House of Cards (2013) s01e10 Episode Script

The whole reason we do these meetings, Frank, is so I can get accurate information from you.
I always said it was going to be close.
Then why did every article I read yesterday say the leadership was confident the bill would pass? - Do you know Janine Skorsky? - She used to be the Herald's White House correspondent.
I remember Janine.
She wrote an article for Slugline reporting a verified vote count.
Once the media got ahold of that, it went everywhere.
I don't know where she got that number.
Maybe she made it up.
It doesn't matter if she made it up.
The democrats seem divided.
The leadership looks incompetent.
But compared the the budget and our education act, why, this was a minor bill, sir.
That happened to be in the national spotlight, which is what you wanted.
I got the count wrong.
It rarely happens, but it happens.
What worries me is that the White House's influence isn't translating into support on the hill.
Linda's involvement had no effect? I wouldn't say that that's the case, sir.
Did you sense any push-back, any fallout from the education battle? Sir, the truth is I wasn't there.
I had to make a trip to California to meet the Provost of Stanford for my son.
I told you about it last week.
It was my decision, sir.
I made a judgment call that we could pass the bill without her help.
But, look, tight votes like this, you can analyze them to death, but at the end of the day, we came up short.
That's my fault, no one else's.
Certainly not Linda's.
I shouldn't have gone.
The meeting didn't even work.
I thought you said they were reconsidering.
No.
I got an e-mail this morning.
They decided not to overturn the admissions decision.
Oh, Christ.
I'm sorry, Linda.
Not a great day so far.
But I appreciate your covering for me in there.
There may be a way to turn Linda's bad luck into my good fortune.
But first I must deal with treason within the ranks the two renegades who voted against the bill.
I have zero tolerance for betrayal, which they will soon indelibly learn.
I know why you lost the vote.
Somebody got to Vanderburgh and Abrams.
Remy Danton.
Your wife.
I've got contacts on both their staffs.
There was a meeting between the three of them.
I know.
I arranged it.
- She told them to vote no.
- No, not true.
Sources on two different staffs saying the exact same thing? That makes no sense.
I'm not telling you what makes sense, I'm telling you facts.
This is a juicy story, Francis.
Carly will love it.
The majority whip's wife stabs him in the back.
Be careful, Zoe.
I'm feeding you.
Now you have to feed me.
So give me something better.
Are you going to answer my question? Did she or didn't she? Tell me now, or so help me God, I will make it my mission in life to not only destroy your careers, but to obliterate all hope and happiness that you manage to cling to.
- She said it would be okay - To backstab me? To do what we thought was right.
So she did tell you to vote no.
She said it wouldn't be the end of the world if the bill failed.
Those were her exact words.
You discuss this with no one.
Is that understood? Do you blame yourself for not being in Washington to secure the votes? A bill this size is a team effort.
There are a lot of sponsors.
- But you were the chief sponsor and the bill manager.
- That's true.
So shouldn't you have been in Washington? I'm running for Governor.
I have a commitment to the people of my state.
Are you aware that the swofford campaign is putting out a new commercial today that says, quote, "if Peter Russo can't follow through in congress", can he follow through with sobriety?" That's all.
Thank you very much.
- Do you want to comment? - Thanks, guys.
Congressman! All I said was what you always say to vote their conscience.
You encouraged them to defy me.
I met with them.
That's what you asked me no, that is not what you did.
I specifically told you I needed them to vote yes on this bill.
There was no room for interpretation.
It's a deliberate lie, so don't try to sugarcoat it, Claire.
I needed Remy's help.
You wouldn't offer any.
Oh, wait.
You did this for Remy? No.
For myself.
To get my shipment out of Sudan.
He provided assistance.
In exchange for defeating the bill.
No.
In exchange for not helping it succeed.
Which is the same goddamn thing.
Do you realize you have endangered everything that we have been working toward? There was a timetable here, Claire.
We needed strong momentum right up until the last minute.
I can't operate based on plans you haven't shared with me.
Then you should've asked me first.
No, I'm not going to ask for your blessing on every decision I make, Francis.
