Designated Survivor (2016) s03e02 Episode Script
#slipperyslope
1 [INAUDIBLE.]
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
I'm not using the deaths of 19 people for political gain.
You're third in the polls.
For the next four months, every breath you take should be for political gain.
The groundbreaking ceremony is off-limits.
It's not just about that one new bridge.
Tomorrow we're rolling out your entire infrastructure program, with the roads and the tunnels and all the other new shit they can cram in there.
You're rebuilding America.
It's what's going to get you elected.
- So use it.
- Oh, my God, I have.
At every whistle-stop and fish fry that you've dragged me to over the last six months.
Look, I promise you, tomorrow night I will scream it from the rooftops at the fundraiser in Raleigh.
But tomorrow morning I'm gonna be the president, not the candidate.
Did I mention you're third in the polls? Yes, you did.
Hardly the numbers you promised me when I hired you.
You won't take money from super PACs.
Correct.
And I won't take money from corporations or special interests.
Moss and Porter are both taking PAC money.
And Porter doesn't need it.
He's a billionaire.
Don't let people forget that he made those billions polluting rivers.
I've gotta get back to my day job.
- Please finish your breakfast.
- Hey, hey, I'm not finished.
Did you go over my list for the veepstakes? Lorraine, it's not a game show.
And, yes, I have, and I wasn't particularly wowed.
Just keep your eyes open at the 11 o'clock.
- What 11 o'clock? - Swing state Independents.
And you're not leaving there without endorsements.
Oh, and one other thing.
I made some apparel choices for tomorrow.
- What? You're dressing me now? - It's all made in North Carolina.
So don't forget to mention that in your groundbreaking speech.
You haven't heard a word I've said.
I am not campaigning at the ceremony tomorrow.
[SIGHS.]
Oh, sweetie, this is politics.
Even when you're not campaigning, you're campaigning.
Emily, do you have a minute? [EMILY.]
Senior staff meeting.
So late.
I know you're crazed with Infrastructure.
There are a million moving parts and it's your baby, so I knew you'd want to know.
There's a mistake with the rollout.
- What? - I'm not on it.
I'm late for a meeting on my project because I was up until 5:00 a.
m.
making sure every last-minute bullshit detail on it was perfect.
That's not a mistake.
Do you even know about the initiative my department funded in Fayetteville? Social innovation.
Turning liabilities into assets.
To begin with, we trained and employed 50 locals deemed otherwise unemployable to haul away the debris from the bridge, and followed by Morning Joe, the secretary of commerce will be on CNBC.
Aaron, you have your talking points for CNBS? Strong infrastructure is vital to national defense.
[MARS.]
Good boy.
You'll be competing for eyeballs with the secretary of transportation - [WHISPERS.]
Em, stand up.
- Why? Were you not here when the meeting started, Emily? Seth, can you fill her in on the "no sitting" policy? Uh, yes.
Um When people sit during meetings, it makes us comfortable, and that's a bad thing.
[MARS.]
You get lethargic, meetings drag on and on.
Standing, we are in and out.
I'm trying to run a little tighter ship here.
You know.
It's attributed to Churchill.
[SOFTLY.]
Churchill also said, "When you're going through hell, keep going.
" Right.
Batting cleanup.
POTUS will be doing morning shows, local affiliates from major markets, a podcast, print and The Late Show.
By the end of the day, we will have saturated the market.
[ALL LAUGHING.]
- I don't know how that got in here.
Oh! - [AARON.]
Come on! Oh, my God, you made a sexiest politicians list? Moving on.
Please.
North Carolina.
Moving on.
Tomorrow's ceremony.
Stay alert.
I don't want any surprises.
Nothing knocking us off-message, which is "America's infrastructure is crumbling".
But the president has found a way around Congress with a trillion-dollar public-private partnership combining federal, state, local and private resources.
This is the president's signature program and the only thing I want to hear anyone talking about today.
Thank you.
One, the threat imposed by our aging electrical grid.
Two, upgrades needed to protect against cyberattacks on critical infrastructures.
Really? I can't work in here.
Just have whoever did it take this down before I get back.
Mr.
Shore? Mr.
Shore? The Norwegian ambassador needs to meet with you.
- What about? - Something involving the Russians.
- And a mini sub.
- I can see him at three.
He says if it's not handled this morning, it most likely will blow into an international incident.
Does he know it's infrastructure week? Hey, Mom, it's me.
Sorry I missed your call.
Call me back.
I wanna know you're okay.
Dontae, you're up.
What do you got? [MARS.]
They're ready for your first interview.
Wow.
You've got me talking to everybody but the Poughkeepsie Pennysaver today.
Check page two.
Speaking of pennies, the private equity fund that kicked 100 billion into Infrastructure Our friends at VQH Capital? About a third of that came from a consortium of Saudi businessmen.
One of them, Shahid Al-Mufti, is in town with his family and is requesting a photo with you.
For $33 billion, I'll even smile.
[MARS EXCLAIMS.]
[CLEARS THROAT.]
I'll take care of that.
- Humanely, if possible.
- Yeah.
[MAN OVER VIDEO.]
Welcome to Yoretown, where due to years of under-investment in infrastructure, it's all about to fall apart.
Holy hell, Dontae, this is amazing.
Yeah.
And this is just the trailer.
When you open the app, it's like playing SimCity.
You can cruise through your own community, tag repairs that are needed, projects you want funded.
Here.
Check out my hometown.
No.
No, no, no.
- Well, the trailer was good.
- I'll fix it.
Before tomorrow.
And make one that gets people to vote.
Yeah, I could've used that on myself last election.
Wait, what? You didn't vote? Charlene, what is this? Jo just translated the article for me.
It's trash.
Don't even bother.
It's crazy.
There are no pictures of you in there, and it says he's available.
I didn't make anyone's list today.
I don't think Aaron was interviewed for this, or had anything to do with it.
Don't kill him.
POTUS made some notes.
I'd like Andrea to take another pass.
I went through your mail.
You should read this letter.
Okay.
Is it hate mail or fan mail? Just read it.
Seriously.
Read it.
I have you doing an interview with El Diario.
Is 2:30 okay? That works.
Hey, I do interviews in English as well.
I might have to bail on CNBS.
I wouldn't recommend that.
Emily will kill you.
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
Nothing you say can make it more embarrassing than it already is.
How did things end between you and Emily? They didn't even start.
It was one kiss over two years ago.
Was that in the article? She's been blowing me off.
- It feels personal.
- [CELL PHONE VIBRATING.]
You're imagining it.
Well, why won't she give me two seconds? She's got more important things to do.
That's not what I meant.
What I'm saying is, she's crazed.
She's been running point on Infrastructure for months, and Look.
I have to see the Norwegian ambassador.
I'll see you tonight? Your wife called three times.
Said it was about horseback riding? [SIGHS.]
Today is not the day, Lynn.
Remind her that I'm up to my ass in alligators today.
But first, call GSA and tell them to cut the bureaucratic bullshit in regards to our cheese-eater problem.
I need that to be gone before the press gets wind of it.
"Mickey Mouse Operation" is not the headline I want to see about the White House this week.
Mr.
Al-Mufti, thank you again.
And please send my regards to your business partners in Riyadh.
- Hi.
What's your name? - Jamila.
I have a daughter who's almost your age.
How old are you? Fourteen.
Are you having a fun time here with your dad? Jamila is not my daughter.
She is my wife.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
[HANNAH.]
Melissa? You're doing it again.
Sorry.
Did you call your dad back? When he called yesterday, I heard you say you were busy and you'd call him back.
Did you remember? I'm trying to finish my lit review before I die of boredom.
[MELISSA.]
How do you not find being an analyst the most fascinating job in the world? This morning, I had to come in at 4:30 to brief the briefer before he briefed the president.
'Cause one my reports made it into the PDB, and the briefer couldn't understand half of it.
You don't have a single personal thing on your desk.
You've been here six months, Hannah.
It's time to decorate.
Oh, I'm not planning on staying long.
It's statutory rape.
Not when you're in Saudi Arabia.
At least, not when you're married.
The US needs to be culturally sensitive, Mr.
President.
The hell we do.
This is a human rights violation.
- Now, what can I do? - Fire the idiot that vetted them.
He saw their ages and same last name, assumed it was father-daughter.
So did I.
Don't fire him.
There were no press present, right? No, but I wish there had been.
Not when you're about to roll out your signature project, you don't.
What about the reforms the crown prince crows about? He lets women drive but won't touch this? The girl is 14 years old.
How old was she when she got married? Thirteen.
Jesus.
She's just a little older than Penny.
I've gotta do something.
What you need to do is a crapload of interviews.
Don't bring it up.
"President Welcomes Pedophile to the Oval Office" or "Road Construction".
Which story do you think they're gonna run with? You need to do something.
But we also need to protect Infrastructure.
Let me staff it out, see what our options are.
We need to fix this.
Before you start burning bridges, metaphorical or Saudi-financed, I suggest that you discuss strategic imperatives with your national security advisor.
You are familiar with Norway's 40-year maritime border dispute with Russia in the Barents Sea? Yeah, I believe you signed a treaty back in 2010 resolving it.
Russia has aggressively launched a new provocation in the area.
Their ship, the Yantar, which they claim is for oceanographic research I can confirm it is a spy ship.
