Designated Survivor (2016) s01e13 Episode Script
Backfire
1 Previously on "Designated Survivor" Sir, you don't really think Aaron's a traitor, do you? No, I don't.
But until I can prove that definitively, I have to keep my guard up and so do you.
What happened last night? We had the shooter contained, but MacLeish gave the order anyway.
What order? Shoot to kill.
And that's for your ears only.
- We need your help.
- You want to help me? Find my son! - Man: It's Joyner.
He wants to see you.
- Why? The FBI came to see him again today.
The guy just needs some reassurance.
- I can give it to him.
- But if it doesn't work, the problem has to be eliminated.
Someone's gonna find out.
Yes, you lied.
- I lied to Congress.
- That's it.
Go.
FBI! Freeze! Put your hands on your head.
I'm the Vice President of the United States.
[Gunshot.]
- No! - [Gunshot.]
News Anchor: From ABC7 News, this is a breaking news alert.
- [Cellphone rings.]
- Good morning from ABC7.
We have breaking news from Arlington National Cemetery.
The U.
S.
Army and FBI are investigating a deadly shooting that occurred last night.
The Washington Post is reporting that two victims - are involved - Emily Rhodes.
- [Snoring.]
- [Cellphone vibrates.]
[Cellphone rings.]
Aaron Shore.
Kirkman: Someone's gonna have to explain to me how the Vice President of the United States of America was murdered in front of a team of federal agents! We didn't pick the meeting place, sir.
MacLeish did.
We had to take cover where we could.
And MacLeish's security detail was instructed to give him plenty of buffer so he'd feel secure.
We would've taken him down if it weren't for Beth MacLeish.
I'm sorry.
I missed it.
Beth MacLeish was the joker in the deck.
I didn't think she could be involved.
Do we know how she got away from her Secret Service detail? She said she was going to read to her children, and that was her routine.
By the time they figured out she was missing, - it was too late.
- Mr.
President, there are only a few scenarios at play here, but only one rings true Beth MacLeish was involved.
She knew we were there to arrest her husband, and she murdered him before we could interrogate him.
[Sighs.]
What kind of fanatics are we dealing with here? Sir, it's only a matter of time before the press pieces together their own version of what happened tonight.
I-It's imperative we keep as many details out of the public realm to protect the integrity of our investigation.
I understand.
[Sighs.]
So what do we tell the American people? - Hey.
- Hey.
Damn it, no cufflinks.
Use paper clips.
- What? - I'm serious.
Any idea who got shot? Not a clue.
Kirkman: I know.
It's shocking, but we need to move past this.
Does anyone need to take a moment? Okay, good.
Because we're in a race against the clock.
The country is gonna wake up to the news that their Vice President was murdered by his wife, who then killed herself.
Emily: Do we know why she did it? No, not really.
Right now, the working theory is problems in the marriage.
A domestic dispute? I don't believe it.
Well, unfortunately, it's the only explanation investigators are willing to give until they know more.
I will make the announcement.
Sir, facing the press with only preliminary theories is like dropping blood in the water.
And the timing alone is gonna raise questions.
Somebody just tried to kill you, and now the Vice President gets murdered by his wife? Yeah, the press will be all over you for more details.
Let me make a statement.
No, this news the country needs to hear from their president.
Sir, I have to point out that Speaker Hookstraten's now next in line to the presidency.
Right.
I'll talk to Kimble at the appropriate time.
For now, bring her up to speed with what we know.
These next few days are going to be crucial.
I need you to hold yourselves together, project strength.
The American people deserve nothing less.
Let's get to work.
Yes, sir.
[Birds chirping.]
This is surreal MacLeish, Beth.
W-What about their kids? I mean, what about those poor girls? I know.
I feel awful about the children.
You know what happened, don't you? But you can't tell me, can you? No.
Not yet.
Hopefully soon.
- Dad! - Little pea! [Groans.]
Hey, w-watch out.
Mind your dad.
You okay? Yeah.
I'm all right.
What do you got there? I can't draw a horse.
Will you help me? Of course.
But I've got some work to do.
I'll help you in a minute.
Promise? Pinky swear.
Come on.
Let's get you some breakfast.
Hey! Aren't you forgetting something? I love you.
I love you, too.
No.
No, that's not actually what I said.
I would just refer you back to my original statement, okay? Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.
[Applause.]
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Plea Please, take your seats.
I wish I were here to simply talk to you about my returning to the White House and expressing my gratitude to the medical staff at the George Washington University Hospital and to the American people for their incredible support.
But unfortunately, I have a more somber and serious obligation.
There has been a great deal of speculation surrounding the police activity at Arlington National Cemetery from last night until this morning.
I am here to tell you that tragically, at 10:38 p.
m.
, Vice President Peter MacLeish was shot and killed by his wife, Beth MacLeish.
[Gasping, murmuring.]
She then turned the gun upon herself and committed suicide.
The Vice President was visiting the gravesite of a soldier who was under his command in Afghanistan.
Why he was there last night specifically, how often he visited the cemetery, and what led to this fatal outcome is still unknown.
[Indistinct talking.]
I would like to say, I know the American people will join me in sending their hopes and prayers to the MacLeish family during this time of sorrow.
Thank you very much.
[Indistinct talking.]
All right, folks, that's all we have for now, okay? The President's obviously not taking any questions.
Look, I'm gonna be updating you every hour as we have new developments.
[Sighs.]
Yvette I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
One second.
I don't know what to say.
[Inhales deeply.]
Thank you for coming.
[Voice breaking.]
He was such an amazing boy, Jason.
And they took him from us.
Hey.
What's the press saying about the shooting? [Sighs.]
What aren't they saying? Speculation's everywhere, but Seth has it handled.
How's the staff holding up? They're shocked, but pulling through.
One thing that helps is seeing you on your feet again.
- Staffer: Welcome back, Mr.
President.
- Thank you, Hayden.
See? We should discuss the rest of your day's agenda.
I thought we canceled everything.
We can't have a bunker mentality.
The world's still spinning.
You're absolutely right.
What do you got? Well, CEOs are arriving as we speak to discuss reducing carbon dioxide emissions later today.
You're also set to meet with Senators Choi and Ganesh regarding criminal justice reform.
Okay.
What else? Jacklyn Ramsey just turned us down for Interior, said she's happy at the NRDC.
[Sighs.]
How many people do we have to approach to get someone to even take a meeting? Well, we saw this during the elections.
People just don't want to be in Washington right now.
Any good news? Actually, Gary Dwyer's still set to come in tomorrow to meet with Aaron about resuming his post as Secretary of State.
- Wow.
- Mm-hmm.
Dwyer.
That'll go a long way to shoring up confidence.
Yes, it would.
But about their meeting, sir.
I was wondering, in light of recent events, if you thought I should sit down with Dwyer instead of Aaron.
Emily, I understand your concern, but until I find a reason to make a change, it's business as usual.
Understood.
The MacLeishes leave behind two daughters, Lexi and Blake, who will be staying with their maternal grandparents.
We ask that you would respect their privacy in their time of grieving.
