so egregious,

I have half a mind to review
all of his previous ones

before agreeing to anything.

We recommend a fine
of $ , Your Honor.

And we accept.

JUDGE BRICKMAN: Wonderful news.
Ms. King is ordered

to pay a fine of $
and to return a completed form

to the DMV within days.

- (GAVEL BANGS)
- Next case.

That's right. Run, you little twerp.

- Wait. Is that it?
- That's it.

Wait. Thank you so much,
um, but I don't have bucks.

Oh, I do. We'll work it out.
Listen, I got to run.

I parked in a -minute spot.

Who are you?

Mostly an overpaid D.C. hack,

but today, an avenging
angel of justice.

Wait a minute. We're a few hours away

from issuing a joint
statement in this very room,

pledging our support of the
Fair Work and Trade Agreement.

Are you telling me
the EU is backing out?

Of course we agree
with its principles,

but, uh, there is no point
in alienating the Chinese

over an agreement
they will never join.

I understand it might be easier

to hope that they'll choose to
change on their own somehow.

Or we could go ahead
and do the hard work

of trying to shape a world
that works better for everyone.

Inspirational,
but we have an old saying.

"Al piu potente ceda il più prudente."

Roughly translated, it means,

"It is better to bow than to break."

You know what Ben Franklin once said?

"If we do not hang together, we
shall surely hang separately."

I'll tell you what.

You and your colleagues come
to the joint statement.

You leave China to me.

DAISY: The Seventh Floor

is the nerve center
of the State Department,

where the secretary and her
senior staff have their offices.

I know you all were hoping
to meet the secretary,

but unfortunately,
she is out of the country.

(STUDENTS SIGHING, GROANING)

I know, I know.

But before we go into
the secretary's office,

I want you to take a look around.

Six months ago,
when Sister Anne told you,

"We're going to Washington, D.C.,

and we're going
to visit the State Department,"

you probably said she was crazy.

Not "probably said."
That's what they said.

(LAUGHTER)

But six months later, here you are.

I want you to take a moment
to savor your achievement.

Because real talk?

It doesn't get any easier from here.

You know better than most
that sometimes this world,

this country is not going to be fair.

You won't always be seen
for the creative,

enthusiastic young men
and women that you are.

So on the bad days,
when you're tempted to give up,

you're going to have to find

that belief in yourself,
because you can make it.

I know, because I made it,

and you all are
definitely smarter than me,

'cause I read your essays.

(LAUGHTER)

So, remember the good days.

And you guys, I promise you,
today is one of them.

Now follow me.

Come in.

(EXCITED, INDISTINCT CHATTER)

I know you all were hoping
to meet Secretary McCord,

but, uh, I'll just have to do.

Hi.

You're lucky the president
wanted a change of scenery.

- You owe me big-time.
- Do I, though?

And, uh, do you know what
you want to study in college?

- Engineering, sir.
- Engineering. Excellent.

I think it's me that owes you.

No, I think it's the opposite.

I'm glad you came and bugged me.

It's actually
the best job in the world.

But then what, Anne?

Get beaten down by the world,
get inspired by kids,

until you get beaten
down again, and repeat?

Pretty much. Why do you think
I work with them?

Look, you do whatever
small thing you can every day

on the side of hope and justice,
just like you did today.

I'm not saying it's easy, but then,

I get to witness the radical,
transformative miracle

of God's love "on the regular,"
as the kids like to say.

DALTON: I want to meet this
incredible teacher of yours.

Where is Sister Anne?

If you'll excuse me, I need
to go meet the president.

Absolutely.

- (CHUCKLING): Hey, get in here.
- Come on!

- Nice to meet you.
- You, uh,

must be very proud
of these young people.

SISTER ANNE: Extremely.

MAN: Secretary McCord, this may
seem like a trivial question,

but given your recent remarks,
perhaps it's not.

Can you tell me who made the
clothes you're wearing today?

Oh. Absolutely.

The designer is a young woman,

Rebecca Flores of Brooklyn,
New York, of course.

And this suit

is % union and American made.

In fact, it was actually constructed

by Maria Ortiz, Juan Carlos
Carrillo and Carla Macias.

And that's a great question,

and one that we could all
start asking more often.

Thank you. Excuse me.

(REPORTERS CLAMORING)

My colleagues and I are here today

to draw attention to the fact that,

while fashion is an exciting
and economically vital industry,

the manufacture of textiles

all too often comes
at great human cost.

We just saw those consequences
earlier this week

in Emilia-Romagna.

That is why
we are redoubling our effort

to revive the Fair Work
and Trade Agreement.

Unfortunately, one important voice

in this conversation
has chosen not to join us.

China prides itself on its dominance

of the global textile industry
and many others.

But when it comes
to taking responsibility

for their working conditions,

- they're nowhere to be found.
- (CAMERAS CLICKING)

If China wants to be a leader
in the st century,

it's time to come join us
and start acting like one.

- Thank you.
- (REPORTERS CLAMORING)

_

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_

_

_

_

_

_

(PHONE RINGING)

- Ming, how are you?
- I'll be brief.

China wishes no further
unwarranted attention

on its labor conditions.

If that is understood,

we are prepared to engage

on the subject of the Fair
Work and Trade Agreement.

I look forward to working with you.

