The House Judiciary Committee this week will begin its
impeachment inquiry.
First Daughter Stephanie McCord
will testify today in an open hearing,
followed by First Gentleman Henry McCord.
Here to offer us an inside view
is Capitol Hill correspondent Priya Khatri.
Priya, why is the House investigation beginning
with the president's family members?
Normally, a president would invoke executive privilege
to protect anyone in her family
or administration from testifying, but...
this is an unusual presidency in many ways.
Now, the president has always maintained
she had nothing to do with the Iran government's hacking
and leaking of her opponent's private records
during the campaign.
But with the Senate Intelligence Report broadening
the investigation into corruption and obstruction,
these hearings can go in any number of directions.
Want to do some cardio with me?
Get out of your head?
I have to go over my WTO remarks.
Did you get any sleep last night?
A little.
Kept thinking about that first summer...
Stevie at horse camp.
Poor kiddo.
So homesick.
Why didn't I just let her come home?
You said it would help her
build character, and you were right.
Are we crazy, throwing her in with the sharks?
Let's just hope Olivia's right
and it's not a circus like the Senate hearings.
Just a House impeachment trial on national television.
We got nothing to fear.
Except the sharks.
Good thing we're all fast swimmers.
Hmm.
It is a kick-ass opening statement.
And I'm not just saying that 'cause I did a pass on it.
Yeah, well, let's hope it's enough
to take campaign finance violations off the table.
If there's anything I can do
to clear up the Martha's Vineyard mishap...
You say "mishap," I say "gift."
The more they go after that mirage,
the more we know they don't have anything real.
Well, let's not get cocky.
Hanson may have given
the House a bunch of trumped-up charges to work with,
but the House Chair still has to litigate 'em all.
Canning is a tough prosecutor,
- and he's not our friend. - You'll forgive me
if I'm confident I won't be convicted
of murdering a state senator.
Well, no, you put enough doubt in the public's mind about it,
- and we're all out of a job. - With Heeney
on the House Committee, we've got a solid defender.
And the markets are a little wobbly this morning,
but overall the economy's good.
Your approval ratings are holding.
Why are the markets wobbly?
Eli Volk disappeared during a trip to Moscow.
The Technoflux IPO was supposed to be Wednesday,
- so it's got everyone rattled. - As long as
they find him in time to write us another campaign check.
What? Like no one else was thinking that?
No, just you.
How does a...
world-famous billionaire just disappear?
We'll be covering that
- in your intelligence briefing. - Knowing Volk,
he was probably on some peyote vision quest.
I'm gonna just grab something I left in the office.
Hey, Mom.
That lady in charge on The... Great British Baking Show...
Mary Berry?
I have decided
she's my ideal role model for Leading While Female.
Yes!
Right? Always had a kind word,
even when the technical challenge was a disaster,
and kept...
Paul Hollywood in line with a look.
Impeccable blazers.
She should run for office.
No! We need her right where she is.
Lot of Americans might say the same about you.
- So listen... - I know.
I'll be fine, Mom.
This isn't horse camp, Stevie.
If you don't want to do this...
I got it.
I'm ready.
You're my brave girl, you know that?
You, me and Mary Berry.
See you after?
You bet.
Two days ago,
Eli Volk, the aerospace engineer and CEO of Technoflux,
disappeared in Moscow
while on tour to promote Technoflux's
initial public offering.
How do you disappear in a surveillance state?
He went to a private evening at his friend's restaurant, and...
his security detail lost track of him.
- Max? - There's no evidence yet
on any closed-circuit we can access,
and no signals to any of his contacts.
What are the working theories?
Could be a mob hit,
some rival corporation trying to thwart the IPO,
or it was state-ordered.
We're working back channels
to see if there's anything
behind the Kremlin's public denials.
- Sorry to interrupt. Uh, ma'am, it's time. - Oh.
The president would like
to watch her daughter's testimony before the House.
We'll, uh, review the rest of the PDB privately.
Thank you, everyone.