We make decisions together.
Yeah, well, it hasn't felt like that.
Not for the past six months.
I don't feel as though I'm standing beside you.
Other people know, Claire.
This could become a story about us.
- And that's something you do not recover from.
- Who? - That's something that follows you for life.
- Who knows? Zoe.
I thought you said she could be trusted.
- What about our trust? - You can't control her, can you, Francis? She wouldn't have been a problem if you hadn't lied.
No, she wouldn't have been a problem if you hadn't dropped your pants.
And you come in here, to my office, and berate me when you're the one who's exposed us? Don't you try to turn this around on me.
I fired half of my staff for us.
I have turned down donations for us.
I drafted Peter's bill for us.
I diverted time and energy away from my goals for us.
Okay, I don't wanna have to say this, but maybe you need to hear it.
C.
W.
I.
Is important, yes, but it doesn't come close to what we are trying to accomplish.
You must see that! I'm just being honest.
Then be honest about how you've been using me just like you use everybody else.
That was never part of the bargain.
Is it the hot flashes? Get out.
Get out.
I'll see you back at the house.
I'm on my way to the office.
- Let me call you when I get there.
- No, no.
We need to talk now.
I know you're upset, Peter, but that's not going to achieve anything.
I am more than upset, Frank.
Change your tone.
I'm in no mood.
- I don't give a fuck! - Good-bye, Peter.
You hang up on me now, you're not gonna appreciate who I call next.
- Excuse me? - I promised my people jobs.
You promised me you could get this bill passed.
You failed on your promise.
I'm not gonna fail on mine.
So however you need to fix it, you figure it out.
Otherwise, I go public with Kapeniak and the Kern editorial.
You need to cool down and think very carefully about what you just said.
You don't understand.
I'm not afraid of you anymore, Frank.
- Then you're misguided.
- My past is out in the open.
You don't hold that over my head anymore.
They don't know everything, Peter.
You destroy me, you destroy yourself.
Fix it.
- What do you want me to do? - We have to accelerate things.
Isn't it too early? It's almost two full months into the election.
- That gives the White House too much time to vet somebody.
- Peter's crossed the line.
We built up his confidence, and now we're losing control of him.
Maybe he was just blowing off steam.
No.
He's determined.
We have to act now.
You have everything you need on your end? Give me a when and a where.
Some sort of social setting's preferable.
- Anything else? - I'll need cash.
About three grand.
It'll be in your top drawer by tomorrow morning.
Sir Once we do this, we're committed.
- Understood.
- I can't predict how he's gonna react.
Well, I won't be blackmailed.
Hello? Zoe Barnes? Yeah.
Who is it? Claire Underwood.
Zoe? I apologize for not buzzing.
Somebody was coming in the building when I was downstairs, so I just figured This is nice fire escape.
Hey, could you please not go through my things? Oh, I'm sorry.
Am I intruding? Yeah, actually.
You are.
Well, that makes it a two-way street, I suppose.
Okay, if you if you came here to punish me Fine.
I get it.
Such a shame, how naive you are.
- I'm not naive.
- No? I've known everything from the beginning, Zoe.
My husband and I tell each other everything.
Don't you believe me? Is there a spider I can trap? I'm not here to punish you or to tell you to stop.
I just thought I should open those big bright eyes.
I think you should leave.
I think I should too.
Maybe you're not that naive.
A lesser woman wouldn't have opened the door.
Union station, please.
This is Claire.
I'm unavailable to answer the phone, but if you leave a message, I'll be sure and get back to you shortly.
Thank - Hello? - Zoe.
You don't have to tiptoe.
I thought you fell asleep.
No.
Just thinking about work.
I don't have anything for you yet.
I will soon.
I know you will.
You can spend the night if you want.
Early meetings.
Wouldn't have time to get home and change.
- You seem distracted.
- I have a lot on my mind.
Like what? - Work, just like you.
- No Claire? Or maybe she qualifies as work.
She didn't mention anything? About I thought you didn't keep things from each other.
Look, just say what you want to say.
She came by here a few hours ago.
We had a nice little talk.
