Designated Survivor (TV Series)

The Confession (2016)

Elizabeth Vargas: Elizabeth Vargas

Quotes 

• Tom Kirkman : I'm sorry for the interruption. Do you mind asking the question again?

  Elizabeth Vargas : Of course. Mr. President, were you fired by President Richmond on the day of the attack?

  Tom Kirkman : No, I was offered another assignment; an ambassadorship, which I had not accepted yet.

  Elizabeth Vargas : Did you request this transfer?

  Tom Kirkman : No, I did not.

  Elizabeth Vargas : So, is it safe to say President Richmond no longer wanted you to serve in his Cabinet?

  Tom Kirkman : That would be correct.

• Elizabeth Vargas : It is astonishing that Congressman MacLeish survived.

  Tom Kirkman : It's incredibly encouraging to have good news in these heartbreaking times.

  Elizabeth Vargas : And difficult times, certainly, to lead, given the challenge from the governor of Michigan, the near riot in the Capitol.

  Tom Kirkman : Well, thankfully, those crises were averted. But I have to say, the American people have this unique ability to be at their best when times are at their worst, and I'm counting on them as much to get through this as they're counting on me.

  Elizabeth Vargas : Your previous position in the Cabinet as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, it's not a natural stepping stone to go from that position straight into the Oval Office.

  Tom Kirkman : No. No, it's not. And to be honest, I have never had any aspirations for the presidency, ever. When I came to Washington, I came to help people.

  Aaron Shore : [quietly to Emily behind the scenes]  Home stretch.

  Elizabeth Vargas : Mr. President, I have one last question, and this is something we have just unearthed. I wanted to give you a chance to address it. We have sources who are telling us, and I'd like your comment on this, please...

  Emily Rhodes : [quietly to Aaron]  Where is this going?

  Aaron Shore : Somewhere I don't like.

  Elizabeth Vargas : ...that President Richmond fired you from his Cabinet on the day of the attack in the Capitol? Mr. President, were you fired? And... and if you were, can you understand why some may say you have no business being the President of the United States?

• Elizabeth Vargas : Mr. President, were you fired?

  Aaron Shore : Sir, please?

  Tom Kirkman : I'm sorry. Can you excuse me for one second?

  Elizabeth Vargas : Of course.

  Tom Kirkman : Thank you.

  [he, Aaron, and Emily leave to talk in private] 

  Aaron Shore : I have no idea how they ahold of that information.

  Emily Rhodes : Maybe from the hack?

  Tom Kirkman : No, NSA said our files weren't compromised. Look, this is on the record. I'm gonna have to answer.

  Emily Rhodes : You have to tell the truth.

  Aaron Shore : Are you kidding me?

  Emily Rhodes : Aaron, it's already out there. Besides, he wasn't fired.

  Aaron Shore : That's perception. Nobody's gonna see it that way. Sir, you admit to this, you bring down your presidency before it even begins.

  Emily Rhodes : Deny it, and you start your presidency off with a lie.

  Tom Kirkman : [making up his mind]  I'll take it from here.