Members of the Committee...
we have before us charges against a sitting president,
members of her administration, campaign staff and family,
which, if shown to be true,
pose a threat to the very heart of our constitutional democracy.
We are united as Americans by our unwavering faith
in the integrity of our elections.
To thwart the voice of the people
by manipulating ill-gotten information
provided by a foreign enemy is an assault no one in this room,
nay, this country,
could or should ever tolerate.
Ms. McCord...
not only is your mother's reputation
as an elected official at stake here today,
but the soul of your country is as well.
I would ask you to shine
a clear and unwavering light upon all that you know
and stand before us today as a citizen first.
The chair now recognizes
ranking representative member Heeney
for his opening statement.
Let's see that right hook, Heeney.
Good afternoon, members of the Committee.
Thank you for your testimony, Ms. McCord.
We are here today to find out
the truth, the truth of what happened
between candidate McCord and the government of Iran
in the run-up to the presidential election.
We're also here to investigate
all claims of obstruction of justice
and, uh, campaign finance malfeasance.
Ms. McCord, you do understand that it is your duty
to answer all of our questions to the very best
- of your ability... - Is he hungover?
That's not good.
Sorry to interrupt. I have INR.
They said it's urgent.
...thank you, members of the Committee.
...that the testimony you're about to give
is true and correct
to the best of your knowledge,
information and belief, so help you God?
- I do. - INR just got a hit
on Eli Volk in Moscow when his phone briefly went live.
And?
Seems he's in the Iranian embassy.
Iran captured Eli Volk?
Looks like they're trying to even the score
for the capture of Reza Mousavi in Lebanon.
Iran already hacked a German bank
and crashed an oil tanker.
- The score was even. - Well, not while
we've got their Quds commander in detention.
How do you want to answer?
Blake? First I want to find out
how much Russia knew about this.
I need President Salnikov right away, please.
Yes, ma'am.
Well, at least the press can't say I was colluding with Iran
- on this one. - Don't be so sure.
Which means more headlines about Iran at the worst possible time.
Subtitle sync and corrections by awaqeded for www.addic7ed.com.
Good afternoon. What began as an inquiry
into the alleged conspiracy by the McCord campaign
to collude with Iran,
under Senator Hanson's
Senate Intelligence Committee investigation,
widened to include questions
wholly unrelated to that subject.
This is simply the latest partisan attempt by Congress
to destroy a duly elected president.
The Justice Department failed to find
any evidence of a campaign finance violation.
So...
why am I here?
It can't be to offer new evidence
of something the members of this committee...
...are fully aware never happened.
It can only be for one purpose:
to twist the facts and willfully mislead the public.
When my mother was first chosen
to serve as secretary of state,
I dropped out of college,
because being in the public eye
made me want to disappear.
Today, I welcome sitting before you,
sweating through this jacket,
so the American people can see that my mother
is exactly the woman that they elected:
a supreme patriot...
and a tireless public servant.
Thank you.
Thank you for that statement, Ms. McCord.
Uh, I for one agree that the charge
of campaign finance violations has been fully adjudicated,
and I have no further questions on that matter.
I would like to turn our attention now
to your employment by the Dalton administration.
You were hired as an intern
to Chief of Staff Russell Jackson, is that correct?
- Yes. - And you began your tenure
after your mother had assumed her role
as secretary of state, is that correct?
That's correct.
An internship with the White House chief of staff
is a... is a coveted job.
Would you say you were engaged
solely on the basis of your qualifications?
Mr. Jackson was familiar with my qualifications,
because I had approached him for a letter of recommendation
for law school.
Meaning you were, uh, you were the best candidate for the job.
All I can say is that I was hired.
The Committee is in, uh, receipt of five résumés
under consideration by Mr. Jackson
at the time of your hire.
One candidate was a Rhodes scholar.
Were you a Rhodes scholar?
- Nope. - Another candidate
was a Harvard Law School graduate who had, uh,
clerked for Justice Breyer.
At the time of your hire, had you attended law school?
No, but...
