04x10 - Chapter 49

[bunniefuu]

"She squared off
mano-a-mano with Petrov

to finalize the bailout deal.

Meanwhile, Secretary Durant
twiddled her thumbs,

waiting without a seat
at the bargaining table."

Pretty wild, huh?

- When was that posted?
- 3:00 a.m.

You should go.

- No breakfast, even?
- I have work to do.

Welcome back. It's a dramatic day.
Let's see where things stand.

And, Wolf, you can see the big change.

Catherine Durant now on
our presidential nominating wall.

She has shifted
from vice presidential hopeful

to potential presidential candidate.

And a Durant candidacy
might be appealing to Democrats

who aren't enthusiastic
about either Underwood or Dunbar.

And imagine this scenario if we
play this out through this convention.

Heather Dunbar came out of the primaries,
of course, with 46%.

It's not enough to win the nomination,

but for him to win, President Underwood,
he still needs these superdelegates.

He won the popular vote
when Dunbar withdrew,

but you're saying
he doesn't have a technical majority.

659 superdelegates yet to weigh in,

so you see Frank Underwood
drops down to 48%.

He's still in the lead,
but not enough to clinch the nomination.

And you want a little bit more intrigue,
like we need that?

Twenty-four states, Wolf,
these 24 states highlighted,

they do not have so-called
faithless delegate laws,

meaning in these 24 states,
the delegates don't have to,

they are not legally bound
to vote for the candidate

who won their state's primary or caucus.

- They can vote for whoever they want.
- They could vote for Heather Dunbar.

They could switch over
and vote for Catherine Durant.

Wolf, if they want,
they could vote for you.

They're not gonna vote for me.

But if Secretary Durant
siphons off enough votes

or Underwood doesn't get that majority
in the first ballot,

what, all bets are off?

I think about the only sure bet today is

President Underwood must be wishing
he hadn't agreed to this open convention.

Does Durant or Dunbar really
have a sh*t at winning this thing?

Sure. You've got a president
who wasn't elected to begin with.

His health is a giant
question mark right now.

He's had a rocky tenure,
plus you've got an open convention.

Anything could happen.

Like giving,
uh, Durant a run for her money.

Uh, Slugline, by the way, picked up
the Politico story from yesterday.

It could get traction
out there on the floor.

That's true,
and, again, at an open convention,

Claire Underwood may
suddenly be the dark horse here.

Mother.

Hello, Claire.

Why'd you move down here?

Hospice lady said I shouldn't be
going up and down stairs anymore.

Besides, I like it.
More light.

Who's that?

Uh, Tom, would you
give us a minute, please?

Sorry.

No, no. Come here, young man.

Hi, Mrs. Hale.

My name's Tom.

It's Thomas Yates, the novelist.
You've probably heard of him.

Mmm, I think everything since
John Cheever isn't worth readin'.

You're probably right.

Well, Claire... did you come to take stock

of everything you're gonna
inherit when I die?

Hmm. Well, it's convenient, isn't it,

having a dying mother when you need
an excuse to skip town?

We won't disturb you.

It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Hale.

- Elizabeth.
- All right. Well, then you call me Tom.

I hate "Thomas."

- Fair enough, Tom.
- We have a deal.

We want a unified party,
not a fractured one.

I can't play fast
and loose with the rules.

This is an open convention.
There are no rules.

I already gave Senator Sheer
that prime-time spot that you wanted.

But this, as chair of the convention--

And I made you chair of this convention
precisely for moments like this.

I have an obligation
to not play favorites.

Your obligation to the party is
an obligation to the leader of the party,

and as the president, that would be me.

- Correct?
- Yes, sir, but--

Then this isn't about favoritism.
It's about solidarity.

We've got a car waiting to take you
to the convention hall, Ms. Whittaker.

I call this convention to order.

Of the Democratic National Committee
and the convention chair, Patti Whittaker.

Good morning.

I was just informed that
the president will travel to Washington

to meet with his national security team.

Given that key contenders
for both slots on the ticket

aren't able to be on the floor today,
the Rules Committee has advised that

we should wait for their return
before any further votes are held.

There is a motion to postpone all votes

until the president's return.

