Could the plot lines of these network television series be any more trite?
CBS’s Madam Secretary has long sought to prepare us for the first female president. Show writers, still despondent over Hillary Clinton's loss, want you to know what you're missing: a female leader who's tough as nails and can easily break the nose of a misogynistic Philippine president.
Women's empowerment was on full display during Sunday's episode titled, “Break in Diplomacy,” when Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord (played by Tea Leoni), punches Philippine President Datu Andrada in the face for being sexist during a weapons negotiation.
Oh, and Andrada conveniently happens to be a successful businessman who ran an unorthodox political campaign.
Hollywood is nothing if not by-the-numbers predictable.
Newsbusters provides the transcript and video clip:
Staffer: Mr. President, Secretary of State Elizabeth Mccord.
Andrada: Secretary Mccord, mabuhay.
Elizabeth: Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice. I'm very grateful.
Andrada: I can offer you coffee or fruit.
Elizabeth: Oh. Uh, no. I'm fine, thank you. Thanks.
Andrada: May I call you Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: Sure. May I call you Datu?
Andrada: I don't believe that's appropriate.
Elizabeth: Of course. I... I wanted to congratulate you on your election, Mr. President.
Andrada: Really? I know Dalton supported my opponent. He underestimated me, but, of course, so did my opponent. He had no idea my people would be looking into his crooked financial dealings. Please... Sit... Elizabeth.
Elizabeth: Well, I am sure that you are going to be a strong and principled leader.
Andrada: I will make the Philippines stronger and more independent.
Elizabeth: Oh. President Andrada, don't you find in the final analysis that it is our friendships and our partnerships that determine our true strength?
Andrada: If they're the right ones.
Madame Secretary then tries to get down to brass tacks, but that slippery Andrada, well...
Elizabeth: Yes. Which is why I am here, as your partner, to ask you to join me in Singapore. You must know how vital these talks are to finalizing the jurisdiction of the remaining contested South China Sea Islands. And... Um, some of those islands that China is claiming, specifically the Scarborough Shoal, are widely considered to be yours, after all. Partners.
Andrada: You call us this now, but that was not your intention when you bought us from Spain and kept us as a colony after promising us freedom.
Elizabeth: I agree, that was a... dark beginning, but it was also a very different time in both of our histories.
Andrada: Perhaps it is time for us to go our separate ways.
Elizabeth: President Andrada... What do you want?
Andrada: Oh, what are you offering?
Elizabeth: Military reinforcements. Five v-22 Ospreys.
Andrada: We would need at least ten Ospreys.
Elizabeth: I can authorize that.
Andrada: And a new aircraft carrier.
Elizabeth: What about rq-4 Global Hawks?
Andrada: What about tactical nuclear missiles?
Elizabeth: I think you know that's just not on the table. How do you feel about drones?
Andrada: I like what I am hearing. Do you have any idea how sexy it is to hear a woman talking about drones?
Elizabeth: Well, I think that if we can... Generally agree on the kind and amount of military reinforcements that you're interested in, then I think we can probably rresume these...
Madame Secretary, a highly trained former CIA officer (of course), then breaks the man's nose. "I am woman hear me roar," subtly cues the credits.