It is loitering near the Svalbard Undersea Cable System.
As you know, The Yantar carries two submersibles that can reach the ocean floor with the capability of cutting those cables.
My government is taking this threat very seriously.
Russia wouldn't be that stupid.
Norway is a member of NATO.
And an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all.
We would be within our rights to invoke Article 5.
Ambassador Haugen, Article 5 hasn't been invoked since 9/11.
Within our right.
Maybe there is one way we can avoid that.
NBC is set up in the Map Room.
Then we'll head back to the Oval for a sit-down with the New York Times.
- Okay.
- Hey! Congressional swing state Independents are getting restless.
Lorraine, I know they carved out some time for you, but the president's schedule is backed up and I have journalists who are becoming feral.
Okay, listen, newsie, I Lorraine.
I will speak with the Independents.
Five, ten minutes, tops.
- I'll tell Lester you're on the way.
- Okay, thanks.
What jammed up your schedule? Something I should know about? - Nothing I can discuss with you.
- [LORRAINE.]
Hmm.
Mr.
President, do you have a minute? Not that I'm aware of.
What's going on? I heard you were talking with the ambassador for Norway.
Norway thinks the Yantar is about to cut their fiber optic cables.
- That's unlikely.
- No, but the Yantar also has the technology to tap those wires.
We have 700 troops in Norway.
What do you suggest? A nuclear sub.
Now, Russia knows the USS Jimmy Carter has the ability to cut or tap fiber optic cables.
We could steam her over to Syria off the coast of Tartūs Where Russia has its only overseas naval base.
And where we know they have underwater cables.
We just sit there, not even say a word.
See how they feel about a game of geopolitical chicken.
Smart.
Really smart.
I'll make the call.
- Lorraine, I'm sorry - Go be president.
I'll deal with the swing state Independents.
Maybe a veepstakes contender will just fall into my lap.
[CHUCKLES.]
Right.
Aaron, walk with me.
I want your counsel on Saudi Arabia.
[EMILY.]
Dontae! Did I mishear you or did you say you didn't vote in the last election? I so wanna say you misheard.
How could you not vote? I can't vote for someone I don't believe in.
Then vote against the person you don't believe in more.
They both sucked.
Neither addressed the issues facing the black community.
Or the LGBTQ community.
Or, come to think of it, the tech community.
As your superior, I can't ask who you're voting for, but you are voting in this election, right? - [CARRIE OVER VIDEO.]
Hey, baby.
- Mom, why the video chat? I want to show you something.
Hold on.
Again, I'm not asking, but you work for Kirkman.
You must believe in him.
The fact that he wasn't a politician gave me hope.
I thought it was my best shot to come in here, do my small part and help course-correct.
- So you are voting.
- If he doesn't disappoint me.
[CARRIE.]
What do you think? - It looks great.
- Thanks.
The American Society of Civil Engineers has given us a D+ rating on Infrastructure.
That includes everything from roads, bridges, dams, ports, schools, railways, water, energy - [CELL PHONE RINGING.]
- Oh.
I'm sorry.
They've also given us a list of 54,000 bridges in this country that they feel are structurally unsound.
Well, minus one.
The bridge from Fayetteville, North Carolina was on that list.
Nineteen senseless deaths because we, the government, couldn't come together and perform our most basic responsibility, which is to protect its citizens.
But tomorrow we start rebuilding again.
Nationwide.
I am with the president.
Lynn, calm down, okay? Listen to me.
Leave the store.
Go home.
[STUTTERS.]
Okay, just do not do anything else.
I'm leaving now.
Sir? Are you okay? I take it you've heard about the latest mouse sighting.
The trouble is, the White House is a historical landmark - I'm going off campus.
- Now? But your schedule is jammed.
Is the president aware? Yeah.
When you think of some of the iconic structures across this land The Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, imagined by visionary mavericks.
Well Do you know who gave us our US Interstate system? - [CELL PHONE CHIMES.]
- No cheating.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- Dwight Eisenhower, 1956.
The National Interstate and Defense Highway Act.
Notice his use of the word "defense".
President Eisenhower believed it was crucial to our national security, and I agree with him.
Al Jazeera is reporting you met with a key investor in your P3 fund earlier today.
Shahid Al-Mufti.
Is that true, sir? Yes, that's correct.
They posted a smiling picture of you posing with Al-Mufti and his 14-year-old wife.
You condone this relationship, Mr.
President? [SCOFFS.]
No, of course I don't.
I've recently learned that in developing countries, one in three girls are married before they reach the age of 18.
Some as young as ten.
I have an 11-year-old daughter and I can't imagine her being put in that position.
I think childhood marriage is barbaric.
But I am told that the crown prince is trying to reform.
I can only urge him to try harder.
Alimony pendente lite.
It means "pending the litigation".
Sweetie, why don't you let your attorney handle the big words.
I thought we agreed to be civil.
That was before you demanded money on top of the money that we've been arguing about for over a year.
It's temporary.
The court says the spouse making less money is Is entitled to keep living the lifestyle that I accustomed you to.
I swear, Alan, sometimes I think you only wanted me for my money.
We're done.
You know, my other two exes didn't ask for alimony.
Oh, right, they had jobs.
[ALAN.]
The judge will grant it, Lorraine.
Do you have time to spend in court fighting this? Shit.
They talked to the Saudi Embassy.
Crown Prince bin Zahrani is royally pissed.
Literally.
[SETH OVER CELL PHONE.]
I'm aware.
They just released a statement.
"Crown Prince Ibrihim bin Zahrani considers President Kirkman's remarks an unacceptable affront to the Kingdom.
" They're threatening to pull out of trade and investment deals, threatening to expel the ambassador.
The list goes on.
[MARS.]
Pull the rest of POTUS's press appearances.
He's gonna be stuck all day with the Saudi ambassador.
I'm sorry I really stepped in it.
See what happens when you're not around, Mars? I apologize, Mr.
President.
I never should have left that room.
Well, short of tackling me and sticking a sock in my mouth, which the Secret Service would have shot you for, there's really nothing you could do.
Are you okay? Yeah, I'm fine.
It's Lynn, she's sick.
But she's gonna be fine.
I just have to stop by the pharmacy.
I'll be back as soon as I can.
Do what you need to do.
I hope she feels better soon.
Me, too.
I'm not stepping aside again until you fill my prescription.
- Mrs.
Harper, I can't.
- Just fill it.
Is there a problem? He's refusing to fill my prescription.
It's a legitimate script.
She has chronic pain from a spinal injury.
I'll be happy to fill it in five days, when it's due.
Lynn, I'm sorry.
I should have counted.
I called you three times before I came here.
You didn't call back.
- You couldn't have picked a worse day.
- I didn't pick it.
I'm in pain.
Is there something you can give her in the interim? - Something other than fentanyl.
- Nothing else works.
- Okay, Lynn, we have to go now.
- No.
Lynn Excuse me.
Lynn, we need to go.
Fucking cell phone cameras.
She'll sell it to TMZ.
[TOM.]
Princess Zahrani, welcome.
Thank you for receiving me, Mr.
President.
Please.
I'm here in my capacity as Counselor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Please, call me Rania.
I have to be honest.
I was very surprised when I was told that Ambassador Alawi was sending you in his place.
Surprised that Saudi Arabia allows women to work at all? I assure you I'm not that ill-informed.
I was sent to find out how informed you are.
[EMILY.]
So, make it clear that Al-Mufti is not the private equity fund.
He's just a part of a part of it.
And the private equity fund itself is just part of the infrastructure fund.
Which makes him a part of a part of a part of it.
That's not gonna matter.
Just do whatever you can to move them past Saudi Arabia.
Please.
In Saudi Arabia, women are also allowed to attend school.
Yes, with the permission of a man.
The crown prince is actively scaling back the guardianship system.
When I enrolled in George Washington University, I required no man's permission.
With all due respect, you're the cousin of the crown prince.
Do you know how many members of the royal family there are? - Off the top of my head, no.
- Fifteen thousand.
There are many issues on which our countries diverge, and we both understand the ties that bind us together.
What can we do to fix this? Do you have any idea how much harder you've made it for my cousin to get reforms past the hardliners? Anything he does now will look like he's doing America's bidding.
I'm not sure if it is fixable.
I need you to jump on damage control.
[AARON OVER CELL PHONE.]
I'm on my way to Pebble Beach.
I assume I'm not talking about infrastructure anymore, right? Change of plans.
I need you to restore peace in the Middle East.
I'm very sorry for what I said publicly.
I should have shared my concerns with the crown prince himself.
Because it is up to the morally superior America to teach the rest of the world how to act.
No, because I believe every young girl has a right to a childhood.
Al-Mufti does not work for the sovereign wealth fund.
The Kingdom would never have sent a man with an underaged wife.
Because the optics would've been bad, not because it doesn't exist.
Where's my pen? Seth, I'm gonna watch the briefing.
For your information, child marriage is now uncommon in our cities.
It exists, but in places where change takes longer to reach.
Rural areas under tribal chiefs, adherents of extreme clerics.
Just because those girls are out of sight doesn't mean they don't matter.
Please, tell me.
What else do you assume is wrong with Saudi Arabia? I try not to assume, so I'll tell you what I know.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers from 9/11 were Saudi nationals.