ICO began its advance
from As Suwar late last night,

and by our calculations
and their current pace,

we expect them to reach the Euphrates
within 72 hours.

Now, this could disrupt
highway and river traffic,

but more importantly,

could give them the opportunity to destroy
vital dams in the region.

And as a result,
I am heading to Washington right now

so that we can decide exactly
how we should stop this ICO advance.

Is this sudden change of plans

a result of your meeting
with Governor Conway yesterday?

Well, it wouldn't surprise me
if ICO accelerated their plans,

uh, because of the governor's comments.

They certainly know
how to take advantage of media attention.

But whether that's the truth or not,

this is an imminent thr*at
which we must deal with immediately.

I'm glad the president heard me

and finally took
General Brockhart's advice to heart.

Now we'll just have to wait and see
if it actually results in anything.

I just hope it's not too little, too late.

What are your plans now, Governor?
Remain in Atlanta?

No, Hannah and I are
heading back on the trail.

We accomplished
what we needed to here in Georgia,

and we're heading off
to Arizona today and then Utah.

Mr. President. Mr. President.

Why Washington and not here?

This issue is too sensitive
for a mobile White House.

I need to be in the Situation Room

with my entire staff
and team of advisors around me.

Yes, Adam.

Mr. President, is this a way
to silence Secretary Durant

after Louisiana put her
in the running for president?

I don't use national security matters
for political purposes.

You know that, Adam.

You have any other further questions,
please direct them to Seth.

Thank you all very much.

- You want me to come with?
- No, you stay behind.

- Keep everything under control.
- Yes, sir.

There are reports
that she's left Atlanta.

The First Lady left earlier this morning.

Her mother's health has deteriorated
in the past few days.

- Seth!
- Adam.

Does this mean
she's out of the running for VP?

The First Lady was never in the running.

She and the president continue
to support Catherine Durant--

Father of four, sailor...

staph infection
from stepping on a rusty fish hook.

Heavens!

And this one, yeah, you were a fruit fly.

- A fruit fly.
- Yes.

Oh. Oh, oh...

You were a consort to Rasputin
and his 14-inch...

No, don't say it.

I don't have to say it
because you're already imagining it.

I looked it over.

I'll meet you outside.

Uh, gonna leave all this to Vi
and the girls if you're not interested.

- Grandmother's jewelry?
- Mmm-hmm.

She'd turn over in her grave
if I didn't at least offer it to you.

- She had great taste.
- Hmm. Where do you think I got it from?

What's this?

Look at it. Open it up.

Must be worth somethin',
baby teeth of the First Lady.

I like that boy.

Makes me laugh.

Like your father used to.

Can't imagine Daddy dressed up
as a fortune teller.

Oh, you'd be surprised.
He had a silly side to him.

Not that I ever saw.

Well, there were certain things
that he only did with me.

Oh.

Oh, you see,
laughter is good for the pain.

Even better than this morphine.

- Let me help you.
- No, no, I can do it.

You just go.

Go!

You crossed everything out.

- It wasn't good.
- I know.

Is that what you're gonna do here,
after she dies?

Cross everything out...
because it wasn't good?

You're not going to get me
to talk about my mother.

I hope not.

Hatred's ugly.

It's too beautiful a day for that.

Back to the salt mines.

Please, sit.

Sir, these are the current ICO positions.

We're still drafting action items,
but we can give you a rough sense--

Well, before we discuss
any m*llitary options,

I'd like to put a call in to Damascus
and see what they'll allow.

Madam Secretary, won't you join me?

So you had to call a national security
meeting just to get us in the same room?

And to keep you off the phone with Conway.

All I needed was one call to him.
I don't need to make another.

You don't actually think he's gonna
make you Secretary of State, do you?

Probably not,
but I would've paid good money

- just to see your face when he told you.
- Mmm.

I never promised you the ticket.
I promised you I'd try.

You pretended to try.

Claire's support
didn't just happen on its own,

and you had the gall to take my hand,
look me in the eye and lie to my face.

- You're mistaken, Cathy.
- Oh, come on, Frank.

I've had a front row seat to everything
since the day Walker took office,

all the lies and betrayals,
and I helped you.

My mistake was I assumed
you wouldn't s*ab me in the back.

Your mistake is that it backfired.

