Madam Secretary

Were you imprisoned in Russia on charges of espionage?

Yes.

Did you sustain any injuries

during your imprisonment in Russia?

Yes.

Were your injuries a result of torture?

Yes.

Do you resent the United States government

for its role in your incarceration?

Sometimes.

Do you plan to subvert or sabotage

the U.S. government?

No.

We have recruits with a lot less baggage.

We would be allowing a former member of the Russian military

into the highest levels of the agency.

I need you to be clear-eyed on this.

That it's not some kind of penance on your part

for leaving him in a Gulag. It's not.

But you'll be fully accountable for him.

You know, you're running a division of the CIA

that involves our most sensitive work,

and you're five minutes on the job.

Then I must think he's pretty valuable.

Have you ever been convicted of a felony?

This process isn't exactly reliable

with a guy like this. We'll see how he does here.

I'll have an answer for you tomorrow.

Oh!

One store, two hours, six bags,

everything on the list, shazam.

"Shazam"? Nice. Really bringing it back.

I love Bed Bath & Beyond.

Yes, you do.

Because they have everything.

They have things you didn't even know you wanted,

and that, my friend, is where the "Beyond" part kicks in.

Uh, like a ceramic hedgehog that's really a shoe scraper?

You know, you are so gonna use that.

Wait and see, I'm telling you.

Probably more than the turbo

wet/dry hand vac.

What? No, no, no, that is a must have.

We're not going to be slaughtering our own food.

How messy can we be?

Well, you would be surprised.

Please. It's just gonna take up closet space.

Why don't you keep it here?

We already have two. Upstairs, downstairs.

Ah, the familiar rustle of capitalism at work.

We got everything.

Operation Ali Goes to College is completo.

Except, you know, the going to college.

In two days. I can't believe it.

And I can't believe that I'm not gonna be able to take you, Ali.

It's okay. I think they'd miss

the secretary of state at the United Nations General Assembly.

Dad and I will be fine.

Oh, no. You didn't.

Mom. The wet/dry vac?

You loved yours.

I sold it,

the second week of school.

You did?

Also, I never sorted my laundry.

Okay? I just put it all in the washing machine,

on cold water. Please stop.

Okay. Show of hands.

Who thinks a game room would benefit the whole family?

I'm only going an hour away. You're not taking over my room.

Guard it for me, will you?

Uh, sorry, I'm going to New York tomorrow, so...

You're going to UNGA, too?

Yes, in my capacity as

the White House chief of staff's silent intern.

Russell says that I'm not allowed to talk to anyone.

Yeah, he says that to me a lot, too.

Can you guys give me a hand?

I have to start packing. Oh.

Packing for college!

Can you believe it?

Yes, Mom, we can all believe it.

Well, I can't.

It would still be your room, just with an air hockey table.

Forget it.

What about a... pool table, maybe?

Whose side are you on?

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

The new one is cordless!

It's just... Ha!

I'm gonna, I'm gonna charge it up for you.

'Cause you are gonna use it. (Chuckles)

We need to get a hobby.

Mm-hmm.

: Something that we can do together.

You know? Like... golf or... tennis

or maybe a book club.

Totally.

I'm serious.

We are two years away from having a completely empty nest,

and we are not prepared.

We could turn into that couple

that doesn't know how to talk to each other.

We'll start watching TV shows we don't care about.

Stop going to restaurants 'cause they're too loud.

Stop going to movies 'cause of parking.

And from there, it is just a race to the bathtub

that opens from the side.

Stop feeling guilty.

That is not it.

Technically, Stevie still lives with us.

There's an excellent chance Jason will never leave.

I don't think empty nest is gonna be our problem.

Or maybe you just know how much better I am at golf and tennis.

I will slay you at book club.

That's true.

I feel guilty.

Stop it.

You couldn't take Stevie to college.

I know. Remember? You had the flu?

And look what happened; She dropped out.

And then she finished, and now she's an intern

for the White House chief of staff, so... It's a watershed event.

It is a life moment, and it is just passing me by.

Do I sound whiny?

But in a way that I find totally attractive.

After the reception breakfast, you have a bilateral meeting

with Foreign Minister Chen.

Then the free speech resolution

takes up most of tomorrow.

That's definitely gonna dominate the agenda, ma'am.

Not to mention the news cycle.

Getting China to the table

on a multilateral accord promoting greater free speech...

"Is a foreign policy achievement"

"that will open up China

"to the same political and economic transparency

we've come to expect from our Western allies."

Boom.

Thanks, Matt. Daisy's got you booked

on the cable news circuit, prime time,

with the anchors you like, except for... Marty Hawk,

which couldn't avoid.

: Oh, Marty.

Well, maybe I'll get a chance to finish some of the sentences

I didn't get to the last time I was there.

He's the highest-rated interrupter

on cable, ma'am. I understand.

Oh, also, ma'am, your brother Will asked me

to remind you that he'll be attending UNGA

as a guest speaker promoting cholera vaccinations

in Third World countries.

And you're having lunch with him at the Four Seasons.

Totally remembered that.

Of course you did, ma'am.

ROGÉRIO: Madam Secretary, Rogério Bento

of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste!

Madam Secretary,

Rogério Bento, Assistant Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs,

Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste! Nice to see you, Mr. Bento.

Mr. Bento, Mr. Bento, we will get back to you.

Please, it's urgent! Good day, sir.

Please, it's urgent I get a meeting!

Madam Secretary McCord!

Any guesses what that was about?

Something to do with their maritime dispute with Australia

and the South China Sea?

That's all the secretary needs is to send a message

to China by meeting with Timor-Leste.

Agreed. Just smile and keep moving.

So this is actually a better idea.

Hi. Hi, baby.

Excuse me, Mr. Prime Minister. Of course.

: This is pretty exciting, huh? Yeah.

Have you seen the raspberry strudel?

You have to body check the Norwegian ambassador.

Mom. Mom. He's, like, parked there.

Hey. Yeah?

Mr. Jackson and the president need to talk to you.

Oh. Okay.

Uh, get something to eat, okay?

Mom. You have to eat.

China has pulled out of the free speech resolution.

What? When?

14 minutes ago.

Did they say why?

No public statement, and I couldn't get.

President Li's office to return my call.

My best guess is they were never serious

about coming to the table.

Just... wanted to bait and humiliate us on the world stage.

I have a bilateral meeting with Minister Chen

scheduled after this.

So maybe you can keep the dialogue alive.

Actually, I was thinking I just won't show up.

If it is gamesmanship,

then we have to demonstrate that we're serious.

Instead, I'll take a meeting with the Assistant Vice Minister

of Foreign Affairs for Timor-Leste.

Why?