Don't let me keep you.
You should go home, get some rest.
Tell Claire I said hi.
Hey! This is Claire.
I'm unavailable to answer The lights in the Whartons' house will go on in a few moments.
They always get up precisely at quarter to 7:00, which is just the time that Claire would be going for her run, if she were here.
Rebellion on all fronts Claire, Zoe, Russo.
I must not lose my resolve.
I will march forward, even if I have to do so Alone.
See? Told ya.
- Good morning.
- Ohh! Hi, Frank.
- How are you? - I'm good.
- Have you heard from Claire? - Yeah, I got her message.
- How's she feeling? - A lot better.
Good.
She said she'd be gone for the rest of the week.
- Is it the flu or something? - Something like that.
I just came over to pick up a few things from her office.
- I could've sent somebody over.
- Oh, no.
It's no big deal.
In fact, I also came here to ask you a favor.
You went to Stanford, correct? - Valedictorian? - Yeah.
- Do you know the provost? - Warren Tynsdale.
He flies me out to do fund-raising events.
Supposedly I'm the poster child for alumni.
Making the world a better place.
Well, that is good, because this is important.
Linda vasquez, the President's Chief of staff her son, Ruben, applied.
I'd love for you to get on the phone with Tynsdale and tell him that they should accept him.
I don't know.
I I've never recommended anyone.
All the better.
It'll carry more weight.
Can I meet Ruben first? I would really prefer that Linda not know.
In fact, it would be better if both she and Ruben believed he got in on merit alone.
Will you please do this favor for Claire and me? And for the president.
Thank you.
More contrast.
We need to catch the edge of his face.
Let's re-crop it.
Bring it in a quarter of an inch on the left.
Would you Somebody named Claire? Remy.
You hungry? I don't eat pork.
When did that happen? When we started lobbying for the meatpacking industry.
Freddy, half a rack for me, and some Collard Greens for my friend here.
I'm good.
I already ate lunch.
Half a rack coming up.
I don't usually do business here.
This is my little secret.
I'd love it if we could keep it that way.
I don't think you have to worry about me bringing clients by.
You seem tense, Remy.
I assume you're upset about the watershed bill.
Not with you.
You were just doing your job.
But now I have to do mine.
I'd like to propose a partnership.
I'm always open to partnerships, Frank.
If Peter Russo were a pro-natural gas candidate, how valuable would that be to Sancorp? The watershed bill was anti-drilling.
Peter's pro-employment, not anti-drilling.
He just wants to bring employment to his people, and Sancorp is building refineries.
Mostly on site.
Do you think they would be open to considering Philadelphia? I can talk with them, but I can't make any promises.
Oh, I don't want any promises.
Just engage with Russo.
You know, give him a glimmer of good fortune.
Aw, Frank, here you go.
Come on.
Smell that.
You sure you don't want to reconsider your stance on pork? Brain food, brother.
- I love it.
- 850.
You can afford that? Yeah.
Yeah, I think so.
First and last month are taken care of.
So is the security deposit.
That's to buy some furniture.
I'll pay you back.
I promise.
It's not necessary.
But I do need you to do one thing for me.
- I come across as a hypocrite.
- You need jobs.
Do you really care how you deliver them? First, I advocate for more regulation for the watershed, then I cozy up to the drilling interests? Yeah, but natural gas is the future, Peter.
This is an industry that could bring 100,000 jobs into your state over the next decade.
I agree with Peter.
It seems like flip-flopping.
Sancorp's lobbying efforts is why we lost the watershed bill.
But they can also be a very powerful ally.
Our message is a "fresh start.
" This makes you look like business as usual.
This is politics.
There are seized opportunities and missed opportunities.
Seize this one, Peter.
Sancorp can commit to building new refineries in Philly? Sancorp will commit to discussing it with you.
- I need more than that.
- Look, you asked me to fix a problem.
I've come to you in less than Can you meet me halfway? What would be the first step? All right.
You remember Remy Danton? - Oh, come on.
He led the charge against the watershed bill.
- I know.
That's not the point.
One of his other big clients is the McNeally cancer institute.