This is all personal, isn't it?

This is about how Claire treated you
when I was in the hospital.

Give me more credit than that.
This is business.

We were partners.
You broke the contract.

- So, what do you want?
- What else is there, Frank?

Nothing.

It's simple.
Either Claire's votes come my way...

or I turn the convention upside down.

We need to talk about Seth.

I've been getting calls
from former clients.

Now, before you say anything,
here's the dirt.

I cheated on a math test in 8th grade,

I shoplifted a homecoming dress
when I was 16,

I experimented with a sorority sister
in freshman year,

and I was late on my taxes in 2007.

What he won't find
is anything that justifies f*ring me.

I'm sure he was just vetting you.
We do that with everyone.

Okay,
if that's your story, then fine,

but all I care about
is winning this election.

So let's get past our personal sh*t
and be a team, okay?

We're fighting a common
enemy here, Mr. President.

It's important that we remain united.

Yeah, and I can assure you
that Secretary Durant will reach out

before we conduct any operation.
Thank you for your time, Mr. President.

We'll be in touch as soon
as we come up with a plan.

You're acting like
I'll still be Secretary of State.

Well, if you play your cards right,
you will be.

Who else did you offer the VP slot to?

There's Jackie, Austen, me.
Anyone else?

Austen withdrew on his own,
and so did Jackie.

I did not push her out.

Jackie says you took her for granted,
that you bullied her, you intimidated her.

And that is what
she is telling every member

of the California delegation,
one phone call at a time.

California.
Lots of votes.

California, the largest piece of delegates
at the Democratic Convention.

I'm told that delegation is trending
toward Heather Dunbar.

Let's watch this, Wolf.

Let's imagine she only picked up
two-thirds of the California delegates.

That gets you above 300 there.

Plus, we assume she'll keep
her home state Connecticut's support.

Off to a pretty good start.

It's over 300 delegates.
What, roughly, uh, 7% of the vote?

That alone could take this,
what, to a second ballot?

That takes it to a second ballot,
an open convention again.

Plus, we also assume that
Louisiana will stay with Catherine Durant.

So, we are not going to have
a definitive idea

of how all this is gonna shape up

at least until they conduct
the first ballot.

There's still no update as to, uh,

when the president
and Secretary Durant will return.

No, and that adds to some
of the uncertainty here.

So let's go back to the floor,
see how things are playing out.

It didn't specify in the article
which direction the motorcade was heading.

East.

You're sure?

Thank you very much.

Hot damn!

I am promising you Secretary of State
for as long as you want it

and my full support
when you run for president in 2024.

I mean, who knows,
you might even get lucky.

My liver might fail before then.

Your promises stopped meaning much
after you promised Baker my job.

I have no intention of offering him
Secretary of State.

Oh, so you lied to him
the way Walker lied to you.

No. Walker and I didn't have a history.
And Walker didn't respect me.

You and I have a history, Cathy,
and I respect you immensely.

But our history goes back three years.

Claire's and my partnership goes back 30.
You have to respect that.

I might have... if you had been honest
with me from the beginning.

Well, I wish I could turn back time,
but here we are.

And you can keep me out of Atlanta
for as long as you want,

but you can't hold the vote back forever.

Time's moving forward, not back.
And time is on my side.

If Heather Dunbar wants to take advantage
of the president's absence,

that's her prerogative.

But she's still in D.C.,
there's no public statement.

You see that as taking advantage?

You think Congresswoman Sharp
would make calls on her behalf

if she wasn't pulling the strings
from Washington?

Sharp says
she's doing it on her own.

You don't have any proof of coordination.

You're right, I don't.
Just human nature, basic logic,

and a slightly better than average
understanding of political gamesmanship.

Uh, if you will excuse me,
even press secretaries have to pee.

- I'll just be right back.
- Okay.

Excuse me.
Excuse me. I'm sorry. Excuse me.

What's up?

LeAnn knows, and I think you told her.

I did. Straight up.
I told her everything.

- Let's go. Upstairs.
- No.

- Excuse me?
- You've got Dunbar in play,

you got Durant with the president,
and the First Lady's in Dallas.

And I've got a room full of press

that I've been keeping at bay
since 8:00 this morning,

so I will tell you why I told her...
after I tuck in all the children.

