The Best House of Cards, Season 3, Episode 6 Quotes

Francis: I'm the President of the United States, and I can separate the big from the small.

- My wife has been under a...
- Great amount of stress these past 24 hours.
- She's clearly in shock.
- My apologies to president Petrov and to the Russian people.
- If you'll excuse me,
- I need to be with her now.

- I used to say we'd go there and hike it.
- Find a good spot, build a cabin.
- I'm sorry, we shouldn't be talking about me.
- Iasked.
- Tea smells good.
- Think I'll have some, too.

- Good news, mr orsay.
- You're negative on all fronts.
- Here's the results for your records.
- I've got some literature if you like, on protection, preventative strategies, how to avoid high-risk encounters...
- No, thank you, I'm good.
- Yeah, actually I will take those.

- Come, mrs undennood.
- Please. You shouldn't be here.
- Mrs unden/vood...

Michael: I can't betray myself. Who would I be then?
Claire: You'd be a politician, and that's what you are. Let the others do all the yelling and screaming. You want change? Then learn how to compromise.

- I don't need a mother.
- Hey, I'm not trying to mother you,
- I just, I care about you, and I want you to be safe.
- Just...
- Max?
- Max!

[last lines]
Francis: I should have never made you Ambassador.
Claire: I should have never made you President.
[walks out]
Francis: [to camera] What are you looking at?

- He gets tried, convicted, sentenced.
- Now,
- I asked mr litsky to inform them both.
- I have complete confidence in my wife.
- And Viktor, you must know, this isn't part of any plan.
- That's it.

- Michael.
- Mrs undennood.
- Claire.

- I have to represent my people the same way you do.
- And if there is no cost to corrigan's actions, many of my people will feel betrayed.
- There won't be a revolution because you freed one man.
- Revolution sneaks up on you, one small step at a time.
- I don't take chances, even with the smallest of steps.

Francis: Do you really want to discuss courage, Claire? Because anyone can commit suicide, or spout their mouth in front of a camera. But you wanna know what takes real courage?Keeping your mouth shut, no matter what you might be feeling.

- That's what bothers you most...
- You can't parse this.
- It's all-or-nothing.
- That's not how politics works.
- But it's how revolution works!
- How are things going?
- May I speak with you for a moment?

Michael: You can't parse this, it's all or nothing.
Claire: That's not how politics works.
Michael: But it's how revolution works!

- Shouldn't you be in the back with the press?
- I'm not press.
- You're not staff either.
- My apologies.
- Mrs undennood?
- You did the right thing.

- And his voice deserves to be heard.
- That's enough.
- If it weren't for this unjust law, and ignorance and intolerance of your government,
- Michael would still be with us.
- Shame on you, mr president.

- So, we start over.
- As though we meet for the first time.
- Please.

- Just lie down for a little bit.
- Take... just get some rest.
- I just can't talk any more.
- Okay.
- Okay, I will.
- For a few minutes.

Francis: I'm finding it more and more difficult to tolerate your paranoia.
President: I could say the same of your lies.
Francis: When I lie to you you'll never know it, and it will be for a good reason.

- Thank you for releasing mr corrigan, it means a great deal to us.
- And I'm sure a great deal to his loved ones.
- We all want the same things.
- This is just a first step.
- Mr litsky, my chief of staff, will escort you to the facilities.
- Shall we?
- Mr president.
- Thank you.
- After you.

- You can keep something in Poland for show, but that's it.
- Agreed.
- So, we have a deal.
- Including everything we discussed about the Jordan valley.
- Yes. Of course.
- Then we have a deal.

Francis: [livid about her actions] You're not only the First Lady, and an Ambassador, you're also my wife.
Claire: In what order?

- I gotta go. Let me know what he says.
- You're here to work on your body, not work on your work.
- Well, when the boss calls.
- Well, while you're on my turf,
- I'm the boss.
- So get in there and lie down on the mat.
- Yes, ma'am.

- It happened. Let's move on.
- If you have something you would like to say, Francis...
- I just wanna minimise the damage.
- If Petrov won't come around, we have to move fonnard with the resolution at the UN.
- We're prepared for that.
- Good. Thank you.
- Try to get some sleep.

- Give him some privacy from the press.
- That's a good idea.
- Have you slept at all?
- No.
- Eaten anything?
- Not yet.
- Here.
- Come see this.

- Claire.
- Don't, Francis.

- Because he's Russian.
- I can't abandon the others in here.
- Or the millions of people out there who are told the way they are born is wrong.
- But back home, you can share Sergei's story.
- That doesn't do anything for him or the others.

- We don't know why Michael chose to do what he did.
- We all wanted nothing more than for Michael to come home today, and we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and his loved ones.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, mrs undennood.

Claire: He had more courage than you'll ever have.
Francis: Do you really want to discuss "courage", Claire? Because anyone can commit suicide, or spout they're mouth in front of a camera. But you want to know what really takes courage? Keeping your mouth shut, no matter what you might be feeling. Holding it all together when the stakes are this high.
Claire: We're murders Francis.
Francis: No we're not, we're survivors.

- Well, keep trying, Cathy.
- If Petrov won't get on the phone with me, then I'll speak to bugayev.
- Whoever will get on the phone with me, then.
- All right. Thank you.
- Your coffee, sir.
- Thank you, Ben.

- or if you'd prefer to announce our agreement.
- No, no, it's fine if you...
- Would you mind if your people showed me a draft of your remarks?
- Yes, I'll have them draft something right now.
- And yours, too, mrs undennood.
- Yes. It's fine. Whatever you want.

Claire: You don't have to mean it. You just have to say it.

- But that brings us to the elephant in the room.
- Missile defence.
- Now, I can accept a partial scale-back in Poland.
- And it doesn't have to be announced.
- But we need to consider the Czech Republic.
- Tell me your concerns.

- I just can't be alone right now.
- Come with me, come with me.

- I know nothing about the facilities.
- Where is it?
- Mrs undennood.
- If mr corrigan and I are to speak privately,
- I would like to be assured that it is truly private.
- Show me where the bug is.

President: Revolution sneaks up on you, one small step at a time. I don't take chances even with the smallest of steps.

Michael: Isn't that what marriage is about, accepting your partner's selfishness? You of all people would understand.