The First Lady (2022) s01e09 Episode Script

1
Mom?
Mom?
Mom! Mom!
Are you okay?
What happened?
I don't know. I
Oh, I-I must have fallen.
Oh. I didn't know you were coming.
Are you hungry?
Shall I make you a sandwich?
No, I, um
I'm gonna turn the shower on,
and I can
I can make us both something.
Thank you, honey.
I guess soup is about all I can handle
at the moment with this tooth.
I called the dentist
and made you an appointment.
How are you?
Are you happy in your new apartment?
Mom, how how did this happen?
I
I suppose I
I forgot to turn the bedroom lights on
and must have tripped on something.
You don't remember?
Mmm.
I did go to a little party next door.
The, uh, Firestones are lovely.
They are from the tire company family.
They served this
planter's punch.
It was very sweet.
When's Dad coming back?
I don't know.
Maybe today.
I forget.
Mm-hmm.
- Good night, sir.
- Jimmy.
Susan.
What are you doing here?
Dad, Mom's not doing well.
Yeah, you said she had a little fall.
No. We need to talk.
It was not just a little fall.
She was drunk.
She went to a party next door,
she came home,
and she fell flat on her face.
Well, she's small.
Alcohol sometimes catches up with her.
No, that's not it.
She's drinking all the time.
She has a makeup case full of pills.
Susan, none of this would be happening
if she didn't have that shoulder injury.
Dad, that's not the issue.
Oh, honey. Yes, it is.
Anna. What's happened?
The Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor.
Oh, good God. How bad?
Very bad.
You are free to move. Godspeed.
Thank God. Eleanor.
Gentlemen, if I could have
the room for a moment, please?
Thank you.
Churchill is waiting for your call.
Of course, I'll call him shortly.
Also, I want hourly reports
updating me on the status
of the casualties.
When you make the address,
you'll want to say something
that shows strength and reassurance.
Remind the people that
you're here for them, Franklin.
I was thinking it might be better
if you made the first address.
But Franklin, you're their president.
And you are the heart
of my administration.
- But, Franklin
- Eleanor,
the American people believe
that they know you personally
because of your
daily broadcasts, your columns.
That's a column, Franklin.
What could be more reassuring than that?
Eleanor, I need your help. Please.
We're on the air in three, two, one.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen."
"I am speaking to you tonight"
at a very serious moment in our history.
There are so many questions
and so much uncertainty.
Let me offer the things
that I know are true.
The cabinet is convening
and the leaders in Congress
are meeting with the president.
The State Department
and Army and Navy officials
have been with the president
all afternoon.
By tomorrow morning,
the members of Congress
will have a full report
and be ready for action.
In the meantime,
we, the people,
are already prepared for action.
For months now,
the knowledge that something
of this kind might happen
has been hanging over our heads.
That is all over now
and there is no more uncertainty.
We know what we have to face,
and we know
that we are ready to face it.
I should like to say
just a word to the women
in the country tonight.
I have a boy at sea on a destroyer.
For all I know, he may be
on his way to the Pacific.
Two of my children are
in coast cities on the Pacific.
Many of you all over the country
have boys in the services
who will now be called upon
to go into action.
You cannot escape anxiety.
You cannot escape a clutch
of fear at your heart.
And yet, I hope that the certainty
of what we have to meet
will make you rise above these fears.
We must go about our daily business
more determined than ever
to do the ordinary things
as well as we can.
And whatever is asked of us,
I'm sure we can accomplish it.
We are the free and unconquerable people
"of the United States of America."
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
There'll be bluebirds over ♪
The white cliffs of Dover ♪
Tomorrow ♪
Just you wait and see ♪
There'll be love and laughter ♪
And peace ever after ♪
Tomorrow ♪
When the world is free ♪
Shall we reconvene at 0700?
- Agreed.
- Well, well.
If it isn't
England's favorite First Lady.
Well, I did my level best.
And I am ever grateful for it.
Your level best is rather peerless.
Show me, please?
Of course.
James and his Second Raiders are here.
Safe. Still on Makin Island.
And way over here in Algeria is Elliot,
leading the Third Recon group.
As of two hours ago, he was safe.
Franklin Jr.'s destroyer
managed to navigate around
a torpedo at 1800 hours
all the way up here,
just off the coast of Iceland.
But he too is safe.
And then John is here.
Now a lieutenant commander in the navy.
He is safe. They are all safe, Eleanor.
Thank God. Thank God. Thank God.
It's so hard to be away
from this map, Franklin.
I can only imagine.
Come join me on the couch.