Let's vote now!

Order, please!

It is Senator Sheer's time to speak.

Order!

Maybe we should let Cathy have her way.

If the vote's held now, you two win.
We focus on the general.

What's brought all this on?

I just wonder if we're in over our heads,
Francis, trying to do this.

Is it your mother?

I'm sure it's difficult
to see her this sick.

She's completely helpless.

But we're not helpless.
We can turn this around.

I guess I'm just...

I don't know, maybe...
maybe we're making a mistake.

Maybe I'm not ready
to be your running mate.

- Conway has a four-star general.
- Is she happy, your mother?

No, she's miserable.

Tom makes her laugh, but mostly, no.

Imagine my liver's failing.

- Imagine I'm dying.
- Francis...

No, I just want you
to picture it for just a moment.

There I am, lying in a bed
just like your mother is now.

The only thing that would make me happy

is to know that you would
take over after I passed.

If it were Cathy...

I'd be just as miserable
as your mother is.

I'll do my part.

You just concentrate on that speech.

All right.
Thank you, Francis.

Good night.

- She, uh... she won't eat?
- It's hard for her to swallow.

How much time do you think she has?

I can't be definitive, but...
a couple of weeks, maybe.

If she stops eating altogether,
it could be days.

She's in a lot of pain.

She doesn't have to be.

When it gets to this point,
we can make her comfortable.

Comfortable enough
that the body will let go.

Does she want that?

That is something you should
discuss with your mother.

I like the plants.

The plants you put in there.

It's the little things, right?

If we take out the refineries,
that would eliminate their revenue stream.

They can't advance
if they don't have the resources.

President Makhzun made it very clear
he wants those to remain intact.

It's our best option
from a strategic point of view.

Minimal loss of life,
maximal impact on capability.

It's either total w*r or nothing at all.

Well, that doesn't sound
very diplomatic, Cathy.

We're going to be
diplomatic with t*rrorists?

I made a promise to President Makhzun.

You've broken promises before.
Why should this be any different?

Why don't we break for dinner?
We'll pick this up afterwards.

I wanna review this a bit more.

I'll have some food brought
into the Roosevelt Room.

Thank you all very much.

Cathy, why don't you and I eat in here?

"Total w*r or nothing at all"?

The moment I get in front of those cameras

and I tell them that Conway is right
and Brockhart is right,

and that you completely
bungled the ICO situation,

how do you think Dunbar will do then?

Can we get two Cobb salads
in here, please?

- I don't like Cobb salad.
- Then you don't have to eat it.

Thanks for coming over.

Way easier coming here
than you coming there.

Must be ten news crews
outside of my house.

How'd you escape?

The old-fashioned way.
Back door.

- Hmm.
- How did you get my home phone?

Oh, old-fashioned way.

- Rolodex from the Herald.
- Ah.

Come with me.
I won't keep you long.

Yeah.

- How long did this take you?
- Couple of months.

I've been working on my own.

We had a whole team
and we didn't find this.

Well, you probably weren't digging
as deep as the Bates City Vine.

No.

We spent most of our energy
tracking the money.

We should've been more
focused on the travel logs.

I wouldn't have checked either
until I spoke with a pizza guy.

Then I realized they might be
manipulating the logs.

Which gets you to Lanagin.

It still doesn't prove
he met with Lanagin,

but I don't know where else
that motorcade would've been heading.

Are you going public with this?

I could,
but he has some plausible deniability.

He pins it all on Meechum.

If he's covering up travel,
who knows what else he's covering up?

That's the story I want,

not some Secret Service man
being loose with the books.

- So you're still under the radar.
- Mmm-hmm.

I have to ask you
to keep all this to yourself.

I know it can be tempting now that...
you have a chance,

but if this goes public too early,
his guard goes up.

Listen, it was hard when I withdrew.

How the leadership abandoned me,
how the public did.

It took some time...
but I made my peace.

It's a crapshoot whether I can win this.
He can probably fight that off.

You need to write the story
that he can't fight off.

You investigated him.
Where's the weak link?

Remy Danton.

Tom did that.

It's a shame.
He'd be good for you.

I never believed in the tooth fairy.

Well, you took the money anyway.