The President will address the nation further when he has more information available, okay? That's all I have for now, unless you have questions about something.
Mr.
Press Secretary! Mr.
Press Secretary!! Seth: Mr.
Leonard.
A pleasure to have you back at the White House.
I hope that's the first lie you told this morning.
[Chuckles.]
May I ask who you're with? Teen Mode.
- [Laughter.]
- Come on, Abe.
I need to know who your credentials are with.
Teen Mode.
They actually do real stories on real issues, unlike these lemmings.
All right, Abe.
You have a question? Yeah, it's about Nestor Lozano - President Kirkman's would-be assassin.
Sure, the FBI released a statement on Lozano last night.
Which told us virtually nothing.
Now, I have it on good authority that Vice President MacLeish personally took over the manhunt for Lozano and issued a shoot-to-kill order.
Care to comment? I would refer you back to the FBI comm shop.
I'm not aware of any such order.
Really? Well, my sources say MacLeish overrode the FBI, deliberately preventing them from taking Lozano alive.
Why would the Vice President do that? I mean, why would he go out of his way to silence the one man who attempted to murder the president? I mean, it doesn't make sense, unless MacLeish wanted him silenced.
I'll have to get back to you on that.
[Chuckles.]
I'd appreciate that.
[Indistinct shouting.]
How did Abe Leonard get the information in the first place? - Wait, it's true? MacLeish gave the order? - Yes.
I advised against it, but he didn't listen to me.
Or the FBI.
What was he thinking? He said he didn't want to put our men at risk.
Okay.
Uh, well Leonard said MacLeish was hiding something.
- Was he? - I don't know, But now I have a room full of White House correspondents - looking into it.
- Look, we need to contain this now, before paranoia takes over.
And I want to know who's leaking classified information.
Emily, Aaron, you were both in Command Ops when MacLeish gave the order Find the leak.
I want them in my office by nightfall.
Yes, sir.
Seth, can I borrow you for a second? I want to address the nation.
Sir, I'm not sure that's the best idea.
I mean, you just announced that the vice president was murdered by his wife.
I don't think the country's ready to hear this after that.
The country deserves to know what's happening.
Sir, no matter what your intent, I think that anything that you say at this point could contribute to a sense of chaos.
[Inhales deeply.]
Why don't you let me buy you some time? Wait for this news cycle to die down.
That way, when you do say something, it's proactive instead of just reacting to some flame-throwing reporter.
Okay, you're right.
You're right.
Get it done.
Thank you.
So what couldn't wait? Abe Leonard I know you two go way back.
You told him about MacLeish taking out the shooter in Command Ops Don't deny it.
Okay, I won't.
- I told you that in confidence.
- That was your mistake.
I thought you were working with the President on this.
I am.
He asked me to look into MacLeish, and that's exactly what I'm doing - Trying to do my job as best I can.
- All right.
You can dress this up however you like, Madam Speaker, but you just jeopardized national security.
Actually, Aaron you did.
Ritter: Those are NASAMS, ma'am.
Surface-to-air missiles.
They were there before.
We're just installing more.
Alex: And there's more snipers.
It's all part of the increased security plan.
It's just for the moment.
Just for the moment.
Yes, ma'am.
Anything else? No.
Thanks, Mike.
[Sighs.]
You're the leak? Indirectly, sir.
I told Speaker Hookstraten.
She fed the story to Abe Leonard.
[Sighs heavily.]
I realize, sir, this couldn't come at a at a worse possible time.
It was a lapse in judgment, and I apologize.
It won't happen again.
- Now, I could put out a statement.
- No, no, no.
That'll only add fuel to the fire.
With all the rumors that are floating around right now, the last thing we need is the press to find out that my Chief of Staff leaked classified information.
No, of course not.
[Sighs.]
[Groans.]
Aaron? When is the last time you slept? I-I slept last night, sir.
More than three hours? [Scoffs.]
You said yourself you made a lapse in judgment.
Exhaustion affects our ability to make decisions.
Maybe you need some personal time.
Sir, are you asking me to step aside? Absolutely not.
I'm asking you to get some rest.
Take maybe a week.
Come back recharged.
Look, sir, I appreciate you looking after me like that, but with everything that's going on right now, I really don't think a break is called for.
Aaron, it's because of everything that's going on that I need you at your best.
I'm not trying to punish you.
I'm trying to protect you.
You're gonna have to trust me.
Take the week.
- Yes, sir.
- Thank you.
[Door closes.]
[Sighs.]
Aaron told me himself.
He shared the information with Speaker Hookstraten She leaked it to Abe Leonard.
Wow.
Do you think this has anything to do with him suppressing the threat assessment memo? No.
No, I don't.
But he's gonna take some time off.
You suspended him? No, I asked him to get some rest and refocus, give us a chance to figure out what the hell is going on.
In the meantime I would like you to be my acting Chief of Staff.
I'm throwing you in the deep end here.
[Sighs.]
I won't let you down.
I know.
Thank you, Emily.
Ava will bring you up to speed.
[Chuckles.]
I guess that's all I need for the next briefing.
Thank you, guys.
Uh, hey, Seth.
My mother called me earlier.
She asked me two questions.
- One am I dating anyone? - [Chuckles.]
Two was the Vice President involved with the attempt on Kirkman's life? - Funny.
- I'm serious.
When's the President gonna address this? He's right, Seth.
The longer we stay silent, the more it seems like we are hiding something.
Okay.
Well, look.
The President is still being briefed by the FBI, and he should have all the information he needs before he can address the nation, right? Thanks for that question.
Yeah.
Laura? We, um We need to shut down Abe Leonard before his conspiracy rumors get out of hand.
Abe Leonard's a Pulitzer Prizewinner.
Well, he's a disgraced Pulitzer Prize-winner, right? You know, when firefighters are trying to put out a forest fire, sometimes they'll set a backfire to snuff out the original blaze.
That's what we need to do.
So you want us to smear him? No, the President doesn't want that, and neither do I.
What I do want is for the American people to realize that, uh Abe Leonard strikes out more than he hits home runs.
Make our friends in the media remember every correction, retraction he's ever had to publish, every libel lawsuit and defamation settlement.
I mean, this guy's like a broken watch, right? He's only right twice a day.
Sweet.
We finally get to spin something.
[Knock on door.]
Aaron: Hey, he-here's a list of pending correspondence and calls to return.
These will catch you up on NSA, and these are the files for the Dwyer meeting tomorrow.
I'm sorry, Aaron.
Oh, well, there's nothing to be sorry about.
The President's just looking out for me.
And I'm sure you'll be back in no time.
Curtis is the go-to guy for all matters Senate, and Jamie for the House.
Denise handles military and cabinet.
Aaron Good luck.
Foerstel: You sure you don't want me in there with you? No.
Joyner knows me.
Yeah, he knows you're the one who took down MacLeish, the only guy in the world he trusted.
Look, he's damaged goods.
I can reach him.
The story of this conspiracy starts in Afghanistan.
Until we understand that, we don't understand anything.
[Vehicle dinging.]
[Buzzer.]
"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
" John 8:32 That's what you quoted to MacLeish right before he was shot.