Your religious police would prefer to watch girls burn to death in their school than leave it without their burqas on.
You persecute religious minorities, female activists.
You have no free press, a long history of torture.
And you murder journalists that speak out against you.
You know a little about us, - but we know so much more about you.
- Such as? We know your country was founded as a slave state.
Your incarceration rate is the highest in the world.
You're less than 5% of the world's population, yet you house 22% of the world's criminals.
And you give prison sentences for smoking marijuana, but not for billion-dollar fraud.
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone".
Point taken.
I'm just getting started.
[AARON OVER TV.]
Saudi Arabia is the linchpin of the Middle East.
It's the key to its stability.
They help fight al-Qaeda and ISIS in the region.
They've stopped numerous terrorist plots against America.
The truth is, we're safer because of our relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Your murder rate is astronomical.
Of all the civilian-owned handguns in the world, Americans own nearly half.
You call yourself the greatest country in the world, yet you allow 500,000 of your people to go homeless, millions to go without health care.
As an American, these are things I am not proud of.
The president will always stand up for humanistic values.
Claire.
Where does President Kirkman stand on child marriage? Again, Claire.
The president was unaware of Shahid Al-Mufti's marital status.
Before you rain righteous indignation down on us for allowing child marriage, look in your backyard.
Excuse me? Let me clarify.
Where does he stand on child marriage in the US? I don't follow.
You're aware America also allows children to marry? That's not true.
Go ahead and check the statutes in all 50 states.
The minimum age at which people can get married by law in this country is 18, 18 being the age at which you're no longer considered a minor.
Ergo, no child marriage.
- What about loopholes? - What loopholes? Forty-eight states have loopholes allowing minors to marry 16 and 17-year-olds with parental permission.
Children 15 and younger require a judge's approval, which is routinely granted.
I'll get back to you on that.
So, the president is against child marriage in other countries, but fine with it here? I can't speak with authority to issues outside the purview of the National Security Council, but what I can unequivocally vouch for is President Kirkman's character.
Hypocrisy is not in his DNA.
If there's an injustice involved, he'll do everything within his power to right it.
[PHILIP.]
I have a question about the president's trip to North Carolina tomorrow.
Yes, Phil.
What would you like to know? [PHILIP.]
Is the president aware that North Carolina allows children as young as 14 to obtain a marriage license in the case of childbirth or pregnancy? Get everyone in here now.
Thank you.
[SETH.]
Are there any other questions on any other topic? In my daily lit review on synthetic biology, which normally bores the tits off of me, I found a biogeneticist who sequenced the entire genome of the poppy.
I'm really happy you're finally enjoying your work in Analysis.
It's where I started, you know.
The poppy as in opium poppy, as in grown in Afghanistan.
Makes heroin that funds terrorism.
Now that it's sequenced, our guys can go in and use CRISPR to splice and edit this genome and wipe out their entire fucking crop.
This biogeneticist, is he one of ours? DARPA? CDC? Dr.
Eli Mays.
This guy crowdsourced from a DIY bio lab.
A biohacker.
We need to make contact before an unfriendly does.
This is very good work, Hannah.
Put it in your daily report.
Give it to your supervisor.
They'll be very impressed.
Dianne, I don't want to just write it up.
I discovered him.
He should be mine.
Hannah, do you have a life outside of work? [HANNAH SCOFFS.]
What does this have to with You know, hobbies, human interactions? There's a dog park I go to on the weekend.
- Oh, you have a dog? - No.
Dianne, put me in Operations.
But you're just hitting your stride in Analysis.
I know you didn't just recruit me to sit behind a desk.
This has been a test, right? To punish me or break me.
Mission accomplished.
I've been in hell for six months.
I've been good.
And if I don't get out, I'm gonna kill Melissa.
You're right.
We sheep-dipped you.
The CIA is not law enforcement.
We are intelligence gatherers.
No gun.
You're moving me to Operations? You will not regret it.
- I just wanted to let you know - Not now, Isabel.
We're in the middle of a clusterfuck.
I'm on my way to see POTUS.
This isn't about my initiative Please.
Just give it a break already.
I know how badly you want a seat at the big kids' table.
I've been there.
I get it.
I'm all about mentoring women, and I will do whatever I can for you.
But it's not happening today.
The NGO I was with, we worked with child brides in Mozambique.
From the year 2000 to the year 2015, there were over 200,000 child marriages in this country.
How was that not on our radar? So, after getting javelins thrown at me the entire briefing, I had my team look into this.
They found it in every state, every race, across all socioeconomic data.
It's common in poor and rural communities and within conservative religious groups.
Christian, Orthodox Jewish, Muslim, Mormon.
I had my team ran numbers as well.
And of the 200,000 child marriages you mentioned, over two-thirds were 17.
Still a minor.
985 of them were 14, and ten of them were only 12 years old.
This is a human rights violation.
I want it stopped.
Can I sign an executive order banning it? - It's a states' rights issue.
- [EMILY.]
What's the issue? Marriage is legislated by the states.
Why aren't they fixing it? Freedom of religion, for one.
Premarital sex is a sin.
You want the kids married before they start having it.
When an underaged girl does get pregnant, there are a lot of people believe the child is better off if the parents are married.
Even if the mother is a child herself.
It's still not right.
The law states you are a minor until you are 18.
We're a country that is supposed to protect its children.
In fact, we've got laws that do that.
We prevent them from drinking, smoking, gambling.
Minors aren't allowed to vote, open a bank account.
- Rent an apartment.
- Rent a car.
- Buy fireworks.
- Sign a contract.
They can't hire an attorney, which they would need to get a divorce.
Okay.
So what do we do to get the states to ban it? You can't draw a hard line at 18.
I'm sorry, who are you? Isabel Pardo, director of your Office of Social Innovation.
It's an honor to meet you, Mr.
President.
Okay, Isabel, why don't you explain to me why you are pro-child marriage? I'm not.
Banning it was one of the first initiatives I proposed when I started here.
So, what happened? A fight from the right, which I was prepared for.
What I didn't see coming was equal opposition from the left.
Who on the left was against it? The ACLU believes marriage is a fundamental right.
Planned Parenthood fears the ban is a slippery slope.
I am so tired of the slippery-slope argument, especially when it comes to legislation.
Laws are specific.
Banning child marriage wouldn't do anything to abortion or anything else.
But you still think I should do nothing.
No, I think you should address the root causes.
Which are? So many girls that get pregnant are coerced into getting married by their parents.
Address teen pregnancy.
Mandate that all public schools offer sex education and access to condoms.
Good luck on that one.
Condoms and classes aren't enough.
We need an outright ban.
Sir, if you're looking for an easy answer, there isn't one.
Yes, there is.
Pass a law.
Mr.
President, are you still planning on travelling to North Carolina? Yes, I am.
And in my opening comments, I will tell the American people that I plan to sign an executive order that target the root causes of child marriage.
Thank you.
- [HANNAH.]
Dr.
Mays? - [ELI.]
Hold on.
I'm trying to prevent the complete deforestation of Indonesia by increasing the genetic expression of algae to produce palm oil.
Tribonema, Ulothrix and euglena have the best potential so far.
[HANNAH.]
I'm Hannah Wells I'm also genetically experimenting with a cure for gray hair.
How would you like to come help the CIA? Hard pass.
- Why? - I'm a biohacker.
We're about the democratization of science.
- The CIA is not.
- [HANNAH.]
For a reason.
Bioengineering in the right hands, great.
- In the wrong hands - Exactly.
You know gene editing is listed as a weapon of mass destruction, right? You guys aren't focused nearly enough on bioterror.
Well, that's what I've been working on Mutually-assured destruction is passé.
Now it's a biorogues' world.
The Biological Weapons Convention isn't enforceable or even verifiable.
If you don't hold people to account, shit will happen.
You need to be monitoring everyone.
- Like I do.
- How do you monitor everyone? For one, I attend bioterror conferences all over the world.
I give talks on things that keep me up at night.
Like what? How easy it's about to become to make biological weapons on our phones.
They'll soon have the capability of becoming nanotech assemblers.
And when they do, there will be sequences you can print from your phone that can probably cause civilization to crash.
And someone, either intentionally or accidentally, is going to do it.
And without intervention, we're all ultimately screwed.
What worries you most? At this moment? This.
Hundreds of them fell from the sky in Florida a few months back.
They died from a virus I've never seen before.
I believe it was genetically engineered.
For what purpose? That's another thing that keeps me up at night.
Well, who should we be talking to? I assume that was a royal "we".
Remember that hard pass? You just said that the CIA isn't doing enough to monitor bioterror, so help us.
I know a biohacker with a lab near MI who was experimenting with avian viruses.
Nolan Fein.
He's not fed-friendly.
Then it's a good thing you're gonna be there to make the introduction.
Dontae, thank you so much for fixing that app.
- I will check it out tomorrow.
- That's still being re-beta tested.
- You gotta look at this.
- What is it? - The answer to your question.
- What question? Why people don't vote.
I thought I knew.
I mean, I know why some people in my community don't.
But I never knew this.
Ten hours ago, you couldn't have been more laissez-faire about this.
What has gotten into you? This.
46% of eligible voters didn't vote in the last election.
This is the key to why.
If Kirkman can get these people, he wins.
- Hey, are you gettin' out of here? - Yes.
