Madam Secretary

Julie, honey, don't move.

- Okay? Just... - Just stay.

- Just don't move. - Stay, just-just stay right where you are.

- Stay very still, sweetheart. You're okay. - Everything's fine.

- Everything's fine. - No, stay...

- Will somebody please call for help? - Mom?

Everything's fine. We need help over here!

You're okay, baby. You're gonna be fine.

- You're all right. - Mom?

Can you imagine?

Why is the chopper up so high?

So its downdraft doesn't set the mines off.

- Yeah. - All right, Julie.

Would not have thought of that.

Oh, good,

you guys are watching the video?

- Yes. - Yes, ma'am.

What do you see?

Uh, a heroic rescue of a child?

- Some really stupid parents. - Yeah.

Well, I see an opportunity.

Whoa.

- Holy... - This...

is an antipersonnel land mine.

Don't worry, it's deactivated.

But if it weren't, it would just take

a few pounds of pressure...

say, the weight of a young girl's foot...

to detonate it. But, interestingly,

these aren't designed to kill.

The idea

is to burden the enemy

with logistical difficulties

like evacuation and field surgery

by blowing off the leg of the soldier who steps on it.

Of course, very often,

the victims aren't soldiers at all.

They're civilians.

Children.

Thank you.

Good morning to you, too, ma'am.

Where'd you get that thing anyway?

Friend of mine at DOD.

Wasn't easy, which is weird,

because there are 100 million

of them buried around the world,

and another 110 million stockpiled.

I'm sorry for the dramatics.

I just want us all to be real focused on the opportunity

- at hand here. - Which is what, ma'am?

The Calgary Treaty on Land Mines.

Called for the worldwide ban

on the production, stockpiling, use

and transfer of antipersonnel land mines.

It was ratified in the late '90s, I believe?

- Yup. - And was signed by at least 100 countries,

of which the U.S. was not one,

but we are... broadly compliant.

Okay, but why haven't we signed it?

Ratification would take a two-thirds vote

in the Senate, which no previous administration

has been able to secure.

Because the Pentagon has issues. We don't use land mines, except

on the Korean Peninsula. But DOD doesn't want to create

a legal slippery slope for other effective but controversial

weapons systems, like... cluster bombs,

and white phosphorus munitions,

or, I don't know, exploding puppies.

Plus, Russia and China

are big producers, too, but also

- won't sign. - Right. I mean,

correct answers. Check pluses all around.

But why else haven't we

signed this treaty?

This is the scariest pop quiz ever.

What aren't the thousands

of innocent civilians

who are maimed or killed by land mines every year?

Americans.

- Exactly. - But that video's gotten

- five million views already. - So, for this

brief moment in time,

Americans are actually thinking about land mines.

Imagine how many thousands of lives we could save

if the U.S. would finally

provide real moral leadership

- and ratify Calgary. - Secretary's office.

- But we got to act fast. Right? - Yes, I'll let her know. Ma'am,

Russell Jackson just asked to see you as soon as possible.

- He asked? - He even used the word "please."

Oh, I don't like the sound of that.

Recent leaks to the Russians could be traced back

to Senate Majority Leader Beau Carpenter.

Now, the evidence was gathered

by CIA's Special Activities Division,

but it won't be admissible in court.

That is the purpose

of this inter-agency task force:

to build a case against Carpenter that sticks.

Carpenter's one of the most powerful men in the country.

He's plenty rich. He's not an ideologue.

Do we really think

he could've been coerced by the Russians?

Well, that's the question.

What leverage do they have on him?

Anthony Colvert from the FBI will lead the investigation.

Thank you, Mr. Attorney General.

It's true, Leader Carpenter

doesn't have many obvious pressure points.

His wife of 40 years, Helen, passed away

five years ago. His son Richard is in business

and seems to be reasonably successful.

The most compelling answer to Dr. McCord's question

is Carpenter's housekeeper: Magda Nagy.

She grew up under communist rule in Budapest,

presumably speaks some Russian.

Became an American citizen 15 years ago.

Started working as Carpenter's housekeeper

shortly after his wife died.

The leaks we believe Leader Carpenter is responsible for

have blown operations and cost lives.

CIA will assist in intelligence gathering

but, obviously, FBI runs point on this.

Thanks, everyone.

If I may.

I've known Beau Carpenter for 25 years.

He's charming as all hell.

He's also crafty

and has this town wired.

Don't let him see you coming.

Land mines only cost a few dollars to make,

but thousands to clean up.

They render otherwise arable land useless for decades.

Yes, and the U.S. contributes

far more to de-mining operations than any other country.

Sure, but how can we tell them

to stop using and selling mines when they can say to us,

"Well, you won't ratify Calgary. Why should we".

I'm sympathetic.

But we have other legislative priorities

to get through Congress before the recess.

Conrad, you've seen, firsthand,

the damage they can do.

Yes, I have.

So believe me when I tell you

that I understand this issue, Bess.

Well, then you, of all people,

can understand the moral imperative

to putting an end to their use.

Mr. President.

- Elizabeth. - Hey.

Did you bring a land mine to the office?

- I was making a point. - Yeah.

That's what most people who bring weapons

to the workplace say.

She's passionate on the subject, Russell.

Yeah, well, my two cents:

sending a treaty to the Senate is just asking them

to stick a thumb in your eye.

And why the hell did that family

have to go to Cambodia instead of on a Disney cruise,

like normal people?

I know it's risky, but I think

right now we have the public's support

to get something done here.

A two-thirds majority is a high bar, Bess.

I don't want to squander my capital on a political loser.

I know.

But I tell you what.

On an issue like this,

you have the stature

to try and whip the votes yourself.

If you can do that, I'll sign.

Well, I love a challenge.

- Thank you, sir. - Just remember what he said

about political losers.

You're in a mood.

Ugh.

You got any plans this weekend?

Um... I don't know,

reading, mostly.

Got to hit the grocery store.

You know, probably put on my yoga pants,

but not actually go.

You?

Well, I was supposed to go to Bunny Duncan's

big holiday party.

Well, you know, she has one every year.

She passed away last night. I heard.

Russell, I'm so sorry. You were friends.

Bunny? God no, I hated her.

Oh.

Everybody loved her parties.

They were just scared of getting left out.

It was like drinking eggnog at Saddam Hussein's palace.

No, no, no, the point is...

the real estate's free, but not for long.

So if you and Henry want to throw a party of your own,

you need to jump now.

Well, it's a good thing...