So what is the truth, Corporal Joyner? Tell me about the mission to Kunar November 14, 2005.
[Sternly.]
I ain't talking to you.
The CIA added this to your mission file.
This is total crap.
It didn't happen like this.
This makes us sound like baby killers.
But you did kill civilians, didn't you? Women? Children? [Voice breaking.]
You weren't there! You can't understand.
Make me understand.
Listen to your conscience, Alvin.
I can't.
You want to tell someone.
I know you do.
No! - Cap said - Captain MacLeish is dead.
And he's going down as a war criminal.
No! H-He's a hero! He saved all of us that day.
How? What did he do? [Indistinct shouting echoes in distance.]
[Machine-gun fire echoes in distance.]
Hey.
Hey.
Everything all right? Yeah.
T-Tom, I'm worried about the kids.
I think we should send them away from the White House.
What? My mom can help take care of them.
I spoke with her.
- With all due respect to your mom - N-N-No.
J-Just hear me out, okay? The people who are behind this, they took down the government, th-they th-they killed that FBI agent's little boy, and they almost killed you.
Slow down.
Slow down.
You said yourself that you thought the White House was the safest place to be.
Well, I was wrong.
Because wherever you are, you are a target.
[Scoffs.]
Well, where do you want to go? [Sighs.]
I spoke with Mike about Camp David.
- He says it's more secure.
- Of course it is.
It's a compound in the middle of nowhere.
They wouldn't have any friends.
They'd have to be tutored.
What kind of a life is that? What kind of life is this? You haven't been to their school, you Well, we'll boost their security.
- We'll get them tracking bands.
- No, no, no, no.
Putting more bars on the prison is not the answer.
I want our kids to have a normal life.
And I don't want to be away from them.
Or you, Al Alex This family, our family, is the only thing holding me together.
I know.
I know that.
And I don't want to be away from you, either.
But we have to think about what's best for them.
And separating them from their father is the answer? [Knock on door.]
I'm sorry, sir.
[Sighs.]
I'll get back as soon as I can.
I'm gonna head home to shower and get a change of clothes.
Please do.
Don't miss me too much.
Don't make a sound! Seth: Okay.
Uh you want my wallet? Man 2: No.
I want your suit.
Is that a Welsh & Jeffries? Oh, you guys are sons of bitches, you know that? And what about me? [Laughs.]
You gave birth to these two.
[Laughter.]
Oh, man.
What are you guys doing here? Well, you haven't answered a single text message in the past week.
Yeah, well, that's what happens when the President gets shot and the Vice President gets murdered by his wife.
That's why we're here.
- Call it an intervention.
- With alcohol.
[Chuckles.]
I wish I could, guys.
I got to shower and head back to work.
Oh, would you listen to this guy? You sound like a freshman all over again.
Callie flew in from New York just to see you.
- You did? - If it makes it any easier, drinks are on you.
[Sighs.]
All right.
I can do one drink.
All right.
I can't believe Callie braved the flight from New York all the way down to D.
C.
Hannah: Mr.
President, what I'm about to tell you came straight from Corporal Joyner himself.
One the morning of 11/14, orders came down for MacLeish's unit to escort an Army major to a covert meet with an Afghan warlord.
That major's name Nestor Lozano, a.
k.
a.
Catalan.
The man who tried to kill me.
Right.
He was meant to deliver a few duffel bags full of cash.
The meet went south Warlord took the money and ordered his men to open fire.
It was a bloodbath.
My God.
MacLeish managed to keep his unit together, and they fought their way out of the compound, but the warlord pursued.
And they started picking off the unit, one by one.
MacLeish's men went blood-simple.
They shot up everything in their path Hostiles, friendlies, women, and children.
To MacLeish's men, the rules of engagement no longer applied.
It was a frenzy Kill or be killed.
Eventually, Joyner sees Lozano, shoves a gun in his face, demands to know what happened.
Lozano admits he's a CIA officer and that the bags were filled with $5 million in cash A payoff to fight against the Taliban.
But MacLeish's men decided that Lozano was going to have to pay for the buddies they lost, MacLeish jumps in, stops it, says that he was just following orders.
[Scoffs.]
So, MacLeish saved his life.
If it weren't for MacLeish, Lozano would've never made it home.
Olli: We're worried about you, pal.
Come on.
Worried about what? Everything's fine.
Seth, come on.
You're working for an amateur.
A nice guy, maybe, but someone clearly incapable of doing the job.
The nation's not seen this much turmoil since the Civil War.
You're the face of a drowning administration.
The handsome face of a drowning administration, - I might add.
- Thank you.
People think they're not getting the whole story.
They're wondering if there's a connection between MacLeish and the shooter.
Okay, let me just guess where you're getting that information.
- Teen Mode.
- Teen Mode.
Seth, if there is any truth to this Abe Leonard story at all You really want to handcuff yourself to a failed presidency? Guys, enough.
I don't work at a hedge fund, I don't work for a white-shoe law firm, I don't make superhero movies.
I work for the President of the United States.
When your ship's taking on water, you don't jump.
You grab a bucket.
I appreciate the concern.
I love you guys.
You know that.
But I have to get back to the White House.
All right? Thanks for flying down.
The mission only explains how Lozano met MacLeish.
And why he owed him.
Right.
My opinion? This is exactly how MacLeish was radicalized.
The bond with his unit went deeper than even family.
To have his men sent in to slaughter, on a covert mission with a war criminal, and then to come back and have their sacrifice ignored and erased by a callous government.
The mission that made MacLeish a hero turned him into a traitor.
Ritter: I want a perimeter around the school before we get there.
We'll be traveling in alone.
Phoenix will not be exiting the vehicle.
Agent: Copy that.
Thank you, Mike.
[Chuckles.]
I've seen enough.
Let's go back to the White House.
With all that's happened in the past few weeks, the President is thrilled to have a man of your experience stepping back into the role of Secretary of State.
Thank you, Ms.
Rhodes, But let me stop you right there.
After discussing it with my advisors, I'm gonna respectfully take my name out of consideration.
I'm sorry.
I don't understand.
Why come in if you had no intention of taking the position? Out of respect for the President.
I wanted to deliver the news in person.
Well, that won't stop him from being disappointed.
I'm very sorry.
But I did want to offer a suggestion.
I've spoken to Cornelius Moss, and he's willing to make recommendations on all of your cabinet posts.
President Moss wants to get back into politics? He just wants to share the benefit of his experience.
Nothing more.
Would President Kirkman be open to that? So, we'll try it for a month, see how it goes.
[Sighs.]
Thank you.
What What changed your mind? I went to Penny's school today.
Mike arranged it so that we could move out of the motorcade a block away so she wouldn't know we were there.
You know, one of my favorite things to do before all this happened pick her up from school.
I would get there early just to watch her play with her friends.
She doesn't have any anymore.
Other kids aren't allowed near her.
I'm robbing her of her childhood, and I don't know how to fix that yet, but anything's got to be better than this.
I agree.
Thank you.
[Door opens.]
So, where are we at? Just parsing through the haystack.