They're having a big gala tonight a cocktail party for their donors.
Remy will be there.
We have events in Haverford and Gladwyne yeah, well, this is more important.
You also have a radio interview tomorrow morning with a local Pittsburgh station? - Yes.
- All right.
Meet with Remy tonight.
And if it goes well and if you're comfortable, tomorrow morning on the radio, you support their drilling efforts.
And Remy has assured me if you do that, he can push Sancorp in the right direction.
Cancel the events tomorrow.
Head back to Philly, do some damage control.
- I'll see you tomorrow afternoon.
- Peter please.
Okay.
I'm gonna go make some calls.
Peter, have you mentioned anything to her about Kapeniak or No.
I haven't mentioned it to anybody.
All right.
Stamper will come by in the morning and brief you on the talking points.
When did you take this? Oh, it was about The sun had just come up.
You were asleep right here.
The light was perfect.
I had no choice.
I always slept so well in this apartment.
How long are you in town for? I don't know.
I haven't decided.
You have no luggage.
It smells the same.
Feels the same.
I think Sancorp is missing out, not having a significant presence in Philadelphia.
There are advantages to centralizing in a major urban center.
But the disadvantages are commercial real estate prices, city taxes, building a pipeline.
It's all very costly.
So they'd have to reduce costs elsewhere.
- Significantly.
- How can I help with that? Statewide permitted-use zoning.
No more conditional zoning.
The municipalities are slowing down development.
That's the state legislature.
You come out in support of permitted use, and you get elected Governor.
That'll put pressure on the legislature.
Sancorp is very interested in having a powerful friend in Harrisburg.
My opponent's pro-drilling.
Your opponent isn't asking for refineries in Philadelphia.
We prefer friends we can count on.
Have your clients listen to WZPZ tomorrow at a quarter to 8:00.
It's a Pittsburgh station.
It's been a pleasure, Congressman.
I look forward to talking again soon.
You got a light? This is a cancer research event.
I know.
I helped organize it.
- You work for the institute? - No.
The hotel.
And they let you smoke here? No.
The manager would kill me.
Well, at least it got you talking.
Are you having a good night? You look happy.
Uh, I am.
I am.
I'm having a great night.
- Why? - I just got some very good news.
We should celebrate.
What are you drinking? You know, I was just leaving, actually.
You haven't even asked my name yet.
- I apologize, but I have to go.
- It's Rachel.
I'm not trying to be rude, but I got a big meeting tomorrow.
Then don't be rude.
Just stay a few more minutes and keep me from having to mingle.
My date ditched me.
So if you abandon me now, that would be very rude.
These heels are killing me.
- Feel that.
Feel that blister.
- Hey, I I have a girlfriend.
I'd be surprised if you didn't.
- Why'd your date ditch you? - Mmm.
Very scandalous.
Mmm, what happened? Clink glasses with me.
Wow.
Ooh.
I'm petite, but I can hold my liquor.
Obviously.
When I do get drunk, though What then? I get undressed.
What about you? What are you like when you get drunk? - It's not pretty.
- Pretty's overrated.
I like it when things get a little bit ugly.
When I work late nights, they let me stay at the hotel so I don't have to drive home.
Um This one is yours.
Room 1121.
Sir? In here.
You wanted to see me? I need you to locate somebody.
Who? My wife.
Do you have a way of doing that? I do, sir.
I know a guy in missing persons she's not missing.
I just Don't know where she is at the moment.
I trust him.
We can do this off the books.
Good.
I'll get on it right away.
Come on.
Give us another one.
No.
I'll tell you why.
Because my mother always used to tell me to smile more.
Always drove me crazy.
She'd say, "Claire", "why have you that scowl all the time? You look so much more beautiful when you smile.
" It was never a real conversation.
There was never, "oh, what do you feel?" Or "what are you thinking?" Just so long as I looked beautiful and happy.
That's all she cared about.
So you want me to ask you what you're thinking and feeling? All the time.
I actually do wanna know what you're thinking and feeling.
- How sad am I? - Okay, so tell me first.
- What? - Tell me first.