- Agreed.
- There will have to be

modifications to the language,
of course.

Significant modifications.

So long as they don't undermine

the larger point of the agreement.

The point is we're talking now.

There's no more need for stunts.

Like the tariffs you hit us with?

I was referring to something else.

But now that you bring them up,

it has been decided,

now that it's clear
China's economic might

is not to be questioned,
that the tariffs

have served their purpose
and will be rescinded.

The United States appreciates that

and in return will stand down
its own planned sanctions.

Very well, then.

Good day, Madam Secretary.

Ming.

I've met a lot of heads
of state in this job.

You would have made a fine one,

and I'm really sorry.

More so if my stunt
played any role in it.

That's kind of you.

But I suspect what happened

was what was always going to happen.

Nevertheless,

for both our countries' sake,

I hope your luck proves
to be better than mine.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Until next time, Elizabeth.

Until then, Ming.

HENRY: The next thing I know,
I'm in a meeting

to decide who gets my parking space.

My hand to God. I just
walked out of there.

I said, "I'm trying
to serve my country.

You guys figure it out."

I think I gave away too much
to get China to the table.

They'll be committing
to unprecedented worker,

environmental and trade protections.

And if they break the rules,

hey, at least there are rules.

That's huge.

Will it bring back

those poor women that d*ed in the fire

or prevent the next one? I doubt it.

Babe, politics is the
art of the possible.

You don't have a magic wand.

Well, that's just it.

I feel like I am always...

almost solving the problems.

Temporarily solving them or...

solving the little ones.

Like, I-I'm glad that Mike B.

was able to get that poor
woman Katelyn's case dropped.

Uh-huh. And I bet she is, too.

- Wasn't a little problem to her.
- Yeah.

But what if I hadn't
walked down that hallway?

She'd probably be in jail tonight.

Separated from her kids

for no reason other than bad luck.

That's not the way the system
is supposed to work, Henry.

Sure isn't.

What I have isn't a magic wand at all.

(SIGHS)

It's something much more imprecise...

and inefficient.

It's like a magic...

Rake?

Yes, exactly.

A... a magic rake.

Half the time,
it's not even the right tool.

Half? That's being
pretty generous to rakes.

Is this what the presidency
would be like?

Just trying to level
the playing field,

stitch shattered lives
back together with a magic rake?

All day, every day for four...

maybe eight years.

I love you.

Well, that's sobering.

I love you, too.

And whosoever shall
wield the magic rake

will be pure of heart.

And really creative,

- because rakes are only good
- (LAUGHS)

for, like, one job.

- Heya.
- Come on in.

First of all, I wanted to thank you

for your help with Katelyn.

- Who?
- Katelyn King.

Mike, the woman you saved
from going to jail?

Right! Right. No, that
was fun, actually.

Hey, yes. Okay.

Watching that little creep
of a prosecutor go all pale

as I crushed his crummy case
in my mighty fist of truth.

God, I miss court.

Take a seat.
I want to tell you something.

- I am gonna run for president.
- Yes!

That is what I'm talking about.

- Oh, God.
- Yeah.

I mean, it's good to
finally hear you say it.

- That's important. But tell me
something I don't know. - It is.

- You know what? You know what?
- Well, I...

- I will tell you something you don't know.
- Okay.

You have it in you

to be one of the most
consequential presidents

in our history.

Like, Mount Rushmore great.

Well, let's not
get ahead of ourselves.

- No pun intended.
- No.

- Oh. Okay.
- Let's. Let's get ahead of ourselves,

because you need to get
serious about this right away.

- Issues, advisors, donors. It's time.
- I hear you. I hear you.

In fact, you-you mentioned

- my signature domestic issue.
- Yes.

- I think I found it.
- Great. What is it? Jobs?

Can't go wrong with jobs.
Who doesn't love jobs?

Everybody wins with jobs.

Uh, criminal justice reform.

Huh.

- (CHUCKLES): I know.
- I mean, that's... cool,

but, uh, maybe... maybe
not the signature issue?

- Maybe...
- Every day, I condemn autocracies

for unjustly imprisoning
their own people.

But we are locking up more
of our own citizens per capita

than any other country on Earth.

- Yeah...
- And you know why?

It's just, like, in many cases,
like what we saw with Katelyn.

- Who's Katelyn?
- The woman you helped, Mike.

Oh, yeah. No, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Because we're criminalizing poverty.

And it comes at not just
great economic cost,

but great moral cost
to us as a nation.

And I, for one,
mean to do something about it.

So here's my big idea,

my reason for running.

I want to lift people up.

At home and around the world.

And that's what I want to use my...

you know, magic rake for.

I'm sorry, your magic what?

Late-night conversation with Henry.

Don't worry about it.

But how do you lift
people with a rake?

Do you turn it up...

- And what makes it magic?
- It's not about the rake.

- Is it, like, larger? Okay.
- You need to forget about the rake. Mike.

- I can't forget about the rake.
- Do.

(SIGHS)

So, should I start making calls?

No. Like I said, it's too soon.

But if you want your rich friends

to show their support for me,

you can ask them
to donate to the legal aid fund

that couldn't take on Katelyn's case.

- Clearly, they need the resources.
- Yes.

Absolutely. But maybe
also a super PAC.

Thanks, Mike. It's been clarifying.

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