Could you turn off that light, please?
Hurts my eyes.

When you were small...
you used to...

used to ask me to make it stop, the dark.

Do you remember?

Yes.

And I promised you I would...
in the morning.

But, damn it,
you would sit at that window...

every night...

trying to make the sun rise,
all by yourself.

Your daddy would put you in bed...

after you'd fallen asleep
with your face against the glass.

And I was so jealous.

Of me and Daddy?

That you believed.

You believed you could make the sun rise.

I spoke to her, Mother, the nurse.

I can't do it.

I can't do it, Mother.
I can't do what you want me to do.

Claire...

it'd help you win...

having your mother gone.

Do this for me.

And let me be a help to you.

Finally.

Tom.

She wants you to be there.

What do you want?

I want you to be there, too.

Okay.

Okay.

I told her because you put me
in an impossible situation.

There's nothing on her,
but you wouldn't listen.

And you must not have listened
when you came over to my house.

I was very clear.

So... you're gonna throw me
on the ground again?

Look, here's a glass.
Let's go ahead.

You wanna fire me?

Fine. It's another resignation.

After Remy, after Brockhart.
With Durant, with Dunbar.

You know, I spin stories for a living.

I can't begin to tell you
how to spin this.

You know, the minibar wasn't open
because you wanted a Diet Coke.

- I'm worried about you, Doug.
- Nobody needs to worry about me.

Yeah, somebody does...

because this scorched-earth policy
is bad for us.

I don't give a rat's ass
about LeAnn Harvey. We need her.

And you need me.
And we both need you.

- At your best.
- I'm fine.

Are you?
Instead of having me do damage control,

you're having me
do damage to one of our own.

- I am trying to protect the president.
- And I'm trying to protect you...

from yourself.

You're so full of sh*t.
You don't care about me.

After what you did, I should hate you.

But where does it get us?

Check out the Telegraph.

The strategy is working...

if you let it.

Or make me resign.
Your call.

- Are you okay?
- It's what she wanted.

I was asking you.

Schedule the vote for tomorrow.
I'll fly back to speak just before.

Claire, your mother just passed.

Schedule it, Francis.
Tom wrote a speech. It's good.

- Cathy's not on board yet.
- Then get her on board.

I'm sorry.

- I didn't mean to--
- No, no, it's all right. I'll get it done.

Thank you.
I'll see you tomorrow.

Good night.

Ask Secretary Durant
to meet me in the Oval.

Yes, sir.

Mr. President.

Coffee table.

The funny thing is
I didn't even have to ask him to do it.

He did it on his own.

I especially like where he says,

"Catherine Durant is functional.
Claire Underwood is formidable."

So, you see, you don't even have
time on your side. It's on ours.

By tomorrow morning, there'll be
a dozen articles just like that.

So you have a choice.

You can redeem yourself
as Secretary of State

over the next four years,

or go down in history as a fluke,
who bungled the Middle East

and couldn't even close the deal
in Brandenburg.

You have your version.
I have mine.

I'm sure mine will get
just as much traction as this.

But my version wins
because it's the better story...

and it's also exactly
how things went down.

You see, you don't even have
the truth going for you.

I'm not scared of you.

My endorsement of Dunbar,
that makes for an even better story.

But you wanna know what the best story is?

Claire's mother just d*ed.

- I'm sorry to hear that.
- Oh, I don't think you really are,

but that doesn't matter
because the rest of the world will.

And by the time she gives
her speech tomorrow night,

there won't be a dry eye in Atlanta
or across the rest of the country.

So, you get to keep your job, Cathy,
in return for your delegates.

That offer is still on the table.

I have been loyal.
I got you that table.

Do you wanna keep it,
or do you wanna give it to Conway?

You know, when I was
waiting for my transplant,

I had the most vivid hallucinations.
You wouldn't believe 'em.

Do you know who I saw?

Peter Russo and Zoe Barnes,
right here in this room.

Zoe was trying to seduce me,
right here on this couch,

and Peter, he shoved my face
up against this glass.

Cigarettes and razor blades and sex.

It was terrifying.

All I wanted to do
was get out of this room

that I worked so hard to get in.

But of course, it makes sense
that they would've haunted me

because it's all true.