Just watch it.
Dontae, can you find me someone talking about child marriage? Everyone's talking about child marriage today.
No, no, no.
I mean somebody who is or was a child bride.
Yeah.
You wanna grab a drink? No, wait, nevermind.
The flight is so early tomorrow.
- Is something going on with you? - No, I'm good.
You've been distracted all day.
Oh, my God.
Did you see Aaron's face when that came up on the screen? - He was mortified.
- Yeah.
A public shaming for being singled out as one of the sexiest politicians in the world.
I'd be mortified.
Well, I don't think he likes being objectified.
I mean, it diminishes his intellect and his actual accomplishments.
Oh, come on.
Do you have any idea what that does for a guy's dating life? It's a waste.
He's off the market.
It's that serious with Isabel? Well, word around the office is they're moving in together.
How's your mom? She's good.
Really good, considering.
I haven't really been talking to her as often as I should be, but - I have a kid.
- What? How? I mean, I know how, but how? You don't know how.
Um, when I was a freshman at Harvard I sold my sperm.
No.
It was easy money.
I never gave it a second thought.
Her name is Stephanie Kapoor.
She's 21 years old.
- I'm kinda freaking out about it.
- How did she find you? Remember when I was looking for my birth parents? My DNA is on 23andMe.
Well, didn't you consider the consequences when you were Ejaculating into a cup for money? No, not really.
Back then, the technology didn't exist.
This wasn't a possibility.
So when are you meeting her? Would I be a terrible person if I said never? Yes, you would be a terrible, terrible person.
If she wants to meet you, you owe her that.
I do need that drink.
[AARON.]
Hey, hon? - Yes, mi amor? - What is this? Exercise equipment.
Did I mention how impressed the president was with you today? [ISABEL.]
Yes, you did.
And how much I love you? I love you, too.
[SIGHS.]
I had a big win today.
It feels so good.
The president of the United States is about to sign an executive order on your advice.
You know, you can't say they don't pay attention to you anymore.
[CHUCKLES.]
Vice President Isabel Pardo, it kinda has a nice ring to it, right? Yeah, that ain't happenin'.
But I do get to sleep with "El polÃtico más guapo".
[AARON.]
Yeah? [ISABEL EXCLAIMS AND CHUCKLES.]
Well, it would be very disrespectful for you to sleep with the prime minister of Canada tonight.
You just moved in.
[LAUGHING.]
[TOM.]
Don't take it easy on me just 'cause I'm the president now.
[PENNY.]
Lucky for you, body checking is a penalty in my league.
[TOM.]
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Your brother Leo finally called me back yesterday.
He wanted me to tell you "yo".
[PENNY CHUCKLES.]
Can you flunk out of summer school? [TOM.]
Leo's doing just fine.
Keep your head up and eyes forward.
- Hey! [EXCLAIMS.]
- [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
[SIGHS.]
Nice check.
[BOTH PANTING.]
You know, I was thinking If anyone ever messed with you, made you feel uncomfortable, you'd tell me, wouldn't you? How can anyone mess with me? I have 24-hour protection.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah, right.
Is this about the whole child bride thing? Everyone was talking about it at day camp.
It's super creepy.
Yes, it is.
There should be a law against it.
You're absolutely right.
- Executive order is not enough.
- What? I'm gonna do everything I can to help pass that law.
You're gonna have to be 18 years old to get married in this country.
Now, come on.
Back on your skates.
We're not done.
There.
You ready? You know what we haven't done since I started this job? We haven't taken one single vacation.
Let's plan one for next month.
Anywhere you wanna go, your choice.
It'll be August recess.
It's as slow as DC gets.
I can take a week, maybe even ten days.
What about St.
Simons Island? You always loved it there at St.
Simons.
What do you say? That'll be nice.
[EXHALES HEAVILY.]
I'm back.
Pop the trunk.
You don't have to walk me in.
What are you talking about? Of course I'm going to walk you in.
Hey I am so proud of you.
Doing this for yourself.
I'm not doing this for myself.
You're making me do this for you.
See you in 28 days.
"When the goal is the greater good, people from all levels of government can work together to achieve it.
" Hey.
Why aren't you wearing any of the clothes I brought you? - They weren't me.
- It was the North Carolina you.
Lorraine.
We need to lock down his remarks for the groundbreaking - and then he's all yours.
- Fine.
[TOM.]
"It is in this spirit that I plan to introduce legislation to ban child marriage, establish federal law that makes 18 the minimum age" - No, you can't say that.
- Why not? States' rights, religious rights, parental rights.
- What the fuck are you doing? - Saving abused children.
How can you possibly have a problem with that? - Because it'll cost him the election! - [EMILY.]
That's insane.
I have polling data that says a hell of a lot more people are against child marriage than for it.
[LORRAINE.]
That data doesn't mean anything.
The people that are against it, it's not an issue they vote on.
But the people who don't want the ban, the people who are personally affected by it, you can bet your ass that every single one of them will show up to vote against you.
- It's the right thing to do.
- This is a knee-jerk reaction.
You're doing this out of embarrassment.
Of course, she could give a shit about child brides.
They aren't old enough to vote.
Please don't shoot yourself in the dick.
It's pointless.
Congress won't even take this up.
You have the power and the platform to help these girls.
Child brides are less likely to stay in school, more likely to experience domestic violence.
They're 31% more likely to end up in poverty.
The majority of them end up in divorce.
Introducing legislation that you cannot possibly push through, it gets you nothing and costs you everything.
Do you wanna win or not? Seth, what do you think? - They're both right.
- [WHISPERING.]
Pussy.
Dontae found me this woman.
[TYPING.]
Watch it before you decide.
[WOMAN OVER VIDEO.]
That was me, the school year prior to marriage.
At 13, I was sexually assaulted.
As the upcoming school year started, then I found out that I was pregnant.
And, given the religious community, I had to marry this person.
When my daughter was two, he became abusive to her.
And so I grabbed her and ran to get away from him.
And I would knock on somebody's door, and nobody would let me in.
[CRYING.]
And I'd hide in the creek holding my baby.
Good news on the you-know-what.
The exterminator showed up and got it.
Well done, Felix.
Your future's looking markedly brighter.
And now the bad news.
Is there a law that good news has to come with bad? The exterminator located the hole where the mouse got in.
The hole was caused by termites.
- We are not tenting the White House.
- I'll look into options.
- [CROWD APPLAUDING.]
- [TOM.]
Thank you.
Thank you.
I wish we could've brought you better weather.
But this is an auspicious day.
Proof that when the goal is the greater good, people from all levels of government can work together to achieve it.
And it is in that spirit And it is in that spirit It is in that spirit that my partners here on the dais, representatives of all aspects of the government and our private sector investors have worked together, not only to build a new bridge, but to ensure that the tragedy of the old one never befalls another city in this great nation.
It is with great honor that we break ground here today.
[ISABEL.]
He didn't even bring it up.
I'm sorry, Isi.
I don't know what happened.
I do.
He became a politician.
[MAN 1 OVER VIDEO.]
I didn't vote and I'm kinda proud of that because I did not like the person that was running for office.
WOMAN: I was arrested, ended up pleading guilty to a felony count.
Couple of months after realizing that I was a felon, I realized I lost the right to vote.
With it being on a Tuesday, I work two jobs and go to school full time, so I don't have the availability to just leave to go vote.
I just didn't feel like I had the informed opinion about who I was voting for.
And I don't feel like anybody represents me personally.
MAN 2: The two-party system doesn't work because we need more options to vote other than just Republican or Democratic.
If we had a third-party candidate who had a fighting chance, then I'd be more inclined to vote for that person.
[KNOCKING.]
Hey.
I know I disappointed you.
I understand why you did it.
[SCOFFS.]
I'm not sure I do.
Doesn't mean I'm letting you off the hook.
Once you're elected, you have to make good on it.
I will, I promise.
Thank you for understanding.
I do, and it's why I need to leave the White House.
Emily, please.
I need you.
I know you do, and that's why I need to leave.
- I want to move to the campaign.
- With Lorraine? Exactly.
You don't trust her.
Do you? [OPERATOR.]
Good evening, Mr.
Wright.
Hi.
I'd like to make a phone call please, to Stephanie Kapoor.
The number is area code 3-8-0 5-5-5 0-1-8 [OPERATOR.]
And the final digit? Mr.
Wright, are you there? [SPEAKING SPANISH.]
If that's a booty call from one of your exes because of that magazine [AARON.]
What? - Lorraine? - Aaron.
Can we talk? [STUTTERS.]
Actually, right now is not a good time at all, really.
Come by the campaign office first thing in the morning.
Oh, and think about whether you'd like to join the ticket as Kirkman's vice president.
Penny, what are you still doing awake? I waited up for you.
Pudding? Sure, why not? Well, thank you.
How was North Carolina? North Carolina, well The fundraiser went late.
Did you announce your new law? No.
Not yet, sweetheart.
Why? Just 'cause.
Dr.
Fein's security is a little higher than yours.
It's new from last year.
His car was outside.
He has to be here.
All right, then maybe he's hurt.
You know what? Step back.
Or I could just, uh Now I really wanna talk to your friend.
[ELI.]
This makes no sense.
Why would he take his entire lab but leave his car? Well, he wouldn't.
