Scandal

Tragic news out of Washington this morning...

Vice President Luna Vargas has died

of an apparent heart attack.

The question now is who will become

this country's next Vice President.

After a speedy confirmation, it's official...

Cyrus Rutherford Beene has been sworn in

as the country's next Vice President.

Well, folks, President Mellie Grant

certainly came out swinging last night

in her very first address to a joint session of Congress.

Grant's remarks on everything from healthcare

to foreign policy to uniting the country

left many wondering how, exactly,

she's gonna get it all done.

The aim of President Grant's

very first legislative initiative

is to give free education to every American...

And by "free," you mean "worse," right?

If President Grant and Olivia Pope

are somehow able to pull off the impossible

and, God forbid, get this bill passed,

then the state of education,

like everything else that's been made free and undervalued,

will start to decline.

And I, for one, will not stand of it.

Senator Michaels. Thank you for being punctual.

Summoning me to the principal's office

isn't gonna get me to change my opinion

about this bill, Ms. Pope.

Oh, that's okay. I don't care about your opinion.

What I care about is your vote.

I'm voting no.

Hmm. It's going to have to be a yes.

My vote is no. That's final.

No. You need to vote yes.

Now, you hold on there a minute, Missy.

In what world...

Before you do all of... that,

you should know that I have an envelope.

See?

It's packed with a great deal of information...

photos, copies of e-mails, reports,

a couple of... fascinating videos.

This envelope is hot.

This envelope makes careers.

Not mine, because, well, I'm already me.

And it certainly won't make yours, Senator.

You know whose career this envelope will make?

Journalists... lots of journalists.

It'll also benefit your wife.

She gets the truth.

How do you think she'll react?

I think she gets mad...

finally lets go of all that

"Cleave unto one's husband" crap you spout,

because, let's face it... even Jesus would tell her

to leave a man who does what's in there.

Ms. Pope... ma'am... you cannot...

This is blackmail, and I... Mine.

What?

Before you asked "In what world"...

I'm answering "Mine"... in my world.

This is my world.

You're in my envelope-filled world.

Mine.

And in my world,

which way do we vote on free college, Senator?

Yes.

Yes.

Senator Michaels is a yes on the Vargas bill.

- That's fantastic. - Nicely done!

That leaves us, what, 12 votes shy?

- Is that a problem? - No problem at all...

7 of the 12 come from states who favor this bill.

It's the other five that concern me.

So, let's hit the airways,

put the spotlight on some of these hold-outs.

Already on it... I have coms orchestrating a social-media blitz,

and a spot booked on "Pryce of Power."

Smart. Pryce gets a lot of eyeballs.

I'll be happy to get in front of his camera.

Uh... Uh, we were thinking that Liv could do the TV rounds,

and you could whip up the votes on the hill...

work your magic,

twist some arms behind closed doors.

We thought you could start with Greenwald.

Mm. - Did we? Well...

w-wherever we need me.

No!

David, please. We're suffering here.

- You have friends. - Who told you that?

Important friends, high-profile friends...

Are you really gonna sit there and tell us

none of them have a problem in need of fixing?

- Affairs to hide? - Dirty secrets to protect?

Murders to cover up?

The only problem in need of fixing here

is that you decided to change the name of this place.

It's one letter.

Olivia Pope and Associates is legend in this town.

You trust OPA.

Quinn Perkins and Associates... What is that?

QPA? It's a babysitting service.

Or cupcakes.

It's cupcakes delivered by babysitters.

Did you just call me a babysitter?

He's a waste of time.

We need to start advertising, hit the airwaves.

Been told my whole life I've got a voice for radio.

- More of those or switch it up? - Baby's maybe feeling a yogurt.

David, so help me, you're not leaving until we get a client.

Excuse me?

I-I'm looking for Quinn Perkins and Associates?

Yes. Hello!

Oh, thank God. Um, are you available?

Get lost, David.

My dad, he's been overseas

leading a religious studies symposium.

Mm-hmm.

He calls me every day after his class no matter what.

And then two days ago, nothing... no call.

Well, he may have just lost communication,

a problem with his cellphone overseas.

No, this isn't a regular overseas...

My father's in Bashran.

Your father's in Bashran like, Bashran Bashran?

I-I know, but he's a scholar.

And this isn't his first trip.

He teaches there regularly. He knows the place.

He knows how to be in touch,

so if he's not calling, then something is wrong.

You're late.

I'm... I'm sorry. I...

lost track of time.

There's no need to apologize.

I just, uh... I mean, I didn't mean to be late.

"Lafeyette." '91. Bordeaux.

Yes. Lafayette '91. Bordeaux.

It's good to see you.

Good to be out of the house.

You can leave the house.

And go to my workplace.

You can go wherever you want, Dad.

Because you have cameras on me at all times.

How many times are we going to...

I don't have cameras on you.

Olivia, cameras are Chapter 1

of the "How to Imprison Your Dad Handbook."

Cameras would mean that I think you might run,

which would be silly.

Cameras would mean that you're not heeding my advice...

which would be a mistake.

Cameras would mean I believe that you don't enjoy

having dinner with your daughter every week...

which would hurt.

Ask me about work.

How is work?

Good. I think we have a real shot

at getting Vargas' free college bill through.

So you got Senator Michaels.

Did he put up a fight, or did he stand down with a whimper?

I presented Senator Michaels with the facts,

and I'm thrilled that he saw the light.

The light.

That light is something.

How is the President?

Mellie is good.

So, Mellie is in formation.

Happy to let you hold all the cards,

wield all the power... happy as your puppet.

Mellie and I are a team.

You don't play team sports, never have... not well, anyway.

Dad, it's my turn.

I'm changing the rules.

This, what I'm doing, is better.

Hmm.

You are like looking into the window of my past.

You are me.

No matter how much I tried, all I could create was me.

There is a reckoning coming for you, Olivia.

You think... you have it under control.

You think you have all the power buttoned up inside you

behind your eyes, lighting you up.

But one day you'll glance into a mirror,

and you will discover that some of that power is missing.

The lights are going out.

Then? You'll have some difficult decisions to make.

Do I want that power back?

Who am I willing to hurt to get it?

Now I can say this because I know...

You cannot have it all, Olivia.

Watch me.

- "The whole people"... - Please don't quote me Adams.

"The whole people be willing to take upon themselves

the education"...

- "of the whole people"... - She's quoting Adams.

"and must be willing to bear the expenses of it."

Terrific. Bravo. Founding fathers.

I am very impressed. My question...