Did any ID come back on the guy you took out at Langdon's? No, I ran it through every database we have Facial recognition, dental records, fingerprints.
No matches.
Just like the woman who took Luke Atwood.
I mean, to have every shred of your existence scrubbed from the public record these guys are good.
We've got eyes out everywhere for Langdon.
But so far, nothing.
He's out there somewhere.
You know, it's like Jason used to say, we only have to be lucky once.
They have to be lucky all the time.
[Knock on door, door opens.]
Hello? Jason? Jason, I came to check on you guys.
I hope that's okay.
Where's Yvette? She's at her sister's in Buffalo.
She said everything about this place reminds her of Luke.
You know they canned me, right? They took my badge and my gun.
I'm so sorry, Jason.
I'm an embarrassment to the entire Bureau.
That is not true.
Don't even go there.
20-plus years on the job, and all it took was for her to show me that she had my son.
And all of my training just goes out the window.
Let's make them pay, Jason.
Tell me everything you know about that woman.
We'll find her, and we'll make her pay.
Are you working me? What are you talking about? You're working the case.
Jason, no.
Come on.
Don't.
Don't.
No, I want justice for Luke.
Justice? Justice is not gonna bring my son back.
This is my justice.
I went against everything that I am, and my son is dead because of it.
You did everything you could.
You sacrificed everything.
They did this.
Please leave.
[Voice breaking.]
Jason, I want to help.
Get out.
I've had several conversations with Cornelius Moss since I took office.
He never indicated any desire to get back into politics.
Not even close.
I know.
After his wife died, he said he was retiring from public life.
That's why he never ran for a second term.
Great public servant.
And a consummate politician.
I'm just saying, I wouldn't want him to pull focus from what you're trying to achieve.
No, I appreciate what you're saying.
But he's a president.
Inviting him into the White House could lift the nation, project a sense of solidarity.
I'll set it up.
Thank you.
[Phone rings in distance.]
Mr.
Wright.
Mr.
Leonard.
Did you know "Wright" comes from the Old English? - It means "shaper of wood.
" - Huh.
And here I was thinking it meant "adulterer.
" Well, it intrigues me you never knew the meaning of your last name, considering you picked it.
Is there something I can help you with, Mr.
Leonard? Yeah, I'm curious how the Tribune and the Post both did stories on my "return" to journalism on the exact same day.
You're a Pulitzer winner making a comeback with Teen Mode.
Don't you think that's newsworthy? And the fact that I lost my credentials from the Herald due to rogue tactics that border more on extortion than journalism.
It's public record.
You know that I can't, uh control what the press pushes out.
No.
Of course you can't.
You just read announcements handed to you by the President.
[Scoffs.]
Well, I must say, I am actually flattered, so To feel somewhat relevant again? [Chuckles.]
When I was on the debate team at Northwestern, I learned that discrediting a source is the oldest trick in the book.
It's bush league, but it's effective if done properly under two circumstances.
One It's a last resort, and two When you're confronted with a truth you can't refute.
Now, I would say "goodbye" in Old English, but I-I honestly can't pronounce it.
But apparently, it wouldn't matter.
So adieu, Mr.
Wright.
Seth: Sir, you really think that is a good idea? I think the people have every right to know what MacLeish did with regards to the shooter.
Besides I'm not comfortable sitting on the truth anymore.
- Okay, I'll inform the networks.
- Thank you.
Do you mind if I take a pass at your remarks? I was hoping you would.
- Thank you.
- Thanks, Seth.
I didn't ask for another one.
Well, it's from the gentleman with the insatiable appetite for loose women and anything alcoholic.
Hello, Abe.
What do you say, Kimble? Still drinking that turpentine.
Yeah, read all about it.
I have been.
Rookie move by a dittohead neophyte.
Hey! I wouldn't underestimate Seth Wright.
[Groans.]
We're dealing with children, Kimble.
Coddled millennials who wouldn't know a real story if it bit them in the ass.
Same old Abe.
Well, you must have hit a nerve, or the White House wouldn't be going to all this trouble to remind people what a train wreck you are.
I've gotten mocked and ridiculed by better hatchet men than them.
If they think a smear campaign is gonna stop me [Laughs.]
they got another thing coming.
Still, Kirkman's smart, and he's learning on the job.
I've seen bare-knuckle campaigners barely make it through a single term as president.
You can't learn on the job.
Come on.
It's taken everything in my empty soul to get back in this game, and there's zero chance I'm gonna let some amateurs in diapers push me out again.
There's a connection between MacLeish and the shooter, and I'm gonna find it.
If anything happens, if Penny gets a splinter, I want to know as soon as possible.
I know.
I know.
Listen, we're only an hour away, okay? I'm gonna get back as often as I can.
Okay.
Leo, you all right with this? I'll be fine.
It's a good call.
Come here.
I love you.
I love you, too.
And you.
I need you to look after your mom and your brother.
What's this? The drawing I was working on.
Sweetheart, I was supposed to help you finish it.
I'm so sorry.
It's okay.
Come here.
I love you so much.
[Voice breaking.]
I love you, too.
Okay.
Time to get in.
Call me as soon as you get there.
Please.
I love you with all my heart.
Could you take care of yourself, please? I promise I will.
Bye, guys.
Penny: Bye, Daddy.
[Whirring.]
[Helicopter blades whir.]
My fellow Americans Due to recent events, we live in a time of uncertainty, leaving us with more questions than answers.
Tonight, I hope to put us back on the path to confidence and strength.
I do not believe that we can survive as a nation without transparency.
Without truth, there can be no trust.
As your President, I assure you that I and my administration will be honest and open on all matters, regardless of how the truth reflects upon me.
This afternoon, a question was raised by Abe Leonard, a respected member of our press pool, which I believe the American people deserve an answer to.
During the search for the man who tried to assassinate me, Vice President MacLeish unilaterally issued a shoot-to-kill order over the strong objections of the FBI and my Chief of Staff, Aaron Shore.
Because I was in surgery, I was forced to invoke the 25th Amendment, giving the Vice President the authority to make such a call.
It's not a call I believe I would have made.
Nonetheless, I respected Peter MacLeish's experience as a soldier.
He made a split-second decision that he felt protected not only the federal agents at the scene, but the general public, as well.
I know this answer will not satisfy everyone.
But this is what happened, and it's how it happened.
In times of crisis, we must not succumb to cynicism and mistrust.
Instead, we must maintain faith while embracing reason and truth, not speculation and rumor.
Again, we can only attain this through transparency.
Believe me, I know what the American people have been feeling.
I know that there is confusion and fear.
I know that some do not even feel safe leaving their homes.
President Lincoln prophetically cautioned, "A house divided against itself cannot stand.
" We are at a similar crossroads.
But Lincoln did not expect his house to fall, and neither do I.
The American people must now make the most important decision they've had to make in generations.
Will we be united in the pursuit of truth and reason? Or break apart because of conjecture and suspicion? I trust this nation My nation To make the right choice.
Thank you, good night, and God bless America.
Man: And we're clear, Mr.
President.
[Sighs.]
Thank you.
Aaron.
Langdon.