This entire place has been scrubbed with bleach.
Do you know where he could be? No.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
I'm not using the deaths of 19 people for political gain.
You're third in the polls.
For the next four months, every breath you take should be for political gain.
The groundbreaking ceremony is off-limits.
It's not just about that one new bridge.
Tomorrow we're rolling out your entire infrastructure program, with the roads and the tunnels and all the other new shit they can cram in there.
You're rebuilding America.
It's what's going to get you elected.
- So use it.
- Oh, my God, I have.
At every whistle-stop and fish fry that you've dragged me to over the last six months.
Look, I promise you, tomorrow night I will scream it from the rooftops at the fundraiser in Raleigh.
But tomorrow morning I'm gonna be the president, not the candidate.
Did I mention you're third in the polls? Yes, you did.
Hardly the numbers you promised me when I hired you.
You won't take money from super PACs.
Correct.
And I won't take money from corporations or special interests.
Moss and Porter are both taking PAC money.
And Porter doesn't need it.
He's a billionaire.
Don't let people forget that he made those billions polluting rivers.
I've gotta get back to my day job.
- Please finish your breakfast.
- Hey, hey, I'm not finished.
Did you go over my list for the veepstakes? Lorraine, it's not a game show.
And, yes, I have, and I wasn't particularly wowed.
Just keep your eyes open at the 11 o'clock.
- What 11 o'clock? - Swing state Independents.
And you're not leaving there without endorsements.
Oh, and one other thing.
I made some apparel choices for tomorrow.
- What? You're dressing me now? - It's all made in North Carolina.
So don't forget to mention that in your groundbreaking speech.
You haven't heard a word I've said.
I am not campaigning at the ceremony tomorrow.
[SIGHS.]
Oh, sweetie, this is politics.
Even when you're not campaigning, you're campaigning.
Emily, do you have a minute? [EMILY.]
Senior staff meeting.
So late.
I know you're crazed with Infrastructure.
There are a million moving parts and it's your baby, so I knew you'd want to know.
There's a mistake with the rollout.
- What? - I'm not on it.
I'm late for a meeting on my project because I was up until 5:00 a.
m.
making sure every last-minute bullshit detail on it was perfect.
That's not a mistake.
Do you even know about the initiative my department funded in Fayetteville? Social innovation.
Turning liabilities into assets.
To begin with, we trained and employed 50 locals deemed otherwise unemployable to haul away the debris from the bridge, and followed by Morning Joe, the secretary of commerce will be on CNBC.
Aaron, you have your talking points for CNBS? Strong infrastructure is vital to national defense.
[MARS.]
Good boy.
You'll be competing for eyeballs with the secretary of transportation - [WHISPERS.]
Em, stand up.
- Why? Were you not here when the meeting started, Emily? Seth, can you fill her in on the "no sitting" policy? Uh, yes.
Um When people sit during meetings, it makes us comfortable, and that's a bad thing.
[MARS.]
You get lethargic, meetings drag on and on.
Standing, we are in and out.
I'm trying to run a little tighter ship here.
You know.
It's attributed to Churchill.
[SOFTLY.]
Churchill also said, "When you're going through hell, keep going.
" Right.
Batting cleanup.
POTUS will be doing morning shows, local affiliates from major markets, a podcast, print and The Late Show.
By the end of the day, we will have saturated the market.
[ALL LAUGHING.]
- I don't know how that got in here.
Oh! - [AARON.]
Come on! Oh, my God, you made a sexiest politicians list? Moving on.
Please.
North Carolina.
Moving on.
Tomorrow's ceremony.
Stay alert.
I don't want any surprises.
Nothing knocking us off-message, which is "America's infrastructure is crumbling".
But the president has found a way around Congress with a trillion-dollar public-private partnership combining federal, state, local and private resources.
This is the president's signature program and the only thing I want to hear anyone talking about today.
Thank you.
One, the threat imposed by our aging electrical grid.
Two, upgrades needed to protect against cyberattacks on critical infrastructures.
Really? I can't work in here.
Just have whoever did it take this down before I get back.
Mr.
Shore? Mr.
Shore? The Norwegian ambassador needs to meet with you.
- What about? - Something involving the Russians.
- And a mini sub.
- I can see him at three.
He says if it's not handled this morning, it most likely will blow into an international incident.
Does he know it's infrastructure week? Hey, Mom, it's me.
Sorry I missed your call.
Call me back.
I wanna know you're okay.
Dontae, you're up.
What do you got? [MARS.]
They're ready for your first interview.
Wow.
You've got me talking to everybody but the Poughkeepsie Pennysaver today.
Check page two.
Speaking of pennies, the private equity fund that kicked 100 billion into Infrastructure Our friends at VQH Capital? About a third of that came from a consortium of Saudi businessmen.
One of them, Shahid Al-Mufti, is in town with his family and is requesting a photo with you.
For $33 billion, I'll even smile.
[MARS EXCLAIMS.]
[CLEARS THROAT.]
I'll take care of that.
- Humanely, if possible.
- Yeah.
[MAN OVER VIDEO.]
Welcome to Yoretown, where due to years of under-investment in infrastructure, it's all about to fall apart.
Holy hell, Dontae, this is amazing.
Yeah.
And this is just the trailer.
When you open the app, it's like playing SimCity.
You can cruise through your own community, tag repairs that are needed, projects you want funded.
Here.
Check out my hometown.
No.
No, no, no.
- Well, the trailer was good.
- I'll fix it.
Before tomorrow.
And make one that gets people to vote.
Yeah, I could've used that on myself last election.
Wait, what? You didn't vote? Charlene, what is this? Jo just translated the article for me.
It's trash.
Don't even bother.
It's crazy.
There are no pictures of you in there, and it says he's available.
I didn't make anyone's list today.
I don't think Aaron was interviewed for this, or had anything to do with it.
Don't kill him.
POTUS made some notes.
I'd like Andrea to take another pass.
I went through your mail.
You should read this letter.
Okay.
Is it hate mail or fan mail? Just read it.
Seriously.
Read it.
I have you doing an interview with El Diario.
Is 2:30 okay? That works.
Hey, I do interviews in English as well.
I might have to bail on CNBS.
I wouldn't recommend that.
Emily will kill you.
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
Nothing you say can make it more embarrassing than it already is.
How did things end between you and Emily? They didn't even start.
It was one kiss over two years ago.
Was that in the article? She's been blowing me off.
- It feels personal.
- [CELL PHONE VIBRATING.]
You're imagining it.
Well, why won't she give me two seconds? She's got more important things to do.
That's not what I meant.
What I'm saying is, she's crazed.
She's been running point on Infrastructure for months, and Look.
I have to see the Norwegian ambassador.
I'll see you tonight? Your wife called three times.
Said it was about horseback riding? [SIGHS.]
Today is not the day, Lynn.
Remind her that I'm up to my ass in alligators today.
But first, call GSA and tell them to cut the bureaucratic bullshit in regards to our cheese-eater problem.
I need that to be gone before the press gets wind of it.
"Mickey Mouse Operation" is not the headline I want to see about the White House this week.
Mr.
Al-Mufti, thank you again.
And please send my regards to your business partners in Riyadh.
- Hi.
What's your name? - Jamila.
I have a daughter who's almost your age.
How old are you? Fourteen.
Are you having a fun time here with your dad? Jamila is not my daughter.
She is my wife.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
[HANNAH.]
Melissa? You're doing it again.
Sorry.
Did you call your dad back? When he called yesterday, I heard you say you were busy and you'd call him back.
Did you remember? I'm trying to finish my lit review before I die of boredom.
[MELISSA.]
How do you not find being an analyst the most fascinating job in the world? This morning, I had to come in at 4:30 to brief the briefer before he briefed the president.
'Cause one my reports made it into the PDB, and the briefer couldn't understand half of it.
You don't have a single personal thing on your desk.
You've been here six months, Hannah.
It's time to decorate.
Oh, I'm not planning on staying long.
It's statutory rape.
Not when you're in Saudi Arabia.
At least, not when you're married.
The US needs to be culturally sensitive, Mr.
President.
The hell we do.
This is a human rights violation.
- Now, what can I do? - Fire the idiot that vetted them.
He saw their ages and same last name, assumed it was father-daughter.
So did I.
Don't fire him.
There were no press present, right? No, but I wish there had been.
Not when you're about to roll out your signature project, you don't.
What about the reforms the crown prince crows about? He lets women drive but won't touch this? The girl is 14 years old.
How old was she when she got married? Thirteen.
Jesus.
She's just a little older than Penny.
I've gotta do something.
What you need to do is a crapload of interviews.
Don't bring it up.
"President Welcomes Pedophile to the Oval Office" or "Road Construction".
Which story do you think they're gonna run with? You need to do something.
But we also need to protect Infrastructure.
Let me staff it out, see what our options are.
We need to fix this.
Before you start burning bridges, metaphorical or Saudi-financed, I suggest that you discuss strategic imperatives with your national security advisor.
You are familiar with Norway's 40-year maritime border dispute with Russia in the Barents Sea? Yeah, I believe you signed a treaty back in 2010 resolving it.
Russia has aggressively launched a new provocation in the area.
Their ship, the Yantar, which they claim is for oceanographic research I can confirm it is a spy ship.
It is loitering near the Svalbard Undersea Cable System.