- I think I'd better get dressed.
- What? Why? Uh, because I've got friends coming over, and as a host, I should probably wear clothes.
- Really? - Yeah.
- Why do you do that? - Well, you know.
- It's proper? - Kind of.
Oh, fuck.
Thought you might have bailed.
Sit down.
Vodka or whiskey? Uh, you go ahead.
Come on.
You can be a good boy downstairs, not up here.
Seriously, I'm good.
Whiskey, I think.
So what's your good news? I wanna know what we're celebrating.
Why did your, uh why did your date ditch you? - I asked you first.
- I did, downstairs.
He works on the hill.
Some staffer or something.
I don't know.
I think he's a glorified gofer.
A friend set me up with him.
So I said he should come tonight, keep me company.
But all he wanted to do was schmooze.
So I brought him into the women's bathroom, told him he was being an asshole.
He told me I was being childish.
So I slapped him.
You slapped him? Yeah.
Big red hand mark right across his face.
I think he was embarrassed to be seen by the Schmoozerati.
So he left.
And that is the last time I go on a date with a guy who wears a flag pin to work.
I'm one of those guys who wears a flag pin to work.
This isn't really a date, is it? I really shouldn't be here.
That's what makes it fun.
Tell me your good news.
I wanna know what we're toasting to.
Let's toast to you.
I'm your good news? Okay, I'll toast to that.
Oh.
Hey.
What are you I didn't wanna wait at the Herald.
I was gonna call you, but Can I stay at your place tonight? Uh, stay with me? Well, just on your couch for a night or two.
Uh, why? I can't be in my apartment.
- Did something happen? - No.
I I'm sorry.
Zoe.
Come on.
What time is the interview? Quarter to 8:00.
I'll be with him.
And where's Peter now? Are you sure you want the details? Mm.
Just tell me, is it going well? Hasn't been any updates.
But if it does go well, you'll be ready? I'm ready.
I've been ready.
I'm ready.
- Anything else? - We never played chess before, have we? I don't know how.
You want me to teach you? I should really get some rest.
Be fresh for the morning.
Yeah, another time.
Good night.
I hate being kept in the dark.
Waiting.
Speculating.
Useless.
Oh, come on! - Let's dance.
- Whoo-hoo! Yeah.
It's not a big deal.
Come on, let's do it.
- Come on, let's do it.
- No.
No, please, I can't.
Not now.
Come on.
This is really nice.
Do you want anything? Water? Juice? No, thanks.
I'm good.
Uh, you can have the bed.
I'll sleep on the couch.
No.
No.
It's fine.
Please, Lucas, let me sleep on the couch.
I'll feel bad.
All right.
- Can I help? - I got it.
So, you know, we don't have to talk if you don't want to.
But I haven't seen you in, like, six months.
Except for when I drunkenly stalked you at your - Right.
- That was kind of adorable.
It was either psychotic or sad.
Not adorable.
Yes, it was.
Can you hand me that pillow? So, why do you need to get out of your apartment? It just felt small.
Well, it can't be smaller than my place.
No.
I don't mean size.
I mean I felt trapped.
Like I was in a place that I didn't actually live.
Does that make any sense? I guess.
Okay.
There you go.
Um, anytime you need to get up or um, I'll just set an alarm on my phone.
All right.
Well, feel free to watch TV.
I can sleep through anything.
Hey, thank you, Lucas.
Hey, that's the last of it.
Better make it count, then.
- Drink up.
- Mm.
Mmm.
Do I look familiar to you? Familiar? No.
- My face? My body? - No.
How about my voice? Have we No.
No.
I was just wondering if you had a thing for brunettes with blue eyes.
- Hey, where you going? Come back here.
- I wanna see you better.
Shit.
The sun's up? Has been for a while.
- Oh, fuck.
What time is it? - 7:15.
Fuck.
I have an interview in half an hour.
- Skip it.
- I can't.
I gotta do it.
You can keep the room till noon.
- Hello? - I'm at your building.
The front desk keeps calling up, but there's no answer.
- I'm not there.
- Then I'll come to you.
