Scandal

Oh, what a difference a week makes.

After trailing his opponents in the first round

of Republican primaries,

Hollis Doyle has now taken the lead.

I'm giving America back to Americans.

No more of these south-of-the-border types

with their greedy little hands,

or these shady fellas with mustaches

looking to blow up our buildings.

This is our country. I aim to keep it that way.

Look at them. It's like Throwback Thursday in there.

A Gladiator reunion.

- This is good? - This is so good.

- This is not good. - This is good. Let it be good.

Can't let it be good if it's not good.

And that is not good.

That looks good, but that is not good.

Trust me.

So, we are agreed, then. Until Hollis Doyle goes down...

No more campaigning against each other.

- Mellie backs off of Susan. - Susan backs off of Mellie.

- We can do this. - We can do this.

Start gathering Intel. I need something lethal on Susan.

What about the cease-fire?

Cease-fires get broken.

I want to make sure we're protected.

Don't even.

It can still be good. There's time.

They are never gonna be what they were, Quinn.

Deep down, Abby is one of us. It can still be good.

- You rang? - Yeah.

We're gonna need some dirt.

- On Hollis? - On Mellie.

If these talks break down, and I think they might,

we're gonna have a war on our hands.

I came to take you to lunch.

I don't have time to go to lunch.

I have to sit here and come up with neutral things to say

about Mellie Grant for my press conference,

so I can't go to lunch.

Which is why I brought lunch to you.

Gettysburger!

You are a truly special human being.

Why are you saying neutral things about Mellie?

Ugh.

Because we're in a cease-fire with the Grant campaign,

which is killing me.

Mellie wants to end Medicare.

The woman hates old people.

But I have to smile and be neutral

because we are going to burn Hollis Doyle

and his hillbilly hate to the ground.

Hmm. Eyes on the prize.

It works.

I'm about to argue a case before the Supreme Court

about whether the federal government is liable

for a regulatory taking

based on the United States Corps of Engineers' denial

of a permit under Section 404

of the Clean Water Act to fill wetlands.

That's interesting.

No. It's lethally dull.

But eyes on the prize.

Every time I hear the word "wetlands" and "clean water,"

I focus on some beach vacation

the two of us might take someday.

Hopefully soon.

You want to take me on a vacation?

I'm saying it's a trick I use.

If I have a dull antitrust case,

I remember that antitrust pretty much defines

how you thought about me for a long time,

and rightfully so.

And I'll focus on all the ways I intend to make it up to you.

A Fair Housing Act case will get me thinking

of the house we might live in together.

And ERISA cases, normally the worst...

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act...

Well, I don't care about those anymore, either.

Because they help me imagine the two of us

getting old together,

and I'd like for us to get old together.

Eyes on the prize.

Mm-hmm.

What is happening?

David.

David?

I would think that it's clear.

No. No!

It's not clear. It's not clear to me.

I mean, I think it is, but I don't want to be a woman

who thinks a thing is happening that's not happening.

- It's happening. - No!

I'm gonna need you to say it.

Just say it clearly in a full sentence.

All the words.

Fine.

I may or may not be asking... Suggesting...

That we get married.

If you want to. This is your decision.

It's the 21st century.

We could mutually decide to join our lives together

if you should so choose...

Shhh!

Ask me like a normal person.

Susan...

will you marry me?

Cyrus.

Olivia.

Thanks for coming.

You think I'm out of touch? You think I've lost it?

That's why you called me? Cyrus...

Liv.

I'm s... please.

Talk. Frankie is brilliant.

Smart, quick. But also warm, personable.

When people hand him their babies to hold,

his face actually lights up.

Not that politician grin everyone gets.

His face fills with human joy

because he likes holding people's babies.

He likes talking to people. He doesn't mind touching people.

He'll hug old ladies and pray with those sickos

you always got to visit in hospitals on the trail.

And, Liv?

He truly wants to make the country a better place.

He wants to help people.

He's pure.

They love him like he's Kennedy and King rolled into one.

He is a rock star on the campaign trail,

but he's still losing every other primary.

You believe he's the real thing.

Yes.

No.

You believe.

You. Cyrus Beene.

You're a believer.

Cyrus, that's...

He's losing to Edison Davis.

And there's no reason why he should be.

I keep looking for something, but maybe it's me.

Maybe I'm done.

Maybe you only get one or two presidential elections.

If I've lost my touch

if I'm bad at this now,

too old for the gig, I need to know.

You need to tell me so I can get out right now,

before I do him any more damage.

It's not you.

You're not losing to Edison.

You're losing to my father.

He's running Edison's campaign?

He's running Edison.

He's running everything and everyone.

So, what are we doing?

What's the plan?

Because I'm happy to go all-in

with whatever you've got going on.

And I'll do some dirty work.

I mean, I know you say you won't kill him

because he's your dad, but let's at least talk about...

Cyrus!

I am not fighting my father, because there's no way to win.

And even if there was, I'm done trying.

What about Mellie?

You think this won't be an issue in the general election?

You think he won't steal the presidency

right out from under the American people's

piggy little noses?

My father was Command, Cyrus.

We both know he'll do a better job

of stealing the Oval than we ever did.

Olivia...

Good luck, Cyrus.

Rowan: Hello, Abigail.

Is Olivia in trouble? What do you want?

This is not about Olivia.

Well, in that case...

It's about you. What you want.

And what do I want?

Susan Ross in the Oval.

This will crush Mellie and give your gal a real shot.

How did you know I was looking for dirt on Mellie?

Well, you really don't know me.

First of all, I'm a little more focused

on Hollis right now than I am Mellie.

And once Hollis is dispatched,

you're simply gonna lie in bed peacefully

and wait for Olivia to smother you with a pillow?

Goodbye.

Olivia aborted President Fitzgerald Grant's baby.

Ask yourself a simple question.

What would Olivia Pope do?

Our target for destruction? Hollis Doyle.

The devil you love to have a beer with.

- This should be easy. - Don't be too sure.

No matter what he does, America loves him.

His supporters certainly do.

These should help with that.

-What's that? -Oppo. -Oppo.