Not here.
Aaron Shore's made contact with someone.
Hannah: That's Charles Langdon.
But until I can prove that definitively, I have to keep my guard up and so do you.
What happened last night? We had the shooter contained, but MacLeish gave the order anyway.
What order? Shoot to kill.
And that's for your ears only.
- We need your help.
- You want to help me? Find my son! - Man: It's Joyner.
He wants to see you.
- Why? The FBI came to see him again today.
The guy just needs some reassurance.
- I can give it to him.
- But if it doesn't work, the problem has to be eliminated.
Someone's gonna find out.
Yes, you lied.
- I lied to Congress.
- That's it.
Go.
FBI! Freeze! Put your hands on your head.
I'm the Vice President of the United States.
[Gunshot.]
- No! - [Gunshot.]
News Anchor: From ABC7 News, this is a breaking news alert.
- [Cellphone rings.]
- Good morning from ABC7.
We have breaking news from Arlington National Cemetery.
The U.
S.
Army and FBI are investigating a deadly shooting that occurred last night.
The Washington Post is reporting that two victims - are involved - Emily Rhodes.
- [Snoring.]
- [Cellphone vibrates.]
[Cellphone rings.]
Aaron Shore.
Kirkman: Someone's gonna have to explain to me how the Vice President of the United States of America was murdered in front of a team of federal agents! We didn't pick the meeting place, sir.
MacLeish did.
We had to take cover where we could.
And MacLeish's security detail was instructed to give him plenty of buffer so he'd feel secure.
We would've taken him down if it weren't for Beth MacLeish.
I'm sorry.
I missed it.
Beth MacLeish was the joker in the deck.
I didn't think she could be involved.
Do we know how she got away from her Secret Service detail? She said she was going to read to her children, and that was her routine.
By the time they figured out she was missing, - it was too late.
- Mr.
President, there are only a few scenarios at play here, but only one rings true Beth MacLeish was involved.
She knew we were there to arrest her husband, and she murdered him before we could interrogate him.
[Sighs.]
What kind of fanatics are we dealing with here? Sir, it's only a matter of time before the press pieces together their own version of what happened tonight.
I-It's imperative we keep as many details out of the public realm to protect the integrity of our investigation.
I understand.
[Sighs.]
So what do we tell the American people? - Hey.
- Hey.
Damn it, no cufflinks.
Use paper clips.
- What? - I'm serious.
Any idea who got shot? Not a clue.
Kirkman: I know.
It's shocking, but we need to move past this.
Does anyone need to take a moment? Okay, good.
Because we're in a race against the clock.
The country is gonna wake up to the news that their Vice President was murdered by his wife, who then killed herself.
Emily: Do we know why she did it? No, not really.
Right now, the working theory is problems in the marriage.
A domestic dispute? I don't believe it.
Well, unfortunately, it's the only explanation investigators are willing to give until they know more.
I will make the announcement.
Sir, facing the press with only preliminary theories is like dropping blood in the water.
And the timing alone is gonna raise questions.
Somebody just tried to kill you, and now the Vice President gets murdered by his wife? Yeah, the press will be all over you for more details.
Let me make a statement.
No, this news the country needs to hear from their president.
Sir, I have to point out that Speaker Hookstraten's now next in line to the presidency.
Right.
I'll talk to Kimble at the appropriate time.
For now, bring her up to speed with what we know.
These next few days are going to be crucial.
I need you to hold yourselves together, project strength.
The American people deserve nothing less.
Let's get to work.
Yes, sir.
[Birds chirping.]
This is surreal MacLeish, Beth.
W-What about their kids? I mean, what about those poor girls? I know.
I feel awful about the children.
You know what happened, don't you? But you can't tell me, can you? No.
Not yet.
Hopefully soon.
- Dad! - Little pea! [Groans.]
Hey, w-watch out.
Mind your dad.
You okay? Yeah.
I'm all right.
What do you got there? I can't draw a horse.
Will you help me? Of course.
But I've got some work to do.
I'll help you in a minute.
Promise? Pinky swear.
Come on.
Let's get you some breakfast.
Hey! Aren't you forgetting something? I love you.
I love you, too.
No.
No, that's not actually what I said.
I would just refer you back to my original statement, okay? Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.
[Applause.]
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Plea Please, take your seats.
I wish I were here to simply talk to you about my returning to the White House and expressing my gratitude to the medical staff at the George Washington University Hospital and to the American people for their incredible support.
But unfortunately, I have a more somber and serious obligation.
There has been a great deal of speculation surrounding the police activity at Arlington National Cemetery from last night until this morning.
I am here to tell you that tragically, at 10:38 p.
m.
, Vice President Peter MacLeish was shot and killed by his wife, Beth MacLeish.
[Gasping, murmuring.]
She then turned the gun upon herself and committed suicide.
The Vice President was visiting the gravesite of a soldier who was under his command in Afghanistan.
Why he was there last night specifically, how often he visited the cemetery, and what led to this fatal outcome is still unknown.
[Indistinct talking.]
I would like to say, I know the American people will join me in sending their hopes and prayers to the MacLeish family during this time of sorrow.
Thank you very much.
[Indistinct talking.]
All right, folks, that's all we have for now, okay? The President's obviously not taking any questions.
Look, I'm gonna be updating you every hour as we have new developments.
[Sighs.]
Yvette I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
One second.
I don't know what to say.
[Inhales deeply.]
Thank you for coming.
[Voice breaking.]
He was such an amazing boy, Jason.
And they took him from us.
Hey.
What's the press saying about the shooting? [Sighs.]
What aren't they saying? Speculation's everywhere, but Seth has it handled.
How's the staff holding up? They're shocked, but pulling through.
One thing that helps is seeing you on your feet again.
- Staffer: Welcome back, Mr.
President.
- Thank you, Hayden.
See? We should discuss the rest of your day's agenda.
I thought we canceled everything.
We can't have a bunker mentality.
The world's still spinning.
You're absolutely right.
What do you got? Well, CEOs are arriving as we speak to discuss reducing carbon dioxide emissions later today.
You're also set to meet with Senators Choi and Ganesh regarding criminal justice reform.
Okay.
What else? Jacklyn Ramsey just turned us down for Interior, said she's happy at the NRDC.
[Sighs.]
How many people do we have to approach to get someone to even take a meeting? Well, we saw this during the elections.
People just don't want to be in Washington right now.
Any good news? Actually, Gary Dwyer's still set to come in tomorrow to meet with Aaron about resuming his post as Secretary of State.
- Wow.
- Mm-hmm.
Dwyer.
That'll go a long way to shoring up confidence.
Yes, it would.
But about their meeting, sir.
I was wondering, in light of recent events, if you thought I should sit down with Dwyer instead of Aaron.
Emily, I understand your concern, but until I find a reason to make a change, it's business as usual.
Understood.
The MacLeishes leave behind two daughters, Lexi and Blake, who will be staying with their maternal grandparents.
We ask that you would respect their privacy in their time of grieving.
The President will address the nation further when he has more information available, okay? That's all I have for now, unless you have questions about something.
Mr.
Press Secretary! Mr.