- Third candidate was... - Excuse me, Congressman, if...
the point you're making is that there were
other qualified candidates, Ms. McCord doesn't dispute that.
The point I'm making is that President McCord
has a long history of abusing privilege.
A prime example being the pressure she brought to bear
on Mr. Jackson to hire her daughter.
There was no pressure.
If Mr. Jackson favored me in any way,
it may be because I happened to be in his office
when he suffered a heart attack, and I got him critical care.
If that is sufficient
to outweigh the qualifications of a Rhodes scholar
is for Mr. Jackson to answer, not me.
Something we can certainly explore further.
- Now let's move on. - That's how you do it.
Well, glad my heart attack worked to her advantage.
I have
President Salnikov, ma'am.
Ms. McCord,
we've spent much of this afternoon...
Good evening, Madam President.
I'm sorry
to disturb you so late, Mr. President.
We've just gotten news on the capture of Eli Volk.
Our intel shows he's being held
in the Iranian embassy in Moscow.
That is surprising.
Yes, and I'm sure
you agree this development is appalling and unacceptable.
Have you contacted the embassy?
Well, in light of recent events, Iran isn't
taking our calls at the moment.
Any information or help you can offer
to get our citizen home would be most appreciated.
We will do everything we can.
As you know, the embassy is not under our jurisdiction.
I'm aware of that, Mr. President.
And I'm sure you're aware
that Mr. Volk's illegal kidnapping
is affecting the global market,
which impacts your economy and ours.
It seems to me, Madam President,
the best way to stabilize the situation is
to answer Iran directly
for your own provocations.
Thank you for your counsel.
Let me add that
if Mr. Volk steps one foot out of the embassy,
we'll consider his well-being your direct responsibility.
If anything were to prevent his swift and safe return home,
there would be grave consequences.
We are great admirers of Mr. Volk
and stand by ready to help.
Good night, Madam President.
Did he just explain to us how embassies work?
If he's stonewalling, I-I'm gonna need evidence
of Russia's involvement.
Reach out to the DNI, have them see if there are
any recent deals between Russia and Iran,
anything that even looks like a quid pro quo.
Ma'am, it's time for the WTO.
I'll reach out to Ephraim.
Yeah, okay.
How's she doing?
You know like in Wonder Woman,
when she fends off bullets with her bracelets?
It's like that.
Ms. McCord, how did you learn about your mother's, uh, role
in the torture and murder of Iraqi detainees?
I'm sorry. Is my mother on trial for the actions
of the U.S. government during the war on terror?
I have a text message that you sent
seven years ago.
"Don't ask my mom.
"She totally lied about Iraq
for my entire childhood."
Uh, I was not aware
that there was a House subpoena
on Ms. McCord's private messages.
This was offered by the recipient.
Well, that was a seven-year-old comment taken out of context.
There had been a recent bombing,
and I think I was on my way to a peace rally.
Did she or didn't she lie to you about Iraq?
That's...
If she had told me the truth,
you would be raking her over the coals
for revealing classified information.
- So you admit she's a liar? - Ms. McCord
is not here to discuss her personal conversations
with her mother or her friends that have no bearing
on the president's duties or this committee's charter.
Why don't I move on to my next area of inquiry?
- Thank you. - I want to ask you
about your relationship with, uh, Dmitri Petrov.
Yes.
He was your date
to the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Is that correct?
Yes.
How did you first meet Mr. Petrov?
Uh, he was my father's student at the War College.
Were you aware at the time
that Mr. Petrov was an intelligence asset
under your father's supervision?
No.
Were you aware that before you met
Mr. Petrov, he was living in Phoenix, Arizona
under a pseudonym
where he was arrested for assault?
I was not.
Were you aware that Mr. Petrov was treated
for opiate addiction shortly before
you first met?
No, I wasn't.
I didn't know... the opiate...
No.
So your father allowed you to
engage in a relationship with a violent opiate addict
who was, at the time, a target of Russian assassins?
- It's completely ridiculous. - Mr. Canning,
this line of questioning has nothing to do with
- an impeachment inquiry. - It has everything
to do with President McCord's character,
which is fundamental to this inquiry.