As you know, The Yantar carries two submersibles that can reach the ocean floor with the capability of cutting those cables.
My government is taking this threat very seriously.
Russia wouldn't be that stupid.
Norway is a member of NATO.
And an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all.
We would be within our rights to invoke Article 5.
Ambassador Haugen, Article 5 hasn't been invoked since 9/11.
Within our right.
Maybe there is one way we can avoid that.
NBC is set up in the Map Room.
Then we'll head back to the Oval for a sit-down with the New York Times.
- Okay.
- Hey! Congressional swing state Independents are getting restless.
Lorraine, I know they carved out some time for you, but the president's schedule is backed up and I have journalists who are becoming feral.
Okay, listen, newsie, I Lorraine.
I will speak with the Independents.
Five, ten minutes, tops.
- I'll tell Lester you're on the way.
- Okay, thanks.
What jammed up your schedule? Something I should know about? - Nothing I can discuss with you.
- [LORRAINE.]
Hmm.
Mr.
President, do you have a minute? Not that I'm aware of.
What's going on? I heard you were talking with the ambassador for Norway.
Norway thinks the Yantar is about to cut their fiber optic cables.
- That's unlikely.
- No, but the Yantar also has the technology to tap those wires.
We have 700 troops in Norway.
What do you suggest? A nuclear sub.
Now, Russia knows the USS Jimmy Carter has the ability to cut or tap fiber optic cables.
We could steam her over to Syria off the coast of Tartūs Where Russia has its only overseas naval base.
And where we know they have underwater cables.
We just sit there, not even say a word.
See how they feel about a game of geopolitical chicken.
Smart.
Really smart.
I'll make the call.
- Lorraine, I'm sorry - Go be president.
I'll deal with the swing state Independents.
Maybe a veepstakes contender will just fall into my lap.
[CHUCKLES.]
Right.
Aaron, walk with me.
I want your counsel on Saudi Arabia.
[EMILY.]
Dontae! Did I mishear you or did you say you didn't vote in the last election? I so wanna say you misheard.
How could you not vote? I can't vote for someone I don't believe in.
Then vote against the person you don't believe in more.
They both sucked.
Neither addressed the issues facing the black community.
Or the LGBTQ community.
Or, come to think of it, the tech community.
As your superior, I can't ask who you're voting for, but you are voting in this election, right? - [CARRIE OVER VIDEO.]
Hey, baby.
- Mom, why the video chat? I want to show you something.
Hold on.
Again, I'm not asking, but you work for Kirkman.
You must believe in him.
The fact that he wasn't a politician gave me hope.
I thought it was my best shot to come in here, do my small part and help course-correct.
- So you are voting.
- If he doesn't disappoint me.
[CARRIE.]
What do you think? - It looks great.
- Thanks.
The American Society of Civil Engineers has given us a D+ rating on Infrastructure.
That includes everything from roads, bridges, dams, ports, schools, railways, water, energy - [CELL PHONE RINGING.]
- Oh.
I'm sorry.
They've also given us a list of 54,000 bridges in this country that they feel are structurally unsound.
Well, minus one.
The bridge from Fayetteville, North Carolina was on that list.
Nineteen senseless deaths because we, the government, couldn't come together and perform our most basic responsibility, which is to protect its citizens.
But tomorrow we start rebuilding again.
Nationwide.
I am with the president.
Lynn, calm down, okay? Listen to me.
Leave the store.
Go home.
[STUTTERS.]
Okay, just do not do anything else.
I'm leaving now.
Sir? Are you okay? I take it you've heard about the latest mouse sighting.
The trouble is, the White House is a historical landmark - I'm going off campus.
- Now? But your schedule is jammed.
Is the president aware? Yeah.
When you think of some of the iconic structures across this land The Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, imagined by visionary mavericks.
Well Do you know who gave us our US Interstate system? - [CELL PHONE CHIMES.]
- No cheating.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- Dwight Eisenhower, 1956.
The National Interstate and Defense Highway Act.
Notice his use of the word "defense".
President Eisenhower believed it was crucial to our national security, and I agree with him.
Al Jazeera is reporting you met with a key investor in your P3 fund earlier today.
Shahid Al-Mufti.
Is that true, sir? Yes, that's correct.
They posted a smiling picture of you posing with Al-Mufti and his 14-year-old wife.
You condone this relationship, Mr.
President? [SCOFFS.]
No, of course I don't.
I've recently learned that in developing countries, one in three girls are married before they reach the age of 18.
Some as young as ten.
I have an 11-year-old daughter and I can't imagine her being put in that position.
I think childhood marriage is barbaric.
But I am told that the crown prince is trying to reform.
I can only urge him to try harder.
Alimony pendente lite.
It means "pending the litigation".
Sweetie, why don't you let your attorney handle the big words.
I thought we agreed to be civil.
That was before you demanded money on top of the money that we've been arguing about for over a year.
It's temporary.
The court says the spouse making less money is Is entitled to keep living the lifestyle that I accustomed you to.
I swear, Alan, sometimes I think you only wanted me for my money.
We're done.
You know, my other two exes didn't ask for alimony.
Oh, right, they had jobs.
[ALAN.]
The judge will grant it, Lorraine.
Do you have time to spend in court fighting this? Shit.
They talked to the Saudi Embassy.
Crown Prince bin Zahrani is royally pissed.
Literally.
[SETH OVER CELL PHONE.]
I'm aware.
They just released a statement.
"Crown Prince Ibrihim bin Zahrani considers President Kirkman's remarks an unacceptable affront to the Kingdom.
" They're threatening to pull out of trade and investment deals, threatening to expel the ambassador.
The list goes on.
[MARS.]
Pull the rest of POTUS's press appearances.
He's gonna be stuck all day with the Saudi ambassador.
I'm sorry I really stepped in it.
See what happens when you're not around, Mars? I apologize, Mr.
President.
I never should have left that room.
Well, short of tackling me and sticking a sock in my mouth, which the Secret Service would have shot you for, there's really nothing you could do.
Are you okay? Yeah, I'm fine.
It's Lynn, she's sick.
But she's gonna be fine.
I just have to stop by the pharmacy.
I'll be back as soon as I can.
Do what you need to do.
I hope she feels better soon.
Me, too.
I'm not stepping aside again until you fill my prescription.
- Mrs.
Harper, I can't.
- Just fill it.
Is there a problem? He's refusing to fill my prescription.
It's a legitimate script.
She has chronic pain from a spinal injury.
I'll be happy to fill it in five days, when it's due.
Lynn, I'm sorry.
I should have counted.
I called you three times before I came here.
You didn't call back.
- You couldn't have picked a worse day.
- I didn't pick it.
I'm in pain.
Is there something you can give her in the interim? - Something other than fentanyl.
- Nothing else works.
- Okay, Lynn, we have to go now.
- No.
Lynn Excuse me.
Lynn, we need to go.
Fucking cell phone cameras.
She'll sell it to TMZ.
[TOM.]
Princess Zahrani, welcome.
Thank you for receiving me, Mr.
President.
Please.
I'm here in my capacity as Counselor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Please, call me Rania.
I have to be honest.
I was very surprised when I was told that Ambassador Alawi was sending you in his place.
Surprised that Saudi Arabia allows women to work at all? I assure you I'm not that ill-informed.
I was sent to find out how informed you are.
[EMILY.]
So, make it clear that Al-Mufti is not the private equity fund.
He's just a part of a part of it.
And the private equity fund itself is just part of the infrastructure fund.
Which makes him a part of a part of a part of it.
That's not gonna matter.
Just do whatever you can to move them past Saudi Arabia.
Please.
In Saudi Arabia, women are also allowed to attend school.
Yes, with the permission of a man.
The crown prince is actively scaling back the guardianship system.
When I enrolled in George Washington University, I required no man's permission.
With all due respect, you're the cousin of the crown prince.
Do you know how many members of the royal family there are? - Off the top of my head, no.
- Fifteen thousand.
There are many issues on which our countries diverge, and we both understand the ties that bind us together.
What can we do to fix this? Do you have any idea how much harder you've made it for my cousin to get reforms past the hardliners? Anything he does now will look like he's doing America's bidding.
I'm not sure if it is fixable.
I need you to jump on damage control.
[AARON OVER CELL PHONE.]
I'm on my way to Pebble Beach.
I assume I'm not talking about infrastructure anymore, right? Change of plans.
I need you to restore peace in the Middle East.
I'm very sorry for what I said publicly.
I should have shared my concerns with the crown prince himself.
Because it is up to the morally superior America to teach the rest of the world how to act.
No, because I believe every young girl has a right to a childhood.
Al-Mufti does not work for the sovereign wealth fund.
The Kingdom would never have sent a man with an underaged wife.
Because the optics would've been bad, not because it doesn't exist.
Where's my pen? Seth, I'm gonna watch the briefing.
For your information, child marriage is now uncommon in our cities.
It exists, but in places where change takes longer to reach.
Rural areas under tribal chiefs, adherents of extreme clerics.
Just because those girls are out of sight doesn't mean they don't matter.
Please, tell me.
What else do you assume is wrong with Saudi Arabia? I try not to assume, so I'll tell you what I know.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers from 9/11 were Saudi nationals.
Your religious police would prefer to watch girls burn to death in their school than leave it without their burqas on.