Press Secretary!! Seth: Mr.
Leonard.
A pleasure to have you back at the White House.
I hope that's the first lie you told this morning.
[Chuckles.]
May I ask who you're with? Teen Mode.
- [Laughter.]
- Come on, Abe.
I need to know who your credentials are with.
Teen Mode.
They actually do real stories on real issues, unlike these lemmings.
All right, Abe.
You have a question? Yeah, it's about Nestor Lozano - President Kirkman's would-be assassin.
Sure, the FBI released a statement on Lozano last night.
Which told us virtually nothing.
Now, I have it on good authority that Vice President MacLeish personally took over the manhunt for Lozano and issued a shoot-to-kill order.
Care to comment? I would refer you back to the FBI comm shop.
I'm not aware of any such order.
Really? Well, my sources say MacLeish overrode the FBI, deliberately preventing them from taking Lozano alive.
Why would the Vice President do that? I mean, why would he go out of his way to silence the one man who attempted to murder the president? I mean, it doesn't make sense, unless MacLeish wanted him silenced.
I'll have to get back to you on that.
[Chuckles.]
I'd appreciate that.
[Indistinct shouting.]
How did Abe Leonard get the information in the first place? - Wait, it's true? MacLeish gave the order? - Yes.
I advised against it, but he didn't listen to me.
Or the FBI.
What was he thinking? He said he didn't want to put our men at risk.
Okay.
Uh, well Leonard said MacLeish was hiding something.
- Was he? - I don't know, But now I have a room full of White House correspondents - looking into it.
- Look, we need to contain this now, before paranoia takes over.
And I want to know who's leaking classified information.
Emily, Aaron, you were both in Command Ops when MacLeish gave the order Find the leak.
I want them in my office by nightfall.
Yes, sir.
Seth, can I borrow you for a second? I want to address the nation.
Sir, I'm not sure that's the best idea.
I mean, you just announced that the vice president was murdered by his wife.
I don't think the country's ready to hear this after that.
The country deserves to know what's happening.
Sir, no matter what your intent, I think that anything that you say at this point could contribute to a sense of chaos.
[Inhales deeply.]
Why don't you let me buy you some time? Wait for this news cycle to die down.
That way, when you do say something, it's proactive instead of just reacting to some flame-throwing reporter.
Okay, you're right.
You're right.
Get it done.
Thank you.
So what couldn't wait? Abe Leonard I know you two go way back.
You told him about MacLeish taking out the shooter in Command Ops Don't deny it.
Okay, I won't.
- I told you that in confidence.
- That was your mistake.
I thought you were working with the President on this.
I am.
He asked me to look into MacLeish, and that's exactly what I'm doing - Trying to do my job as best I can.
- All right.
You can dress this up however you like, Madam Speaker, but you just jeopardized national security.
Actually, Aaron you did.
Ritter: Those are NASAMS, ma'am.
Surface-to-air missiles.
They were there before.
We're just installing more.
Alex: And there's more snipers.
It's all part of the increased security plan.
It's just for the moment.
Just for the moment.
Yes, ma'am.
Anything else? No.
Thanks, Mike.
[Sighs.]
You're the leak? Indirectly, sir.
I told Speaker Hookstraten.
She fed the story to Abe Leonard.
[Sighs heavily.]
I realize, sir, this couldn't come at a at a worse possible time.
It was a lapse in judgment, and I apologize.
It won't happen again.
- Now, I could put out a statement.
- No, no, no.
That'll only add fuel to the fire.
With all the rumors that are floating around right now, the last thing we need is the press to find out that my Chief of Staff leaked classified information.
No, of course not.
[Sighs.]
[Groans.]
Aaron? When is the last time you slept? I-I slept last night, sir.
More than three hours? [Scoffs.]
You said yourself you made a lapse in judgment.
Exhaustion affects our ability to make decisions.
Maybe you need some personal time.
Sir, are you asking me to step aside? Absolutely not.
I'm asking you to get some rest.
Take maybe a week.
Come back recharged.
Look, sir, I appreciate you looking after me like that, but with everything that's going on right now, I really don't think a break is called for.
Aaron, it's because of everything that's going on that I need you at your best.
I'm not trying to punish you.
I'm trying to protect you.
You're gonna have to trust me.
Take the week.
- Yes, sir.
- Thank you.
[Door closes.]
[Sighs.]
Aaron told me himself.
He shared the information with Speaker Hookstraten She leaked it to Abe Leonard.
Wow.
Do you think this has anything to do with him suppressing the threat assessment memo? No.
No, I don't.
But he's gonna take some time off.
You suspended him? No, I asked him to get some rest and refocus, give us a chance to figure out what the hell is going on.
In the meantime I would like you to be my acting Chief of Staff.
I'm throwing you in the deep end here.
[Sighs.]
I won't let you down.
I know.
Thank you, Emily.
Ava will bring you up to speed.
[Chuckles.]
I guess that's all I need for the next briefing.
Thank you, guys.
Uh, hey, Seth.
My mother called me earlier.
She asked me two questions.
- One am I dating anyone? - [Chuckles.]
Two was the Vice President involved with the attempt on Kirkman's life? - Funny.
- I'm serious.
When's the President gonna address this? He's right, Seth.
The longer we stay silent, the more it seems like we are hiding something.
Okay.
Well, look.
The President is still being briefed by the FBI, and he should have all the information he needs before he can address the nation, right? Thanks for that question.
Yeah.
Laura? We, um We need to shut down Abe Leonard before his conspiracy rumors get out of hand.
Abe Leonard's a Pulitzer Prizewinner.
Well, he's a disgraced Pulitzer Prize-winner, right? You know, when firefighters are trying to put out a forest fire, sometimes they'll set a backfire to snuff out the original blaze.
That's what we need to do.
So you want us to smear him? No, the President doesn't want that, and neither do I.
What I do want is for the American people to realize that, uh Abe Leonard strikes out more than he hits home runs.
Make our friends in the media remember every correction, retraction he's ever had to publish, every libel lawsuit and defamation settlement.
I mean, this guy's like a broken watch, right? He's only right twice a day.
Sweet.
We finally get to spin something.
[Knock on door.]
Aaron: Hey, he-here's a list of pending correspondence and calls to return.
These will catch you up on NSA, and these are the files for the Dwyer meeting tomorrow.
I'm sorry, Aaron.
Oh, well, there's nothing to be sorry about.
The President's just looking out for me.
And I'm sure you'll be back in no time.
Curtis is the go-to guy for all matters Senate, and Jamie for the House.
Denise handles military and cabinet.
Aaron Good luck.
Foerstel: You sure you don't want me in there with you? No.
Joyner knows me.
Yeah, he knows you're the one who took down MacLeish, the only guy in the world he trusted.
Look, he's damaged goods.
I can reach him.
The story of this conspiracy starts in Afghanistan.
Until we understand that, we don't understand anything.
[Vehicle dinging.]
[Buzzer.]
"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
" John 8:32 That's what you quoted to MacLeish right before he was shot.
So what is the truth, Corporal Joyner? Tell me about the mission to Kunar November 14, 2005.