Dmitri Petrov's efforts influenced
America's foreign policy agenda,
directly benefiting Elizabeth McCord
at a time when she was plotting her own political future.
The McCords wanted to keep him on a leash
in case they needed him again.
And in blatant disregard of protocol,
they deployed their own daughter
to aid in their own self-serving mission.
- That is completely outrageous. - Point of order.
You have exceeded your time, Mr. Chairman.
Aah! Put me out of my misery.
Heeney better put him in a box.
Are you currently employed, Ms. McCord?
Yes, I am a project manager at the Human Amnesty Association.
And I just want to say for one,
I am very grateful
for the vital humanitarian work that you're doing there.
Thank you.
And can I just ask...
and sorry if this is a little off topic... but
how did your status
as First Daughter help you get this position?
It didn't.
Um, I was actually told
that my security requirements were a concern.
But I like to think that my passion
for the work and my degree in social justice law
helped mitigate those challenges.
Uh, meaning you're not in the habit
of using your personal connections
for career advancement?
No, I'm not.
Take that, nepotism.
Thank you.
I'll yield the rest of my time to the chairman.
Wait. What?
What is he... Don't yield!
I'd like to go back to Mr. Petrov.
Because it seems to me that
the American public deserves to know the truth
of your parents' involvement in this, uh... this relationship.
Congressman, my parents were not involved
- in my relationship. - So you were not complicit
in your parents' manipulation of Dmitri Petrov?
They deceived you, as well?
- That's... that... - Mr. Canning.
- Mr. Canning? This isn't croquet! - That's not...
- What the hell is he afraid of? - They couldn't have manipulated
Mr. Petrov because they didn't know
that I was seeing him at first.
Huh.
So, you've come here to defend your mother,
but it turns out that you are just as deceitful as she is.
Wha...?
I'm sorry. That's not at all accurate.
Given this witness's admitted disregard
for the truth, I don't think
further questioning would be fruitful.
You're excused.
Guys, I am so sorry.
- No. What? Are you kidding? - What? No. Are you kidding?
We're sorry. I just...
That never should have happened, Stevie...
He started hammering me with all these questions.
- I didn't know about Dmitri... - Listen. No. I-I...
- It never should have happened. - It's my fault. I should have told you
- about Dmitri's history. - No, it is not. You-you...
- But I... - It is not your fault. I...
You didn't even know that we were dating.
That is totally on me.
Stevie, none of this is on you, sweetheart.
You were so brave and so good.
Yesterday turned an internship and a boyfriend
into a bloodbath we'll be mopping up for months.
We're not throwing another one of you to the lions.
I'm already under subpoena. I'm not backing out.
We'd be well within our rights to claim spousal privilege.
And let it seem like we're in retreat?
No. That would confirm every lie they threw out there yesterday.
I still can't even follow what Canning thought
he was trying to build.
Somehow your daughter dating a Russian asset helped you
shore up political power?
- He was spinning. - And Heeney
was holding the yarn.
So much for having an ally up there.
Which is why I need to testify.
I'm the one that brought Dmitri
into Special Activities Division.
I can vouch for his value as an asset.
They are making him the question.
I'm the one that can answer it.
My concern is how much
of this Petrov case is still classified.
Your hands will be tied.
Make it a closed hearing.
They smeared Stevie publicly. I want to answer it publicly.
It's the only way
that we can fully answer these insane allegations.
Congress can always release
a redacted transcript if there are accusations of a cover-up.
- If you think it's best. - Can we...
limit the questions to Petrov, at least?
No.
We'll answer whatever questions they have.
Let the chairman know the hearing will be closed.
Thank you, everyone.
That's it.
I'll fix it.
Hey. How are you?
Good.
Sorry I didn't call last night.
Oh, I know.
It was a...
it was a crazy day.
Yeah.
I was thinking about...
Yeah, I don't know if, um, you...
Sorry.
No, go ahead.
No. You.
Um...