Where are you? I'm I'm at the Park Highmore hotel.
Are you okay? You sound drunk.
It was, uh yeah.
Yeah.
I'm I'm all right.
- You have the interview.
- I know! Have you been drinking, Peter? Uh, what? No.
Um, I just decided to spend the night here.
What room are you in? Stay there.
I'm coming right now.
Jesus, Peter.
What happened? You're drunk.
- I'm fine.
- I can smell it on you.
Okay, I had a drink or two.
It was nothing crazy.
We can't do this interview.
I'm sober.
I can handle it.
You're slurring your words.
I'm good.
I think we should cancel.
I'm gonna do the interview.
Just give me the talking points.
Sorry.
Sorry.
I It's all right.
The couch had a spring in it or something, and my back no.
It's all right.
I don't mind.
Sir, I heard from my friend.
Missing persons.
And? - She's in New York.
- What hotel? Not a hotel, sir.
So she's not alone.
No, sir.
Adam Galloway? Yes, sir.
I have more information.
I don't need to know.
Turn on 1160 A.
M.
He's running to fill Jim Matthews' old post as Governor of Pennsylvania.
Glad to have you with us, sir.
It's good to be here, Jim.
- It's mark.
- Sorry.
Right.
Mark.
That's okay, Congressman.
It happens all the time this early in the morning.
So, Congressman, the watershed act.
Yes.
Uh, I'm ashamed of the well, I'm not ashamed.
That's not the right, um I'm disappointed, um, because, you know, the water It's, um it's actually, what I'd like to discuss is we all know that natural gas that it's it's a growing uh, in our state it's a it's a big part of, um economically, the way things are going.
And I'd like to say to announce in terms of, um Are you familiar with drilling regulations permitted use versus conditional use? Are we still talking about the watershed? No.
Drilling.
Natural gas.
Sir, you supported increased regulation.
Well, no.
I i it may have looked that way, but, uh, in fact, to be clear, I'm for less Regulation.
Yes, sir.
In the watershed bill, the language clearly stated it didn't pass.
Well, right.
That's what I'm asking about.
- What about it? - Why it didn't pass.
I just said.
No, sir.
I don't think you did.
It just didn't.
Sir, three days ago, you predicted I'm talking about fucking natural gas.
I'm sorry.
Congressman, I have to ask you a question, and it may come across as indelicate, but are you drunk right now? What? No.
No.
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
I'm just I'm really tired, you know? I've been on the campaign trail for a few weeks now, and Congressman? Congressman? Congressman? It's my fault.
I shouldn't have let you.
I'm fucked.
Okay.
Listen.
We sober you up.
We'll make some kind of announcement as soon as possible.
There's nothing I can say.
We'll figure this out.
Come on.
You're gonna take a shower.
Come on.
There you go.
Come on.
How bad is it? It all depends on whether it gets picked up by the mainstream press.
- Well, shall I fill in the president? - No.
Hold off on that.
I need to speak to Peter, coordinate with his campaign.
You'll be the first call I make.
Frank, before you go, I got an e-mail this morning.
Stanford reversed their decision.
That's wonderful.
The Provo said Gillian Cole reached out to him.
I googled her.
She works for Claire.
- Thank you.
- No reason to thank me.
Ruben was just ecstatic.
I don't know how I'm gonna repay you.
The fact that your son is happy is more than enough.
- You'll keep me posted on Peter? - You bet.
Okay.
Hey, boss.
- Are you still with him? - Yeah.
- He's taking a shower.
- How're we looking? Zoe Barnes posted ten minutes ago.
It's already on the New York times web site.
The kid is done.
Have Nancy set up a meeting with the Vice President.
- Today if possible.
- Will do.
And keep an eye on Peter.
He's done his duty.
- Let's get him back on his feet.
- You got it.
And now Jim Matthews comes to the fore, though he doesn't know it yet.
He will find solace in his beloved Pennsylvania, though Peter Russo will find solace nowhere.
It only takes ten seconds to crush a man's ambitions.
I need to take care that I protect mine.
Peter.
Peter! Peter? Hey! Peter?