- What is?
- Everything Lucas Goodwin claimed.

I k*lled them both,
just like he said I did.

But of course, nobody believes it,
and nobody ever will.

Because that's how good we are...

at making things...

disappear.

No, we didn't k*ll anybody.

But we would have...

if it was necessary.

So, you're right,
the time for negotiations is over.

You will hand over your delegates,
and you will serve on in my cabinet.

And we will forget
that any of this ever happened.

Because if you don't...

I swear to God...

I will never...

ever forget.

Do you understand now?

Yes.

Good.

Now, let's go decide what we're gonna do
about these t*rrorists.

Want me to call someone?
Make arrangements?

We made the sun rise.

- She told you that, too?
- Mmm-hmm.

We should get going.

Me and Hannah want to extend
our warmest condolences

to the First Lady and the President.

They and all of Elizabeth Hale's
loved ones are in our prayers.

And we won't be campaigning today
out of respect for their loss.

God bless President and Mrs. Underwood.

Got it.

Put it out.

Perfect timing... for her to drop dead.

We were on a roll, too.

I should prep for the speech.

I have a room set up for you.
I'll be right in.

Right this way, Mrs. Underwood.

I read the draft.

And?

- I wouldn't change a thing.
- I'm glad you're pleased.

I'm glad you were with her.

She's strong.
You're a lucky man.

Don't I know it.

Ladies and gentlemen,
it is a great honor to introduce

Secretary of State Catherine Durant.

Thank you, thank you very much.

I know that all of you join me in offering

our sincere condolences
to the First Lady for her loss.

Tonight, I want to offer
my sincere gratitude

to all the delegates
who have honored me with their support

during the course of this convention.

Thank you so much.

However, after much deliberation...

I have decided that I have more
to offer you as Secretary of State

than to resign and run for office.

But I want to encourage
every one of you who has supported me

to join me in supporting
this extraordinary woman,

the First Lady of the United States,
Claire Hale Underwood.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And good evening.

As all of you know, my mother,
Elizabeth Constance Hale,

passed away last night
after a long illness.

She was a strong woman...

a fierce Texan...

We had... a difficult relationship
from childhood onwards.

At times, there were
long periods of estrangement.

We hurt each other... often and deeply.

If there was one good thing
that came from my mother's illness...

it gave us a chance to reconnect,
to mend old wounds.

And that's not an opportunity
people always get before a parent dies,

and I'm grateful to have had that.

And what am I doing here?

I'm here because my mother
wanted me to be.

Yesterday, before she passed,
she said to me,

"Claire... do this.

If the people want it, listen to them.

And if you lose, then you lose.

But if you win...

be honored, be humbled,
and win this election with Francis!"

And I told her, I said,
"The Conways are tough opponents."

And she said, "They may be tough,
but they're not Texas tough."

Loss is a sobering phenomenon.

Several months ago,
I almost lost my husband.

Our nation almost lost a president.

Loss makes us reevaluate
what we hold dear.

And I'll tell you, there were...
times in the not too distant past,

where Francis and I, we...
almost lost our marriage.

Hard times when we thought
we wouldn't make it.

And like many of you know,
marriage isn't always the smoothest road.

And it took the actions
of a deranged young man

to remind me how important
Francis is to me.

And now, with my mother gone...

he's the only family I have left.

I trust Francis Underwood with my life,

with our nation, with our future.

I hope you will, too.

And if you trust the both of us,
I'll heed my mother's words,

and I'll be honored
if you nominate me as his running mate.

Claire! Claire! Claire!

Jesus!
You did great work.

Ladies and gentlemen...

Madam Secretary, as convention chair,

I move that we make the nomination
of Claire Underwood for vice president...

and Francis Underwood
for president by acclamation.

Do I hear a second to vote by acclamation

for the nomination of the president
and the vice president?

- Hear, hear!
- So moved.

All of those in favor of the nomination

of Francis Underwood for President
of the United States, say "aye."

- Aye!
- All those against.

Nay!

All those in favor of the nomination

of Claire Underwood for our Vice President
of the United States, say "aye."

Aye!

- Against?
- Nay!

The ayes have it!

Our party's ticket
for the 2016 presidential election

will be Francis and Claire Underwood!