You persecute religious minorities, female activists.
You have no free press, a long history of torture.
And you murder journalists that speak out against you.
You know a little about us, - but we know so much more about you.
- Such as? We know your country was founded as a slave state.
Your incarceration rate is the highest in the world.
You're less than 5% of the world's population, yet you house 22% of the world's criminals.
And you give prison sentences for smoking marijuana, but not for billion-dollar fraud.
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone".
Point taken.
I'm just getting started.
[AARON OVER TV.]
Saudi Arabia is the linchpin of the Middle East.
It's the key to its stability.
They help fight al-Qaeda and ISIS in the region.
They've stopped numerous terrorist plots against America.
The truth is, we're safer because of our relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Your murder rate is astronomical.
Of all the civilian-owned handguns in the world, Americans own nearly half.
You call yourself the greatest country in the world, yet you allow 500,000 of your people to go homeless, millions to go without health care.
As an American, these are things I am not proud of.
The president will always stand up for humanistic values.
Claire.
Where does President Kirkman stand on child marriage? Again, Claire.
The president was unaware of Shahid Al-Mufti's marital status.
Before you rain righteous indignation down on us for allowing child marriage, look in your backyard.
Excuse me? Let me clarify.
Where does he stand on child marriage in the US? I don't follow.
You're aware America also allows children to marry? That's not true.
Go ahead and check the statutes in all 50 states.
The minimum age at which people can get married by law in this country is 18, 18 being the age at which you're no longer considered a minor.
Ergo, no child marriage.
- What about loopholes? - What loopholes? Forty-eight states have loopholes allowing minors to marry 16 and 17-year-olds with parental permission.
Children 15 and younger require a judge's approval, which is routinely granted.
I'll get back to you on that.
So, the president is against child marriage in other countries, but fine with it here? I can't speak with authority to issues outside the purview of the National Security Council, but what I can unequivocally vouch for is President Kirkman's character.
Hypocrisy is not in his DNA.
If there's an injustice involved, he'll do everything within his power to right it.
[PHILIP.]
I have a question about the president's trip to North Carolina tomorrow.
Yes, Phil.
What would you like to know? [PHILIP.]
Is the president aware that North Carolina allows children as young as 14 to obtain a marriage license in the case of childbirth or pregnancy? Get everyone in here now.
Thank you.
[SETH.]
Are there any other questions on any other topic? In my daily lit review on synthetic biology, which normally bores the tits off of me, I found a biogeneticist who sequenced the entire genome of the poppy.
I'm really happy you're finally enjoying your work in Analysis.
It's where I started, you know.
The poppy as in opium poppy, as in grown in Afghanistan.
Makes heroin that funds terrorism.
Now that it's sequenced, our guys can go in and use CRISPR to splice and edit this genome and wipe out their entire fucking crop.
This biogeneticist, is he one of ours? DARPA? CDC? Dr.
Eli Mays.
This guy crowdsourced from a DIY bio lab.
A biohacker.
We need to make contact before an unfriendly does.
This is very good work, Hannah.
Put it in your daily report.
Give it to your supervisor.
They'll be very impressed.
Dianne, I don't want to just write it up.
I discovered him.
He should be mine.
Hannah, do you have a life outside of work? [HANNAH SCOFFS.]
What does this have to with You know, hobbies, human interactions? There's a dog park I go to on the weekend.
- Oh, you have a dog? - No.
Dianne, put me in Operations.
But you're just hitting your stride in Analysis.
I know you didn't just recruit me to sit behind a desk.
This has been a test, right? To punish me or break me.
Mission accomplished.
I've been in hell for six months.
I've been good.
And if I don't get out, I'm gonna kill Melissa.
You're right.
We sheep-dipped you.
The CIA is not law enforcement.
We are intelligence gatherers.
No gun.
You're moving me to Operations? You will not regret it.
- I just wanted to let you know - Not now, Isabel.
We're in the middle of a clusterfuck.
I'm on my way to see POTUS.
This isn't about my initiative Please.
Just give it a break already.
I know how badly you want a seat at the big kids' table.
I've been there.
I get it.
I'm all about mentoring women, and I will do whatever I can for you.
But it's not happening today.
The NGO I was with, we worked with child brides in Mozambique.
From the year 2000 to the year 2015, there were over 200,000 child marriages in this country.
How was that not on our radar? So, after getting javelins thrown at me the entire briefing, I had my team look into this.
They found it in every state, every race, across all socioeconomic data.
It's common in poor and rural communities and within conservative religious groups.
Christian, Orthodox Jewish, Muslim, Mormon.
I had my team ran numbers as well.
And of the 200,000 child marriages you mentioned, over two-thirds were 17.
Still a minor.
985 of them were 14, and ten of them were only 12 years old.
This is a human rights violation.
I want it stopped.
Can I sign an executive order banning it? - It's a states' rights issue.
- [EMILY.]
What's the issue? Marriage is legislated by the states.
Why aren't they fixing it? Freedom of religion, for one.
Premarital sex is a sin.
You want the kids married before they start having it.
When an underaged girl does get pregnant, there are a lot of people believe the child is better off if the parents are married.
Even if the mother is a child herself.
It's still not right.
The law states you are a minor until you are 18.
We're a country that is supposed to protect its children.
In fact, we've got laws that do that.
We prevent them from drinking, smoking, gambling.
Minors aren't allowed to vote, open a bank account.
- Rent an apartment.
- Rent a car.
- Buy fireworks.
- Sign a contract.
They can't hire an attorney, which they would need to get a divorce.
Okay.
So what do we do to get the states to ban it? You can't draw a hard line at 18.
I'm sorry, who are you? Isabel Pardo, director of your Office of Social Innovation.
It's an honor to meet you, Mr.
President.
Okay, Isabel, why don't you explain to me why you are pro-child marriage? I'm not.
Banning it was one of the first initiatives I proposed when I started here.
So, what happened? A fight from the right, which I was prepared for.
What I didn't see coming was equal opposition from the left.
Who on the left was against it? The ACLU believes marriage is a fundamental right.
Planned Parenthood fears the ban is a slippery slope.
I am so tired of the slippery-slope argument, especially when it comes to legislation.
Laws are specific.
Banning child marriage wouldn't do anything to abortion or anything else.
But you still think I should do nothing.
No, I think you should address the root causes.
Which are? So many girls that get pregnant are coerced into getting married by their parents.
Address teen pregnancy.
Mandate that all public schools offer sex education and access to condoms.
Good luck on that one.
Condoms and classes aren't enough.
We need an outright ban.
Sir, if you're looking for an easy answer, there isn't one.
Yes, there is.
Pass a law.
Mr.
President, are you still planning on travelling to North Carolina? Yes, I am.
And in my opening comments, I will tell the American people that I plan to sign an executive order that target the root causes of child marriage.
Thank you.
- [HANNAH.]
Dr.
Mays? - [ELI.]
Hold on.
I'm trying to prevent the complete deforestation of Indonesia by increasing the genetic expression of algae to produce palm oil.
Tribonema, Ulothrix and euglena have the best potential so far.
[HANNAH.]
I'm Hannah Wells I'm also genetically experimenting with a cure for gray hair.
How would you like to come help the CIA? Hard pass.
- Why? - I'm a biohacker.
We're about the democratization of science.
- The CIA is not.
- [HANNAH.]
For a reason.
Bioengineering in the right hands, great.
- In the wrong hands - Exactly.
You know gene editing is listed as a weapon of mass destruction, right? You guys aren't focused nearly enough on bioterror.
Well, that's what I've been working on Mutually-assured destruction is passé.
Now it's a biorogues' world.
The Biological Weapons Convention isn't enforceable or even verifiable.
If you don't hold people to account, shit will happen.
You need to be monitoring everyone.
- Like I do.
- How do you monitor everyone? For one, I attend bioterror conferences all over the world.
I give talks on things that keep me up at night.
Like what? How easy it's about to become to make biological weapons on our phones.
They'll soon have the capability of becoming nanotech assemblers.
And when they do, there will be sequences you can print from your phone that can probably cause civilization to crash.
And someone, either intentionally or accidentally, is going to do it.
And without intervention, we're all ultimately screwed.
What worries you most? At this moment? This.
Hundreds of them fell from the sky in Florida a few months back.
They died from a virus I've never seen before.
I believe it was genetically engineered.
For what purpose? That's another thing that keeps me up at night.
Well, who should we be talking to? I assume that was a royal "we".
Remember that hard pass? You just said that the CIA isn't doing enough to monitor bioterror, so help us.
I know a biohacker with a lab near MI who was experimenting with avian viruses.
Nolan Fein.
He's not fed-friendly.
Then it's a good thing you're gonna be there to make the introduction.
Dontae, thank you so much for fixing that app.
- I will check it out tomorrow.
- That's still being re-beta tested.
- You gotta look at this.
- What is it? - The answer to your question.
- What question? Why people don't vote.
I thought I knew.
I mean, I know why some people in my community don't.
But I never knew this.
Ten hours ago, you couldn't have been more laissez-faire about this.
What has gotten into you? This.
46% of eligible voters didn't vote in the last election.
This is the key to why.
If Kirkman can get these people, he wins.
- Hey, are you gettin' out of here? - Yes.
Just watch it.
