Scandal

This is a BNC news special report.

What did we say about staying up all night?

- (Grant under fire, impeachment...) - What did we say about keeping a schedule?

- (Momentarily we'll take you to the senate chambers...) - Didn't we agree that we felt better

- (for a special announcement.) - When we slept and took a shower?

Shh, shh, shh. I want to hear.

We talked about this.

We talked about keeping it together, didn't we?

We talked about the fact that the senate voted last night.

We talked about the fact

that this is a remarkable and uncommon day.

That is what we did.

So now I am not taking my eyes off that TV!

Okay, it's a big day.

It's your Super Bowl. I get it, but...

Okay, Super Bowl... that happens every year.

This is the moon landing.

The Berlin wall is coming down.

Hannibal's crossing the Alps.

This is the day the Lord has made

and he's made it for me.

Do you understand?

Please, you need to rest.

You're starting to lose it here.

You'll see!

You will see.

Last night, the senate judiciary committee voted

to open an investigation into President Grant's relationship

with former White House Communications Director

Olivia Pope.

Ms. Eakins.

Aye.

Mr. Gibson.

Aye.

Ms. Grant.

Aye.

The vote was unanimous.

Senator Gibson and I have our political differences,

but we are united, Democrat and Republican alike,

in our commitment to ensure

that even the president of the United States

abides by the rule of law.

And we promise to fairly and thoroughly

and relentlessly pursue

any violation of the public trust in this affair.

Will the president testify?

He has been subpoenaed.

We expect him to appear before the committee.

Are you seeking impeachment?

We are seeking the truth.

If the truth of this relationship

is that the president committed impeachable offenses,

we will pursue them.

Impeachable offenses?

I knew they were gonna come after me, but...

You need a lawyer, Mr. President.

I have done nothing wrong, and I certainly haven't

committed any impeachable offenses.

Do you know what an impeachable offense is?

You don't need to spend time thinking about that

because the answer is you don't.

And I don't mean that disrespectfully.

No one does.

Gerald Ford once said an impeachable offense

is whatever a majority of congress considers it to be

at a given moment in history.

This isn't a normal trial, Mr. President.

It's a political trial.

Congress is prosecutor and judge and jury.

They decide what an impeachable offense is,

and they decide if you've committed one.

If you survive these hearings, you're still president.

If you don't, you're not.

You need to talk to a lawyer. Now.

You're a lawyer.

I'm not his lawyer. I'm the country's lawyer.

And I shouldn't even be here

talking to him about any of this.

I'm just here to say you need a lawyer.

Who should I get?

You talk to anyone in this town,

they'll tell you to get Raymond Williams.

I'll contact his office.

Who would you get?

If it were me, I'd hire Patty Snell.

She's a little bit different,

but she's the best lawyer I've ever seen.

Oh, and, Mr. President?

Don't talk to Olivia. I know.

Not one word about this case.

Because obstruction of justice, perjury, witness tampering...

these are offenses everyone understands,

and they won't just cost you your presidency.

They'll put you in jail.

- Abby. - We shouldn't be talking.

I can't talk to you about him, about the investigation.

This isn't about him or the White House.

I need a loan.

Okay, what's the plan? Liv, who do we need to go after?

We're not fighting dirty on this one.

I'm bringing in someone from outside of O.P.A.

Good.

A man who's his own lawyer has a fool for a client.

Liv. If I say anything to you about the case,

it means you'll have to testify.

This is huge.

Quinn, I'm going before congress.

I need legal counsel, but I also need a political insider,

a P.R. magician...

Someone who can limit the damage done by all these photos.

A lawyer can't do all that.

No, but I can.

You hired Leo?

Thing 1 and thing 2.

And a new addition to the bestiary.

Hold on. Familiar face.

Recent headliner. Yes!

The man who hid in the closet

while the mayor's wife was being filleted,

the coward of the county, Marcus Walker!

If this bunch is your go-to,

you obviously called me just in time.

No.

"Grant's groupie!!" "Sidepiece-in-chief!"

"Olivia Poke!"

"Here we ho again"?

Mistress mania has taken the nation by storm,

making you, Olivia, the delusional paramour,

the wily home wrecker who snaked her way

into the president's bedroom.

You're his Monica, his Marilyn, his m-m-m-m-my Sharona,

and the country does not approve.

We get it. You have a plan to fix all that, right?

Of course I have. Do I... yes! I...

We're going to take what the public views

as a cheap and tawdry affair

between the president and his former communications director,

and we are going to spin it

into the greatest romance ever told...

"Olivia and Fitz, a love like no other."

- See? My plan even has a name. - No.

What do you mean, "no"?

I mean no.

That's what will resonate with the country.

That's what you'd be telling you if you were me.

That's what you've sold to the American people

time and time again!

Everyone loves a love story. Everyone relates.

That's not on the table. What else you got, Leo?

You know how they say doctors make the worst patients?

How about Olivia Pope... philanthropist, humanitarian?

It worked for Angelina.

And wake me when you're done.

Olivia Pope... woman of the people.

That I like. That's what we're doing.

That's the thing about the great ones.

They perform no matter what utter crap they are dealt.

I can work with that.

The country does not love you

because the country does not know you.

Unfortunately, if the country did know you,

they wouldn't be able to love you

because nobody loves an entitled, out of touch,

card-carrying member of the 1%.

I am none of those things.

Really? Then how do you explain all of this?

Everything in here is off-limits.

From now on, if you cannot buy it at the mall,

you cannot wear it out of the house.

Get thee to the galleria. Go.

Go!

What else do I need to know

about your relationship with the president?

I'm not sure there's anything more to tell you.

Did he shower you with gifts?

Is there a Bentley somewhere nobody knows about?

- Did he pay your rent? - He never gave me anything.

Where's all her food?

You mean her wine and popcorn?

Whatever. Where does she buy it?

She uses a delivery service.

I don't have time to go grocery shopping.

Of course not. You're too busy

getting your freak on with the pres.

That's the country talking, not me.

America's starting to see you as an everywoman,

but to seal the deal, they need to be told by someone,

someone they respect, that you are, in fact, human

and not some man-eating, husband-stealing

hunk of artificial intelligence,

and not by one of these mongrels

or any of the other dirty deviants you represent,

myself included.

I'm talking about someone with gravitas.

Someone respected, admired, beloved.

Someone who actually knows you.

- No. - He's perfect.

National profile. Women love him for his

passionate defense of planned parenthood.

- No! - Who, who, who?