Thank you.
Damn!
I am so sorry.
Please, let me help you up.
I'm sorry. I Oh.
I'm more tired than I thought.
When this thing is over,
whenever that may be,
God willing sooner than later,
we need to go back to Campobello.
Just the family.
All of us together.
Sort of like a vacation of sorts.
- Oh.
- Even if only for a few days.
A vacation, I can't even imagine.
Here we are, you know,
after all these years.
Yes.
You know, earlier today,
I was thinking about
what a difficult time
Mother had given you.
No, she did?
I wish she could see you now.
Single-handedly representing
our nation across the globe.
"Oh, she'd just say," Step back
"and let your husband shine."
"Stop drawing
all the attention, Eleanor.
Be a proper wife."
"Proper."
Proper is not a word
I would use to describe you.
Singular, maybe.
Formidable. Relentless.
Irreplaceable.
Mmm.
Your mother did do
one thing for me which
I will always be grateful.
What?
She insisted we stay together.
Hmm.
A team to the end.
Yes.
I missed you.
Come in.
Mr. President. Madam First Lady.
- Sir, they're waiting for you.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
CNN said that Hillary
has an 11-point lead.
Well, you can't trust polls, honey.
Hey, I can see that phone, put it away.
- Yeah. It's all right.
- Mom?
Oh. I'm gonna miss these views.
Mm-hmm. The hour cometh.
- Yes.
- Thought you'd be happy?
I am.
I just want this election to be over.
Mom, why are you stressing?
We're about to have
our first woman president.
- Mmm.
- That could've been you.
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
- It could have.
No. I'm still worried
if Hillary will get the votes.
She's ahead.
- Yeah.
- Mmm. I don't know.
Hey. Phone.
Yeah, but Trump can't win.
That would be crazy.
No, we passed crazy
when he got the GOP nomination.
Yeah. Well, you know, uh,
Hillary wants Mom to speak,
but Valerie's saying that
they're having some difficulty
getting through to the East Wing.
Hillary doesn't need my help.
She could be the secret weapon, right?
Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama.
I can see that phone. Put it away.
You just said you were worried
she wouldn't get elected.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Hey, Malia, phone.
Seriously, put it away.
I gotta use some Tic Tacs just in case
- I start kissing her.
- What?
- Mom.
- I'm automatically attracted
to beautiful
I just start kissing them.
It's like a magnet.
Just kiss. I don't even wait.
And when you're a star, they let
you do it. You can do anything.
- Whatever you want.
- Grab 'em by the pussy.
This is everywhere.
No one's gonna vote for him now.
Hello, how are you?
"It's just locker room banter.
Boy talk."
Ugh, he made it all about Bill
and his sordid past.
Okay. Well. Bottom line,
he's still in the race,
and not to mention her baggage.
I mean, they just People don't
like her. They don't trust her.
Yeah. Well, our news and airwaves
had the word "pussy" on repeat.
We need to take him the fuck down.
- Yes.
- But Hillary can't do it.
If she goes after him too hard,
she's shrill.
She's a bitch. She's unfeminine.
She's unbecoming.
I know. And that is why
And I know you have your
issues with Hillary
But that is why they keep asking for you
to go on the campaign
trail and support her.
And make a speech.
You all right?
They want me to show up for Hillary.
- Mm-hmm.
- We're not invited to the table
until there's a crisis with white women.
And then we're in it together.
But when we ask their support
in anything we need,
we get, "It's a Black issue."
I'm not wrong.
If he wins
it seems to me it's gonna be a problem
for more than just white women.
Come in.
Uh-huh. Mrs. Ford.
Dr. Cruse. Oh.
- How are you?
- What a nice surprise.
Is this your wife?
- No.
- Oh. No.
No. My name is Jenny.
It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Ford.
Nice to meet you, Jenny. Please, sit.
Thank you.
May I get you something? Some coffee?
- Oh. No. No.
- No. I'm good.
Are you doing house calls now?
No, Mom,
I-I actually called him.
Because besides his primary practice,
uh, he also knows a lot about
um, something that I
That I-I wanted his help
to talk to you about.
Okay.
Um, your daughter is concerned
about the amount of alcohol
and pain medication
you're taking, Mrs. Ford.
I've just been worried about you
for so long.
And you drag my gynecologist here
to talk to me about
some harebrained theory you have.
It's not a harebrained theory.
I didn't know what else to do.
I was more than
happy to come, Mrs. Ford.
And Jenny here has experience
with meetings like this.
She can answer
any question that you have.
Who do you think you are, young lady?