Uh, some of the things you heard about me...
the assault charge in Phoenix... I didn't hurt anyone.
I-I smashed a television. It was stupid.
Okay, yeah, the...
Actually, the only thing that really threw me was, um...
was the addiction recovery.
I know.
Uh, it was, uh, pain medication for some injuries
that I suffered in Russia.
Oh. Okay.
I just... I dated an addict once before,
and, uh, just made me wonder
if it's a thing with me, or...
No, it's not a thing with me.
I've never done anything since treatment. Never.
Okay.
This is so weird.
I'm sorry I keep bringing you and your family so much trouble.
Hey, uh, can-can we meet up, um,
so we can talk in person?
Yeah.
I think I just need a little time
to think things through first.
Of course.
But I'll call you soon, okay?
Okay.
I'll-I'll talk to you then.
Okay.
"USAID has prioritized emergency
response programs for vulnerable population groups..."
- Ma'am? - Uh...
Ephraim Ware.
I was just forcing Russell to get some steps in with me.
Ah. You know, FDR used to work at a desk out here.
So say the White House archives.
I'll let you run the country now.
Ma'am, we have evidence
of Russia's possible cooperation with Iran
in the capture of Eli Volk.
I really didn't want to be right about that.
This is a direct transfer from the State Bank
of Iran to a private account traced to President Salnikov.
The payment appears to be connected to a recent deal
for Russia to develop Iranian oil fields.
What kind of oil deal
pays directly into a president's pocket?
You have confidence in this intelligence?
Entirely. I'll also point out
that the date of the transfer is
less than 48 hours after our SEAL team's
capture of Reza Mousavi in Lebanon.
Yeah, well, Iran didn't waste any time
hatching a counterattack.
Or it's a striking coincidence.
Thanks, Ephraim.
Ma'am.
Madam President, perhaps your own charges
of collusion with Iran have confused you.
There is nothing covert in an oil deal between two allies.
This agreement with Iran was widely reported in the press.
True.
What wasn't widely reported was how much you, Mr. President,
were personally enriched by this deal.
I-I have here records of multiple transfers
to an account we've traced to you personally
from the State Bank of Iran.
All of which happened days before Eli Volk's capture.
Something I appreciated about your predecessor
was that he never spoke in innuendo.
It's something wives do, not leaders.
Well, I thank you, Maxim,
for another lesson in statecraft.
Let me be more direct, then:
Either you take immediate steps
to get Iran to return our citizen
and avoid further conflict with the United States,
or the people of Russia will soon know
how much you've personally gained
at the expense of your comrades.
I hope that's not too indirect.
Your threats are quite clear;
however, the fact remains
that your citizen is being held
in the sovereign territory of the Iranian embassy.
Therefore, I cannot...
I-I'm not asking you to violate Iran's sovereignty.
I'm asking you to reach out to your ally to arrange
the secret transfer of Eli Volk from Moscow to Tehran.
And then I'd like you to inform us immediately
of the details of the flight plan.
You have 12 hours to make the arrangement.
He's so right about the direct approach.
I-It really is more... efficient.
I'll reach out to Defense.
We're on.
Ma'am, we successfully intercepted
the jet carrying Eli Volk
once it left Russian air space.
His plane has landed and is on the tarmac at Incirlik.
Once the hostage deplanes, a Delta Force Team
will secure the aircraft.
Looks like Salnikov came through.
Any contact from Iran?
Nothing official. We're trying back channels.
Alpha Team, execute secure package.
Switch camera view to door side.
First step will be to establish communication
with the cockpit.
Get proof of life on Volk.
Eyes on the door.
The door is opening.
Send Eli Volk out of the plane now.
Eli Volk...
I repeat, send Eli Volk...
Hey, we got a civilian in there!
- Hold fire. Hold fire. - Pull them back.
Hold fire!
Pop smoke and take cover.
Popping smoke.
They're surrounded by U.S. troops.
- How do they think this ends? - For all we know,
that cargo bay's full of C-4.
How's our casualty?
Stable.
