Episode Report Card M. Giant: B | 1407 USERS: C+ YOU GRADE IT Kill Bi-- Never Mind, He'll Do It Himself
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 13 | Aired on 2009.03.09
Over in an adjoining hallway, Juma is holding out a folded slip of paper for Taylor, saying it's a "confession." She'll have to read it while standing in front of a Sangalan flag draped on the wall behind her. That flag is a rather busy affair, with white, gold, red, and green stripes, red stars, and some kind of animal in black silhouette. Considering they entered underwater, these guys didn't travel very light, did they? Also, I suspect that's not the real Sangalan flag of the legitimate government, but one that Juma designed himself by going online and picking from a bunch of graphics menus. Taylor agrees to read the statement, but wants Juma to release the hostages in exchange, sine he's gotten what he wants. "As a sign of good faith, I will release one of the hostages," Juma agrees. Then he goes over, picks out an office drone, and leads him over to where the president can clearly see him. And then shoots him in the head. Consternation among the hostages, except Buchanan, who just looks bored. It's like he already knows, and he's thinking, Great, one more person who's going to be ahead of me in line when I get up there. "Do you want me to release any more hostages, President Taylor?" Juma snots. She calls him a son of a bitch, and he tells her to read the statement already or her daughter's next. Laptop Guy has the webcam uplink ready, and Taylor accepts the folded page. Unfortunately, it's still legible. Too bad she can't hold up an unreadable blur and ask, "What'd you do, dip this in the Potomac?" Instead, she looks over at Kiefer, who shakes his head. Not quite time yet. They can't credibly have a commercial break for at least another five minutes.
She begins reading at 8:06:37, and somehow it's live on the internet to everyone who's currently online. Someone should really figure out how terrorists keep doing that. In the Veep's secure location, the computer's browser is pointed to the popular URL "www.seeitherefirst.tv." and the video is streaming under the heading "Live from the White House." "Tell me you're shutting this down," the Veep says. Leaning against the wall behind him, Derek says they can't. "It's going out on multiple servers, sir. It would take hours just to trace them." Then he answers the ringing phone, and it's Moss and Walker, calling back from the FBI mobile command post and leaning on the Veep anew to authorize their rescue operation. I would think that Taylor's appearance on their computers would kind of undercut Moss's whole argument for the invasion, but he's come up with a new one: "I believe Juma came here to humiliate the president and stage a public execution," he says. He says they're ready to go on a moment's notice, only awaiting the Veep's green light to launch a rescue operation. The Veep doesn't believe that Moss knows what Juma wants. Walker backs Moss, but the Veep insists, "I cannot authorize any action that might result in the president's death." Only inaction that will result in the president's death. He tells them to hold off, but is at least willing to keep the line open. That puts him a level above most stubborn weasels on this show.