We understand this is
very difficult for everyone.
Susan, maybe you can start
by telling your mother
how you've been feeling.
Uh Well, I-I'm I'm afraid
that you're going to die.
That's how I feel.
We're all going to die, Susan.
We're all going to die.
I think you both should leave now.
- Bruce?
- Mrs. Ford
- Mom, please.
- Bruce?
Mrs. Ford.
- Ma'am?
- Could you please escort
- Dr. Cruse and his helper
- No, that's okay.
- That's okay. We'll We'll go.
- Mom.
Susan, I want you out too. Get out!
- Mom.
- Get out!
Betty? Betty?
You You could've
You could've warned me
that my only daughter
was trying to put me away.
But no, you took off to the golf course
like you always do.
I'm going to New York.
I am tired
of people plotting against me.
I want a divorce. I'm done.
I I have stuck by you.
I have done everything
I was supposed to do!
- Betty.
- What do I have to show for it?
An ungrateful daughter and
a husband who won't protect me!
Betty.
Get away from me. Get away.
Don't touch me.
Don't touch me. Don't touch me!
Shh.
Hey.
Hey.
She's sleeping.
You were right. It was a terrible idea.
No, it wasn't.
She's very sick.
I just couldn't see it.
You've been telling me
this whole time, and I just
I don't wanna lose her.
I just don't know what to do.
- Esther?
- Yes.
Remember how Admiral Halsey
was dead set against Mrs. R's visit?
"Can't waste resources
on welcoming some do-gooder."
Listen to this quote he gave yesterday.
"Here is what Eleanor Roosevelt
did in 12 hours."
She inspected two navy hospitals,
took a boat to an officer's rest home
and had lunch there.
She returned and inspected
an army hospital.
"She reviewed the Second
Marine Raider Battalion"
What is that?
Wait, I'm sorry. Doesn't matter.
"Um" She made a speech at
a service club,
attended a reception
and was guest of honor
"at a dinner party
given by General Harmon."
I am exhausted just reading this.
Oh, my favorite part.
"Um," I marveled at her hardihood,
both physical and mental.
But I marveled most at their expressions
as she leaned over them.
"It is a sight I will never forget."
Oh!
Ah! A powerful man admitting
he was wrong?
Another first.
For someone with such
a reputation for aggression,
I have to say I found him
to be quite the gentleman.
And more importantly,
how he cares for those men in his charge
is really quite something.
Now, Tommy, could you do me a favor
and find the address
for this soldier's parents?
I think I've missed a letter
or a number out.
- Of course.
- Thank you.
With all the traveling
you're doing these days
we ought to rent out your room.
And give the proceeds to the Red Cross.
I'm sure Steve Early would love that.
Hick.
When did you get in?
Oh, um
I got in late last night.
I-I didn't want to wake you up.
You'd already gone to sleep.
Good. Come join me for breakfast.
No, I have to go.
Wh Go? You only just got here.
Go where?
Oh, I've got a-a room
at the Mayflower, and I
I have so much work to do and
you don't need any distractions.
Don't be silly, you're no distraction.
Come. Come sit with me.
I have to go.
I have to go.
What is it?
I didn't get in late last night.
I got in at
I got in at noon yesterday
and I came to find you, and
and I did find you.
And then I just
I watched you. I watched you.
I watched you working.
Working away with With everyone,
with Tommy and with Esther
and with everyone.
Taking in the next great triumph,
and then on to the next,
and on to the next,
and on to the next. And you looked
You looked so
So alive and so beautiful,
and determined, and just
so much happier than I've seen you
for such a long time with me.
Oh. And you belong right there,
right in the middle of all of us.
I don't want it to be all of us.
I always just want I just
wanted to be the two of us.
And you know that. You know that.
Please, Hick, don't be petty.
It's not the time to be petty.
It's a serious time.
Yes, it's not the time for
For those dreams
that we had for our life together.
They were just
They were just that,
in the end, weren't they?
They were just dreams.
They were childish dreams.
Yes.
Ugh. It would be so much better
if I didn't love you quite so much.
You you belong to the country.
You always did.
Hillary Clinton
is a New World Order criminal.
Hillary Clinton is going to
sell our fucking country
to the Saudi Arabians,
you fricking idiots!
pussy came to shut it down!
If Trump thinks he runs this town,
pussy came to shut it down!
Hillary Clinton supports rape!
This pussy votes!
Hillary Clinton's husband will
grope you in the White House.
After your speech, we fly straight out.
Now, if you want,
I can speak with
Secretary Clinton's people,
see if I can get you a few minutes to
No. We didn't fly here for small talk.