We've got him on a medevac to Landstuhl.
What about Volk?
We're working on re-establishing comms.
Infrared shows that he's in there,
but they've blocked our view of the cabin.
So he could be wounded or dying for all we know.
No moves until we get word on Volk.
Copy that.
Let's just calm this down.
Ephraim?
We just got SIGINT from Syria and Southern Lebanon.
Iranian proxy forces
are activating on the Israeli border.
Ma'am, if Hezbollah launches their short range missiles,
hundreds could be killed.
It's saber-rattling. Shiraz doesn't want
the Middle East igniting over this any more than we do.
- I'd rather not count on that. - But...
Uh, Susan's right.
But we have to give Shiraz something so he has cover.
Let's get Tehran.
Get us President Shiraz as soon as possible.
All due respect, ma'am, you are under
an impeachment investigation for colluding with Iran.
Is this really the time for appeasement?
I'm gonna lead with a stick.
I just want a carrot on the end of it.
I have Shiraz on the line, ma'am.
Get him on the screen.
Ellen, are we prepared for a retaliatory strike?
Yes, ma'am.
Sixth Fleet is on standby in the Gulf.
We can have F-18s
over Bandar-e 'Abbas in ten minutes.
Can we discuss what you're planning to offer first?
Russell, I'm trying to prevent a shooting war in the Middle East.
We can talk about how it plays in the press later.
President Shiraz.
It seems we have a situation.
No, you have a situation.
You can resolve it by returning
our citizen Reza Mousavi immediately.
Let's take a beat here.
You've got an American held hostage by armed guards.
We've got you surrounded by American troops
on a military base.
And now you've got Hezbollah aiming rockets at Tel Aviv.
Have you asked yourself where this ends?
It ends where it began:
with Iran defending itself
against U.S. imperial aggression.
Do you honestly think bullying is the way to go here?
Because I'll tell you what bullying gets you, Najid.
It gets you a firestorm of Tomahawk Missiles
and smart bombs annihilating your offensive capabilities
before you can even think about responding.
And then your only consolation
will be a proxy war with Israel that you cannot win.
In the next 30 minutes,
Eli Volk is going to walk off that plane.
No shots will be fired on our side or yours.
Your plane,
and everyone on it, will return peacefully to Iran
and we'll continue our talks about cyber attacks another day.
I will bring your proposal to the Supreme Leader
for his consideration.
Thank you.
Well played, Madam President.
Let's hope that was enough of a carrot.
It was plenty of stick.
Dr. McCord, six years ago, when you worked
for Defense Intelligence, you recruited a Russian soldier
named Dimitri Petrov as an agent
to spy on Russia, is that correct?
I did.
And you did so by providing experimental
life-saving treatment to his sister,
who was suffering from fibrosarcoma.
Yes. And he performed an invaluable service
to the United States by providing critical intelligence
that helped prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Subsequent to, uh, Mr. Petrov's invaluable service,
Russia engaged in treaty negotiations
with the United States, which necessitated
the identification and capture of Mr. Petrov, correct?
I can't get into the details of that,
but Mr. Petrov, regrettably,
was collateral damage for the sake of national security.
Yeah, but he underwent torture.
Correct.
Dr. McCord, you, uh, you personally worked
to have Mr. Petrov released and repatriated
- to the United States, is that correct? - I did.
Are you aware of the maxim that, uh,
once an agent has been turned,
he or she can be turned again?
That's a gross oversimplification.
Mr. Petrov was a unique asset
with an unparalleled knowledge base.
I recruited him only after he was fully vetted.
Were you aware of his opioid addiction
when you brought him on at Special Activities Division?
I learned of that later.
So your vetting was less than thorough.
Excuse me, Congressman, I once again fail to see
how these questions have anything to do
with President McCord.
I'm establishing that connection right now, Counselor.
Dr. McCord, after your wife became
Secretary of State, she installed you
as President Dalton's ethics advisor, didn't she?
Uh, she did not.
President Dalton independently sought me out
for my expertise in the field.