Dontae, can you find me someone talking about child marriage? Everyone's talking about child marriage today.
No, no, no.
I mean somebody who is or was a child bride.
Yeah.
You wanna grab a drink? No, wait, nevermind.
The flight is so early tomorrow.
- Is something going on with you? - No, I'm good.
You've been distracted all day.
Oh, my God.
Did you see Aaron's face when that came up on the screen? - He was mortified.
- Yeah.
A public shaming for being singled out as one of the sexiest politicians in the world.
I'd be mortified.
Well, I don't think he likes being objectified.
I mean, it diminishes his intellect and his actual accomplishments.
Oh, come on.
Do you have any idea what that does for a guy's dating life? It's a waste.
He's off the market.
It's that serious with Isabel? Well, word around the office is they're moving in together.
How's your mom? She's good.
Really good, considering.
I haven't really been talking to her as often as I should be, but - I have a kid.
- What? How? I mean, I know how, but how? You don't know how.
Um, when I was a freshman at Harvard I sold my sperm.
No.
It was easy money.
I never gave it a second thought.
Her name is Stephanie Kapoor.
She's 21 years old.
- I'm kinda freaking out about it.
- How did she find you? Remember when I was looking for my birth parents? My DNA is on 23andMe.
Well, didn't you consider the consequences when you were Ejaculating into a cup for money? No, not really.
Back then, the technology didn't exist.
This wasn't a possibility.
So when are you meeting her? Would I be a terrible person if I said never? Yes, you would be a terrible, terrible person.
If she wants to meet you, you owe her that.
I do need that drink.
[AARON.]
Hey, hon? - Yes, mi amor? - What is this? Exercise equipment.
Did I mention how impressed the president was with you today? [ISABEL.]
Yes, you did.
And how much I love you? I love you, too.
[SIGHS.]
I had a big win today.
It feels so good.
The president of the United States is about to sign an executive order on your advice.
You know, you can't say they don't pay attention to you anymore.
[CHUCKLES.]
Vice President Isabel Pardo, it kinda has a nice ring to it, right? Yeah, that ain't happenin'.
But I do get to sleep with "El polÃtico más guapo".
[AARON.]
Yeah? [ISABEL EXCLAIMS AND CHUCKLES.]
Well, it would be very disrespectful for you to sleep with the prime minister of Canada tonight.
You just moved in.
[LAUGHING.]
[TOM.]
Don't take it easy on me just 'cause I'm the president now.
[PENNY.]
Lucky for you, body checking is a penalty in my league.
[TOM.]
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Your brother Leo finally called me back yesterday.
He wanted me to tell you "yo".
[PENNY CHUCKLES.]
Can you flunk out of summer school? [TOM.]
Leo's doing just fine.
Keep your head up and eyes forward.
- Hey! [EXCLAIMS.]
- [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
[SIGHS.]
Nice check.
[BOTH PANTING.]
You know, I was thinking If anyone ever messed with you, made you feel uncomfortable, you'd tell me, wouldn't you? How can anyone mess with me? I have 24-hour protection.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah, right.
Is this about the whole child bride thing? Everyone was talking about it at day camp.
It's super creepy.
Yes, it is.
There should be a law against it.
You're absolutely right.
- Executive order is not enough.
- What? I'm gonna do everything I can to help pass that law.
You're gonna have to be 18 years old to get married in this country.
Now, come on.
Back on your skates.
We're not done.
There.
You ready? You know what we haven't done since I started this job? We haven't taken one single vacation.
Let's plan one for next month.
Anywhere you wanna go, your choice.
It'll be August recess.
It's as slow as DC gets.
I can take a week, maybe even ten days.
What about St.
Simons Island? You always loved it there at St.
Simons.
What do you say? That'll be nice.
[EXHALES HEAVILY.]
I'm back.
Pop the trunk.
You don't have to walk me in.
What are you talking about? Of course I'm going to walk you in.
Hey I am so proud of you.
Doing this for yourself.
I'm not doing this for myself.
You're making me do this for you.
See you in 28 days.
"When the goal is the greater good, people from all levels of government can work together to achieve it.
" Hey.
Why aren't you wearing any of the clothes I brought you? - They weren't me.
- It was the North Carolina you.
Lorraine.
We need to lock down his remarks for the groundbreaking - and then he's all yours.
- Fine.
[TOM.]
"It is in this spirit that I plan to introduce legislation to ban child marriage, establish federal law that makes 18 the minimum age" - No, you can't say that.
- Why not? States' rights, religious rights, parental rights.
- What the fuck are you doing? - Saving abused children.
How can you possibly have a problem with that? - Because it'll cost him the election! - [EMILY.]
That's insane.
I have polling data that says a hell of a lot more people are against child marriage than for it.
[LORRAINE.]
That data doesn't mean anything.
The people that are against it, it's not an issue they vote on.
But the people who don't want the ban, the people who are personally affected by it, you can bet your ass that every single one of them will show up to vote against you.
- It's the right thing to do.
- This is a knee-jerk reaction.
You're doing this out of embarrassment.
Of course, she could give a shit about child brides.
They aren't old enough to vote.
Please don't shoot yourself in the dick.
It's pointless.
Congress won't even take this up.
You have the power and the platform to help these girls.
Child brides are less likely to stay in school, more likely to experience domestic violence.
They're 31% more likely to end up in poverty.
The majority of them end up in divorce.
Introducing legislation that you cannot possibly push through, it gets you nothing and costs you everything.
Do you wanna win or not? Seth, what do you think? - They're both right.
- [WHISPERING.]
Pussy.
Dontae found me this woman.
[TYPING.]
Watch it before you decide.
[WOMAN OVER VIDEO.]
That was me, the school year prior to marriage.
At 13, I was sexually assaulted.
As the upcoming school year started, then I found out that I was pregnant.
And, given the religious community, I had to marry this person.
When my daughter was two, he became abusive to her.
And so I grabbed her and ran to get away from him.
And I would knock on somebody's door, and nobody would let me in.
[CRYING.]
And I'd hide in the creek holding my baby.
Good news on the you-know-what.
The exterminator showed up and got it.
Well done, Felix.
Your future's looking markedly brighter.
And now the bad news.
Is there a law that good news has to come with bad? The exterminator located the hole where the mouse got in.
The hole was caused by termites.
- We are not tenting the White House.
- I'll look into options.
- [CROWD APPLAUDING.]
- [TOM.]
Thank you.
Thank you.
I wish we could've brought you better weather.
But this is an auspicious day.
Proof that when the goal is the greater good, people from all levels of government can work together to achieve it.
And it is in that spirit And it is in that spirit It is in that spirit that my partners here on the dais, representatives of all aspects of the government and our private sector investors have worked together, not only to build a new bridge, but to ensure that the tragedy of the old one never befalls another city in this great nation.
It is with great honor that we break ground here today.
[ISABEL.]
He didn't even bring it up.
I'm sorry, Isi.
I don't know what happened.
I do.
He became a politician.
[MAN 1 OVER VIDEO.]
I didn't vote and I'm kinda proud of that because I did not like the person that was running for office.
WOMAN: I was arrested, ended up pleading guilty to a felony count.
Couple of months after realizing that I was a felon, I realized I lost the right to vote.
With it being on a Tuesday, I work two jobs and go to school full time, so I don't have the availability to just leave to go vote.
I just didn't feel like I had the informed opinion about who I was voting for.
And I don't feel like anybody represents me personally.
MAN 2: The two-party system doesn't work because we need more options to vote other than just Republican or Democratic.
If we had a third-party candidate who had a fighting chance, then I'd be more inclined to vote for that person.
[KNOCKING.]
Hey.
I know I disappointed you.
I understand why you did it.
[SCOFFS.]
I'm not sure I do.
Doesn't mean I'm letting you off the hook.
Once you're elected, you have to make good on it.
I will, I promise.
Thank you for understanding.
I do, and it's why I need to leave the White House.
Emily, please.
I need you.
I know you do, and that's why I need to leave.
- I want to move to the campaign.
- With Lorraine? Exactly.
You don't trust her.
Do you? [OPERATOR.]
Good evening, Mr.
Wright.
Hi.
I'd like to make a phone call please, to Stephanie Kapoor.
The number is area code 3-8-0 5-5-5 0-1-8 [OPERATOR.]
And the final digit? Mr.
Wright, are you there? [SPEAKING SPANISH.]
If that's a booty call from one of your exes because of that magazine [AARON.]
What? - Lorraine? - Aaron.
Can we talk? [STUTTERS.]
Actually, right now is not a good time at all, really.
Come by the campaign office first thing in the morning.
Oh, and think about whether you'd like to join the ticket as Kirkman's vice president.
Penny, what are you still doing awake? I waited up for you.
Pudding? Sure, why not? Well, thank you.
How was North Carolina? North Carolina, well The fundraiser went late.
Did you announce your new law? No.
Not yet, sweetheart.
Why? Just 'cause.
Dr.
Fein's security is a little higher than yours.
It's new from last year.
His car was outside.
He has to be here.
All right, then maybe he's hurt.
You know what? Step back.
Or I could just, uh Now I really wanna talk to your friend.
[ELI.]
This makes no sense.
Why would he take his entire lab but leave his car? Well, he wouldn't.
This entire place has been scrubbed with bleach.
Do you know where he could be? No.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]