Got it.
- Madam First Lady.
- Secretary Clinton.
Thank you so much for being here.
- Thank you.
- I'm sorry we're running late.
I hope I have the chance
to see you later.
Please welcome Secretary Clinton
to the great state of New Hampshire.
All of us are honored to welcome you.
Ladies and gentleman,
the next Madam President
of the United States of America.
Stay behind the podium.
Do we have an ETA Oh.
- Madam First Lady.
- Secretary Clinton.
Thank you so much for coming.
- Of course.
- Yes.
Secretary Clinton, sorry,
but the press is waiting.
Could we have a moment alone, please?
- Sure.
- Just a moment.
I will have your candidate
back in no time.
- Sure.
- Please, just a moment.
Of course.
Thank you.
So
- That tape.
- That fucking tape.
I can't even
You'd think his own words
would be enough to damn him.
Help me.
Please.
I know we both love this country,
and we'll do anything to stop that man
from trashing your husband's legacy.
You were happy to trash Barack in 2008.
That was a campaign.
"He's not a Muslim as far
as I know," end quote.
I regret a lot of the things I said.
And now you need my help.
The country, our country,
needs your help.
Michelle, we're all on the same side.
We're all on the same side,
but we're not always equal, are we?
We have a long way to go.
I don't deny that.
No. We have a common enemy.
If I go at him, call him out
for the dishonest predator
that he is, I lose votes.
I lose women.
I know that privileged white women
have dominated the discourse.
I hear where you're coming from.
And when I am president,
I will not forget this exchange.
I will be a president for
all Americans, for all women.
But first, we have to take him down.
I have wanted this all of my adult life.
No one is better prepared than me.
I can do this.
And I know for damn sure
I will do a better job than him.
Let's go take him down.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
My goodness.
My goodness, you guys are fired up!
I am so thrilled to be here
with you all today in New Hampshire.
Yes.
I'm gonna get a little serious,
because I think we can all agree
that this has been a rough week
in an already rough election.
Here I am out on the campaign trail
in an election where
we had consistently been hearing
hurtful, hateful language about women.
Language that has been
painful for so many of us.
The fact is that in this election,
we have a candidate for
president of the United States
who, over the course of his lifetime
and the course of this campaign,
has said things about women
that are so shocking,
so demeaning that I simply will
not repeat anything here today.
And last week, we saw this candidate
actually bragging about
sexually assaulting women.
This wasn't just locker-room banter.
- Excellent. Great.
- Okay.
This was a powerful individual
speaking freely and openly
about sexually predatory behavior.
No woman deserves
to be treated this way.
We need to get to work.
Because remember this,
when they go low we go
- High!
- Yes, we do! Yes!
Clara!
Mrs. Ford.
Mrs. Ford.
What's all this?
Is this an April Fools' joke?
Did you know about this?
I didn't expect to see you, and to
- Betty, sit down.
- I'm early.
Sit down, boys.
Susan.
Mother, everyone flew in, uh,
because we felt it was time
we all talk, as a family.
Who are you?
I'm Dr. Joe Pursch.
Doctor? What kind of doctor?
I am a psychiatrist.
Oh. Great.
Your family has some things they
would like to share with you,
and some of these things will be
very difficult for you to hear,
but this is all because
they care about you very deeply.
Who would like to go first?
Mrs. Ford, I love you.
And Susan loves you too.
And you deserve the very best
out of this life.
The children are scared,
but they got some things
they need to share with you.
It's gonna be hard,
but you need to listen.
Come on now, Michael.
Say what's on your mind.
Lord knows you can do that just fine.
Um
Gayle and I are thinking about
starting a family.
But
given how much you drink,
and the pills that you take
we don't even know
if we would feel comfortable
bringing those children here.
Well, that's quite a statement.
I've been scared of you
since I was a kid.
I never knew what mood you would be in.
The pills were one thing,
they made you kind of sleepy.
But then you'd have a drink,
and it was like
this poison came out of you.
You were always so mad at me.
What in the hell
are you boys talking about?
Those pills were
prescribed to me by doctors.
In high school,
I was cooking a lot of our meals
because you'd tell Clara
you would do it,
but you were always so out of it, Mom.
And you never ate, so why should we?
You'd just zone out to the TV
like a zombie.
Uh, Mr. President
do you have something you
would like to say to your wife?
I just I can't stop
thinking about how many drinks
I made for you
over the years, Betty.
About the time
I told the White House physician
to prescribe you
whatever you needed, no questions asked.