How many previous presidents had, uh, sought you out?
I was a member of the faculty
at the National War College, a qualification
that was sought out by previous administrations.
But not you personally.
And your job as ethics advisor in your wife's administration,
was that, uh, was that based on merit?
Congressman, if you're going to slander my family,
please have the courage to say what you mean.
You knew years ago your wife was going to run for president.
That is completely false.
So to burnish her credentials,
you identified an unstable addict
and manipulated him to put his life in danger
to further your wife's diplomatic agenda.
That's pure fiction.
And after Russia captured him,
no doubt compelling him to reveal American secrets,
you had the wisdom to give this addict
a classified job as a payoff.
Do you have evidence of any of these allegations?
Finally, to sweeten the deal, you set him up
with your own daughter.
All so President McCord could have a man
on retainer who owed the McCords his life.
And his sister's life.
And if ethical questions were raised about his retention,
about anything your wife wanted to do, well,
she had the White House ethics advisor to brush those aside.
Congressman, if you were a freshman in my ethics class,
I would give you an "F."
You have no logic...
- Really, Professor, because I think... - May I finish?
O-Or is-is that how this works?
You get to make up whatever you want and I don't get to answer?
Please.
Most of us think of ethics as the rules of moral behavior.
You are what you do.
But I teach a more theological approach
called virtue ethics.
Virtue ethics says that who we are
is not determined by the actions we take,
but why we take them.
So you can't just spin out some wild theory based on
a few cherry-picked facts from my wife's record.
You have to consider her motives.
And if you look at Elizabeth McCord's
decades-long record of service,
you see a woman clearly motivated
by Plato's four key virtues:
wisdom, courage, temperance and justice.
I suggest you look into them.
I'm sure you believe your wife is infallible, Dr. McCord,
just as I believe you think your posts
in the Dalton and McCord administrations
were based on merit.
Just as you believe your destruction
of a young man's life to serve your wife's political ambition
was somehow justified.
And your delusion is part of the tragedy.
Congressman Heeney.
I, uh...
I yield my time to the chairman.
All hail, President McCord.
Mr. Volk. Welcome home.
It's truly wonderful to be back.
I haven't felt this liberated
since my first divorce.
Oh!
Please, just give us one
damn news cycle.
News of McCord megadonor
Eli Volk's release from capture in Moscow
has unleashed a flurry of speculation.
Here with us to give his perspective
is Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee,
Senator Mark Hanson. Senator?
Thank you, Tracy. You know, we always have to be skeptical
with this administration because they are...
they are truly skillful
at manipulating public opinion and the media.
Says the guy manipulating the media.
...the spectacle this afternoon.
One of the president's biggest donors
literally bowing down to her like royalty
earlier today at Andrews Air Force Base.
This country did overthrow a monarchy quite some time ago.
There has been some speculation that it's possible
this entire story of Eli Volk
being kidnapped by Iran could be another example of McCord's
brilliant media manipulation.
Does this guy ever stop?
Now, normally, I'm-I'm deeply skeptical
of these sorts of rumors, but you have
to ask yourself, why would the president allow
these so-called kidnappers to fly home to Tehran
from a U.S. armed military base
- without a single... - All right, that's enough.
I'm gonna need to make a stop.
Thanks for calling.
I hope this isn't too public.
No, it's fine.
Um, I kind of just decided to live my life, you know?
I'm sorry that I had such a reaction
to the addiction thing.
Oh. No, I'm...
I'm sorry you had to find out on national television.
I think mostly it threw me because, um...
Well, growing up with parents in intelligence,
you kind of get used to there always being
this other story behind what you're told.
So, yeah. I just... I think I get sensitive
about what the truth is, you know?
I know.
- And if I can explain... - Yeah, like-like your time in Alaska.
Um, you told me that you were alone.
And, uh, I'm not proud of this,
but I-I went through your social media,
and I saw this one bartender lady
loved all of your posts.
So none of my business, and I-I swear I don't care...
- The thing you have to know is that... - No, it's fine.
Just please don't lie to me.