[Sternly.]
I ain't talking to you.
The CIA added this to your mission file.
This is total crap.
It didn't happen like this.
This makes us sound like baby killers.
But you did kill civilians, didn't you? Women? Children? [Voice breaking.]
You weren't there! You can't understand.
Make me understand.
Listen to your conscience, Alvin.
I can't.
You want to tell someone.
I know you do.
No! - Cap said - Captain MacLeish is dead.
And he's going down as a war criminal.
No! H-He's a hero! He saved all of us that day.
How? What did he do? [Indistinct shouting echoes in distance.]
[Machine-gun fire echoes in distance.]
Hey.
Hey.
Everything all right? Yeah.
T-Tom, I'm worried about the kids.
I think we should send them away from the White House.
What? My mom can help take care of them.
I spoke with her.
- With all due respect to your mom - N-N-No.
J-Just hear me out, okay? The people who are behind this, they took down the government, th-they th-they killed that FBI agent's little boy, and they almost killed you.
Slow down.
Slow down.
You said yourself that you thought the White House was the safest place to be.
Well, I was wrong.
Because wherever you are, you are a target.
[Scoffs.]
Well, where do you want to go? [Sighs.]
I spoke with Mike about Camp David.
- He says it's more secure.
- Of course it is.
It's a compound in the middle of nowhere.
They wouldn't have any friends.
They'd have to be tutored.
What kind of a life is that? What kind of life is this? You haven't been to their school, you Well, we'll boost their security.
- We'll get them tracking bands.
- No, no, no, no.
Putting more bars on the prison is not the answer.
I want our kids to have a normal life.
And I don't want to be away from them.
Or you, Al Alex This family, our family, is the only thing holding me together.
I know.
I know that.
And I don't want to be away from you, either.
But we have to think about what's best for them.
And separating them from their father is the answer? [Knock on door.]
I'm sorry, sir.
[Sighs.]
I'll get back as soon as I can.
I'm gonna head home to shower and get a change of clothes.
Please do.
Don't miss me too much.
Don't make a sound! Seth: Okay.
Uh you want my wallet? Man 2: No.
I want your suit.
Is that a Welsh & Jeffries? Oh, you guys are sons of bitches, you know that? And what about me? [Laughs.]
You gave birth to these two.
[Laughter.]
Oh, man.
What are you guys doing here? Well, you haven't answered a single text message in the past week.
Yeah, well, that's what happens when the President gets shot and the Vice President gets murdered by his wife.
That's why we're here.
- Call it an intervention.
- With alcohol.
[Chuckles.]
I wish I could, guys.
I got to shower and head back to work.
Oh, would you listen to this guy? You sound like a freshman all over again.
Callie flew in from New York just to see you.
- You did? - If it makes it any easier, drinks are on you.
[Sighs.]
All right.
I can do one drink.
All right.
I can't believe Callie braved the flight from New York all the way down to D.
C.
Hannah: Mr.
President, what I'm about to tell you came straight from Corporal Joyner himself.
One the morning of 11/14, orders came down for MacLeish's unit to escort an Army major to a covert meet with an Afghan warlord.
That major's name Nestor Lozano, a.
k.
a.
Catalan.
The man who tried to kill me.
Right.
He was meant to deliver a few duffel bags full of cash.
The meet went south Warlord took the money and ordered his men to open fire.
It was a bloodbath.
My God.
MacLeish managed to keep his unit together, and they fought their way out of the compound, but the warlord pursued.
And they started picking off the unit, one by one.
MacLeish's men went blood-simple.
They shot up everything in their path Hostiles, friendlies, women, and children.
To MacLeish's men, the rules of engagement no longer applied.
It was a frenzy Kill or be killed.
Eventually, Joyner sees Lozano, shoves a gun in his face, demands to know what happened.
Lozano admits he's a CIA officer and that the bags were filled with $5 million in cash A payoff to fight against the Taliban.
But MacLeish's men decided that Lozano was going to have to pay for the buddies they lost, MacLeish jumps in, stops it, says that he was just following orders.
[Scoffs.]
So, MacLeish saved his life.
If it weren't for MacLeish, Lozano would've never made it home.
Olli: We're worried about you, pal.
Come on.
Worried about what? Everything's fine.
Seth, come on.
You're working for an amateur.
A nice guy, maybe, but someone clearly incapable of doing the job.
The nation's not seen this much turmoil since the Civil War.
You're the face of a drowning administration.
The handsome face of a drowning administration, - I might add.
- Thank you.
People think they're not getting the whole story.
They're wondering if there's a connection between MacLeish and the shooter.
Okay, let me just guess where you're getting that information.
- Teen Mode.
- Teen Mode.
Seth, if there is any truth to this Abe Leonard story at all You really want to handcuff yourself to a failed presidency? Guys, enough.
I don't work at a hedge fund, I don't work for a white-shoe law firm, I don't make superhero movies.
I work for the President of the United States.
When your ship's taking on water, you don't jump.
You grab a bucket.
I appreciate the concern.
I love you guys.
You know that.
But I have to get back to the White House.
All right? Thanks for flying down.
The mission only explains how Lozano met MacLeish.
And why he owed him.
Right.
My opinion? This is exactly how MacLeish was radicalized.
The bond with his unit went deeper than even family.
To have his men sent in to slaughter, on a covert mission with a war criminal, and then to come back and have their sacrifice ignored and erased by a callous government.
The mission that made MacLeish a hero turned him into a traitor.
Ritter: I want a perimeter around the school before we get there.
We'll be traveling in alone.
Phoenix will not be exiting the vehicle.
Agent: Copy that.
Thank you, Mike.
[Chuckles.]
I've seen enough.
Let's go back to the White House.
With all that's happened in the past few weeks, the President is thrilled to have a man of your experience stepping back into the role of Secretary of State.
Thank you, Ms.
Rhodes, But let me stop you right there.
After discussing it with my advisors, I'm gonna respectfully take my name out of consideration.
I'm sorry.
I don't understand.
Why come in if you had no intention of taking the position? Out of respect for the President.
I wanted to deliver the news in person.
Well, that won't stop him from being disappointed.
I'm very sorry.
But I did want to offer a suggestion.
I've spoken to Cornelius Moss, and he's willing to make recommendations on all of your cabinet posts.
President Moss wants to get back into politics? He just wants to share the benefit of his experience.
Nothing more.
Would President Kirkman be open to that? So, we'll try it for a month, see how it goes.
[Sighs.]
Thank you.
What What changed your mind? I went to Penny's school today.
Mike arranged it so that we could move out of the motorcade a block away so she wouldn't know we were there.
You know, one of my favorite things to do before all this happened pick her up from school.
I would get there early just to watch her play with her friends.
She doesn't have any anymore.
Other kids aren't allowed near her.
I'm robbing her of her childhood, and I don't know how to fix that yet, but anything's got to be better than this.
I agree.
Thank you.
[Door opens.]
So, where are we at? Just parsing through the haystack.
Did any ID come back on the guy you took out at Langdon's? No, I ran it through every database we have Facial recognition, dental records, fingerprints.