About how I haven't been here for you
during the biggest transition
of our lives.
I just couldn't
bear to watch you
destroy yourself like this.
I can't help feel that it's my fault.
Well
You've all made very
strong
statements.
You've given me a lot to think about.
I've always admired you so much
You don't have to say anything, Susan.
I think you said enough
the first time you tried this.
I always thought
I was one of the lucky ones.
I got to have a cool mom
who could be my friend.
I love you more than
anything in the world, Mom.
I wanted to be a dancer,
so I could be just like you.
That day you said
that the two of us were going away,
just the two of us.
I wanted so badly for that to be true.
But the truth is that you were drunk.
The truth is that you didn't
know what you were saying.
And ever since that day
a part of me has been scared for you.
We all have.
Well
I assume you didn't all just
come here to humiliate me?
What is it you'd like me to do?
Your family wants you to go
to a rehabilitation center
for drug and alcohol addiction.
I am not
I am the First Lady.
I am not a drug addict,
and I am certainly not an alcoholic.
Yes, I take pills, but
as I've said a million times,
a doctor prescribed them to me.
Do you think a doctor is going
to help me get off of them?
What would I have to do?
Mrs. Ford?
Can you tell us why you're here?
- How are you feeling?
- How long will you stay?
How are you feeling, Betty?
Mrs. Ford. So glad you're here.
Betty, here's some soaps
and creams from the White House
you love so much.
I'll be fine.
And here we are.
Um, is there a private room, perhaps?
Uh, we've found that
the patients do better
in a shared room experience.
I would very much prefer
to be on my own.
I'm sure you can understand
someone in my position is
used to a certain level of privacy.
Yes, as you wish.
I'll get the ladies
to pack their belongings
and find them other accommodations.
I'll get them reassigned
as soon as I can.
No, don't do anything. It's fine.
Very well.
They don't tell you rehab's gonna be
you and a bunch of dicks.
- You must be Betty?
- Mm-hmm.
Meri Bell. Dr. Pursch thought
I might be a good sponsor for you.
Sponsor?
Someone who's been through it.
Uh, I'm moving into your room too.
I already have two roommates.
Now you'll have three.
Well, come on in.
It's not as scary as it looks.
I'll sit with you.
- Hey, y'all.
- Hello.
We got a newcomer joining us.
Go ahead and introduce yourself.
I'm pretty sure
they already know who I am.
Say "hello," and your first name.
I'm Betty. Hello.
Hi, Betty.
We are back on
this decision night in America.
It is eight o'clock in the East.
One of the biggest moments
She's got Delaware, DC,
New Jersey, Rhode Island,
Illinois, Connecticut.
She's about to make history
and her book's called
Living History. That's cool.
Dad, what time do you think we'll know?
It's still early, honey.
Donald Trump is
the apparent winner in Florida.
Donald Trump the apparent winner
in Florida.
It's a state that he called a must win,
and he appears to be winning
at 29 electoral votes.
We're gonna peek in right now
at the celebration
that is growing
at the Trump headquarters
as supporters there sense
this may be their night,
uh, in the race to 270.
All these people voted for him.
What does this mean?
miss the gender element here.
It's the first female
presidential candidate on
They're gonna repeal health care.
You have white males
coming out in droves,
and that's
It seems, when this history book
is written on this,
that that's gonna be a factor
that really, really matters.
And then you have also a lot of women
who didn't support her either.
I remember sitting down, um,
at The Today Show
early summer, late spring
with Andrea Mitchell,
talking about how young women had
absolutely no attraction
to her candidacy.
Felt absolutely no
They were not compelled
in any way, shape or form
to assist her in breaking this barrier.
What I don't get is why
folks who got here after us
are getting seen before him.
It depends on your insurance.
It's all right, sweetie. I can wait.
Come sit next to your daddy.
You elect me along with
the Republican House and Senate,
we will also immediately repeal
and replace
the disaster known as Obamacare.
It's abysmal.
Can't underestimate
the importance of this fall.
This projection
by the Associated Press here.
Calling Pennsylvania for Donald Trump.
Twenty electoral votes
now moving into Donald Trump's column.
Steve Yaccino of Bloomberg
Politics, give us the latest.
Megan said it,
there's just no path forward
for Hillary Clinton.
That's 20 electoral votes
from Pennsylvania.
It gets Trump to 264.
He's six away from 270.
That's all he would need.
And he's still got Arizona.
- They call it?
- Yeah.
Strumming my pain with his fingers ♪
Singing my life with his words ♪
Killing me softly with his song ♪
Killing me softly with his song ♪