Okay? You had a girlfriend in Alaska.
- It's a totally normal thing. - She was not my girlfriend.
She worked at this one bar in town, and...
No, I-I'm happy that you had someone.
Really. It's just...
Please, don't-don't tell me that you were alone.
No, but-but I was.
I mean, yes, we were...
we were together a few times,
- but it meant nothing. - Really?
Is that how Bitty would describe it?
I don't know.
Look, she thought I was no fun, and she was right.
- I had someone else on my mind. - That's not the point.
I-I should have been honest.
I'm sorry.
But I could mention you're the one who had a boyfriend,
and I-I didn't say anything.
Yeah, well, because...
I never tried to hide it.
Of course you didn't say anything.
You're like Jason Bourne.
Just...
Oh, so now I have no feelings because I was a spy?
I don't know. I think I'm just...
...recalibrating.
Stevie, you know me better
than anyone except my sister. Do you think
it was easy for me seeing pictures
of you moving on without me?
Please, don't ever look at me like you don't know me.
Please.
Sorry.
Since I came here, I lost my country.
I lost my name.
But when I'm with you, I feel like I'm home.
And I don't want to leave home again.
Ma'am, he'll still be here tomorrow morning.
Can we please stop and think about this?
Madam President.
A word?
Saw you on the news.
Generally, my television appearances don't bring
a state visit to my home.
This isn't a state visit.
This is two Americans talking about the country we love.
And the country we were both elected to defend.
Oh. Well, at least privately
you're willing to acknowledge that I was legitimately elected.
I didn't say legitimate.
But come, let's sit.
About a week ago, you-you offered
to drop your attacks on me
if I was willing to bend my office to your will.
That is hardly a fair representation of what
- I presented to your people. - Oh, Mark.
I don't think you want to talk fair representation with me.
But my point is if you actually believe
those things you said on television today,
that I staged a kidnapping
to distract from some ongoing conspiracy
with a foreign enemy,
you'd have to be an utter hypocrite
to be willing to overlook that
in exchange for some political influence.
We've already had this discussion
when you called me... What was it?
"A cheap shakedown artist."
That was before you dragged my family into it.
Now it's personal.
I'm not responsible for the questioning
of the House inquiry.
The inquiry that started with your report.
You are directly responsible for this.
What I can't understand is why.
You can't actually believe
that I would arrange a relationship
between my daughter and a Russian spy
to win an election.
Why don't we discuss this in a more official capacity?
Because it doesn't feel official,
what you're doing to me, Mark.
You're obsessed with destroying me,
and you're willing to take down the whole country to do it.
You've got it completely wrong.
I am...
I'm trying to save this country.
From what?
From a falsely elected woman
who rode in on the coattails of her predecessor
and manipulated foreign influence
to hoodwink the American people.
You are a travesty and an aberration,
and when you are finally gone
and a real leader takes your place,
this country will shine out again
like the beacon of hope she's always been.
We don't come in here enough.
Well, it's too intimidating.
Now it's depressing.
I went to Hanson's house.
Nice house, by the way.
He called me
a "falsely elected woman."
I think maybe the "woman" part
is the thing that bothers him most.
You know I never wanted to go there.
But he said something so striking.
After I'm gone,
the country will go back
to being the beacon of hope
she's always been.
Why can he call the country "she"
but not the president?
I assume you're not asking me
why English dropped most gendered nouns.
We did keep "she" for two of them.
- Ships and countries. - Yeah.
Why is that?
Maybe because they both...
carry us like mothers.
And if they go down, we all go down with them.
For some people, that kind of power
is just too scary in a woman.
They can deal with it in the abstract, but...
not in a leader.
They're never gonna make room for me, are they?
Not all of them.
Not yet.
Henry...
I think I want to testify before the House.
Okay.
I doubt that's what Russell's gonna say.
You're the president.
For now.
Do you really think it'll be worth it?
No.
But I figure I may as well get my day in court.
Before the ship goes down.
Subtitle sync and corrections by awaqeded for www.addic7ed.com.