“The Interrogation” (Season-1;Episode-6;aired-11/09/16)
POTUS stuff
Somewhere Najir Nassad is in custody in some black site.
The president is about to host a dinner at the White House, where Congressman MacLeish is being honored for surviving and many perceive him as a hypothetical next V.P.
In the middle of Kirkman’s speech, gun shots ring out. Agent Ritter takes off after the gunman, kills him, but is injured in the process. Turns out the killer is a Chechen national with allegiance to Nassar.
The attack causes all sorts of problems in an already troubled time. A plane full of refugees is already in Miami on the tarmac but the Governor won’t let them off. Everyone is scared of immigrants/refugees in these times. After all, they could be terrorists.
The other governors, unsure of whether Kirkman is really made of presidential material have their own mini-debate. Frustrated, maybe even knowing they’re right, he leaves the room. Seth and Aaron chase him down and give him a pep talk that would make Jack Bauer proud. He reconsiders, and returns to the room, gives a speech, and agrees to send the refugees in Miami to Canada.
This could be the first time we see Kirkman bend on his solid principles. But, he’s realizing he needs to play “the game”, which later his wife confirms when learning upon his decision she says “I’m no disappointed in the President, I’m disappointed in you.”
Even though this is TV, it makes me realize how difficult the president’s job must be on a daily basis. So many people and groups with their own needs, ideas, and agendas which often times compete with each other. Makes the saying “you can’t please everyone” that much more clear.
FBI stuff
The president has put forth MacLeish as a possible veep, which means he needs to get vetted.
Hannah doesn’t like this much as she believes MacLeish was involved with the attack. So, she decides to go Bauer-esque and do her own interrogation on the Nassar. Maggie basically calls him out and says he couldn’t have done this and threatens his secret family. She’s right, and Nassar coughs up the name Catalan.
Who is this guy? Is it even a guy? Maybe it’s a code name. No one knows for sure as zero information comes back on the search in all government databases. They go back to see what they are missing, maybe the spelling, but plot twist, Nassar is dead in his cell of an apparent suicide.
White House stuff
Seth and Lisa Jordan, a journalist, lock eyes in one of the many scenes where he deals with the press. She asks him out. He accepts. Then she brings up the real reason for her wanting to get together: word on the street is that president Kirkman isn’t Leo’s son.
This is bound to explode in someone’s face down the road.