No matches.
Just like the woman who took Luke Atwood.
I mean, to have every shred of your existence scrubbed from the public record these guys are good.
We've got eyes out everywhere for Langdon.
But so far, nothing.
He's out there somewhere.
You know, it's like Jason used to say, we only have to be lucky once.
They have to be lucky all the time.
[Knock on door, door opens.]
Hello? Jason? Jason, I came to check on you guys.
I hope that's okay.
Where's Yvette? She's at her sister's in Buffalo.
She said everything about this place reminds her of Luke.
You know they canned me, right? They took my badge and my gun.
I'm so sorry, Jason.
I'm an embarrassment to the entire Bureau.
That is not true.
Don't even go there.
20-plus years on the job, and all it took was for her to show me that she had my son.
And all of my training just goes out the window.
Let's make them pay, Jason.
Tell me everything you know about that woman.
We'll find her, and we'll make her pay.
Are you working me? What are you talking about? You're working the case.
Jason, no.
Come on.
Don't.
Don't.
No, I want justice for Luke.
Justice? Justice is not gonna bring my son back.
This is my justice.
I went against everything that I am, and my son is dead because of it.
You did everything you could.
You sacrificed everything.
They did this.
Please leave.
[Voice breaking.]
Jason, I want to help.
Get out.
I've had several conversations with Cornelius Moss since I took office.
He never indicated any desire to get back into politics.
Not even close.
I know.
After his wife died, he said he was retiring from public life.
That's why he never ran for a second term.
Great public servant.
And a consummate politician.
I'm just saying, I wouldn't want him to pull focus from what you're trying to achieve.
No, I appreciate what you're saying.
But he's a president.
Inviting him into the White House could lift the nation, project a sense of solidarity.
I'll set it up.
Thank you.
[Phone rings in distance.]
Mr.
Wright.
Mr.
Leonard.
Did you know "Wright" comes from the Old English? - It means "shaper of wood.
" - Huh.
And here I was thinking it meant "adulterer.
" Well, it intrigues me you never knew the meaning of your last name, considering you picked it.
Is there something I can help you with, Mr.
Leonard? Yeah, I'm curious how the Tribune and the Post both did stories on my "return" to journalism on the exact same day.
You're a Pulitzer winner making a comeback with Teen Mode.
Don't you think that's newsworthy? And the fact that I lost my credentials from the Herald due to rogue tactics that border more on extortion than journalism.
It's public record.
You know that I can't, uh control what the press pushes out.
No.
Of course you can't.
You just read announcements handed to you by the President.
[Scoffs.]
Well, I must say, I am actually flattered, so To feel somewhat relevant again? [Chuckles.]
When I was on the debate team at Northwestern, I learned that discrediting a source is the oldest trick in the book.
It's bush league, but it's effective if done properly under two circumstances.
One It's a last resort, and two When you're confronted with a truth you can't refute.
Now, I would say "goodbye" in Old English, but I-I honestly can't pronounce it.
But apparently, it wouldn't matter.
So adieu, Mr.
Wright.
Seth: Sir, you really think that is a good idea? I think the people have every right to know what MacLeish did with regards to the shooter.
Besides I'm not comfortable sitting on the truth anymore.
- Okay, I'll inform the networks.
- Thank you.
Do you mind if I take a pass at your remarks? I was hoping you would.
- Thank you.
- Thanks, Seth.
I didn't ask for another one.
Well, it's from the gentleman with the insatiable appetite for loose women and anything alcoholic.
Hello, Abe.
What do you say, Kimble? Still drinking that turpentine.
Yeah, read all about it.
I have been.
Rookie move by a dittohead neophyte.
Hey! I wouldn't underestimate Seth Wright.
[Groans.]
We're dealing with children, Kimble.
Coddled millennials who wouldn't know a real story if it bit them in the ass.
Same old Abe.
Well, you must have hit a nerve, or the White House wouldn't be going to all this trouble to remind people what a train wreck you are.
I've gotten mocked and ridiculed by better hatchet men than them.
If they think a smear campaign is gonna stop me [Laughs.]
they got another thing coming.
Still, Kirkman's smart, and he's learning on the job.
I've seen bare-knuckle campaigners barely make it through a single term as president.
You can't learn on the job.
Come on.
It's taken everything in my empty soul to get back in this game, and there's zero chance I'm gonna let some amateurs in diapers push me out again.
There's a connection between MacLeish and the shooter, and I'm gonna find it.
If anything happens, if Penny gets a splinter, I want to know as soon as possible.
I know.
I know.
Listen, we're only an hour away, okay? I'm gonna get back as often as I can.
Okay.
Leo, you all right with this? I'll be fine.
It's a good call.
Come here.
I love you.
I love you, too.
And you.
I need you to look after your mom and your brother.
What's this? The drawing I was working on.
Sweetheart, I was supposed to help you finish it.
I'm so sorry.
It's okay.
Come here.
I love you so much.
[Voice breaking.]
I love you, too.
Okay.
Time to get in.
Call me as soon as you get there.
Please.
I love you with all my heart.
Could you take care of yourself, please? I promise I will.
Bye, guys.
Penny: Bye, Daddy.
[Whirring.]
[Helicopter blades whir.]
My fellow Americans Due to recent events, we live in a time of uncertainty, leaving us with more questions than answers.
Tonight, I hope to put us back on the path to confidence and strength.
I do not believe that we can survive as a nation without transparency.
Without truth, there can be no trust.
As your President, I assure you that I and my administration will be honest and open on all matters, regardless of how the truth reflects upon me.
This afternoon, a question was raised by Abe Leonard, a respected member of our press pool, which I believe the American people deserve an answer to.
During the search for the man who tried to assassinate me, Vice President MacLeish unilaterally issued a shoot-to-kill order over the strong objections of the FBI and my Chief of Staff, Aaron Shore.
Because I was in surgery, I was forced to invoke the 25th Amendment, giving the Vice President the authority to make such a call.
It's not a call I believe I would have made.
Nonetheless, I respected Peter MacLeish's experience as a soldier.
He made a split-second decision that he felt protected not only the federal agents at the scene, but the general public, as well.
I know this answer will not satisfy everyone.
But this is what happened, and it's how it happened.
In times of crisis, we must not succumb to cynicism and mistrust.
Instead, we must maintain faith while embracing reason and truth, not speculation and rumor.
Again, we can only attain this through transparency.
Believe me, I know what the American people have been feeling.
I know that there is confusion and fear.
I know that some do not even feel safe leaving their homes.
President Lincoln prophetically cautioned, "A house divided against itself cannot stand.
" We are at a similar crossroads.
But Lincoln did not expect his house to fall, and neither do I.
The American people must now make the most important decision they've had to make in generations.
Will we be united in the pursuit of truth and reason? Or break apart because of conjecture and suspicion? I trust this nation My nation To make the right choice.
Thank you, good night, and God bless America.
Man: And we're clear, Mr.
President.
[Sighs.]
Thank you.
Aaron.
Langdon.
Not here.
Aaron Shore's made contact with someone.
Hannah: That's Charles Langdon.