Scandal – Trump Card

By: Jamie Steinberg

Tonight’s episode of “Scandal” starts sweet, but as usual immediately gets down and dirty. Amongst the politics and dirty deeds, we see a tender moment with David Rosen (Joshua Malina) asking (in his own odd way) for Susan’s hand in marriage. After all his behind-the-back deeds, he has done his best to make it up to her and it seems this is the ultimate way to win her over. Through her tears, sweet Susan (Artemis Pebdani) says “yes.”

Meanwhile, Rowan (Joe Morton) meets up with Abby (Darby Stanchfield) as he is up to his usual tricks. Still using every play in his book to get his candidate Edison (Norm Lewis) elected. With that in mind, he wants to push Mellie (Bellamy Young) out of the race and he going to use his daughter – his favorite pawn – to make it happen. He hands over documents that shows Olivia (Kerry Washington) had an abortion and it was Fitz’s baby.

It comes to Olivia’s attention that Hollis Doyle (Gregg Henry) has the support of the KKK and often goes hunting with many members. As he is running for President, it is surprising he won’t disavow their behavior and continues to use their money for his campaign. (A case of life imitating art [even though Shonda assures it is the other way around.])

With this news, Rowan thinks he has an idea of how to get his horse in the lead. He tells Edison that they are going to do whatever it takes to make sure that the voters forget he is black. Is he trying to “white wash” his candidate? It sure looks that way. In a powerful speech, Rowan says, “You ain’t got no dream. You ain’t been to the mountain top.” WOW! He then advises Edison to “stand still and hope nobody notices that this ain’t no tan.”

In further attempts to get Mellie out of the race, we watch Rowan meet with his daughter for the first time since threatening her and Jake (Scott Foley). She’s visibly nervous, but knows this was bound to happen sooner or later. Rowan tries pushing her to take a deal with Doyle. He tells her that Abby has dirt on her and won’t be afraid to go for the jugular – friendship be damned – so it’s either act now or suffer public humiliation.

Edison meets with Jake to let him know he has no plans to include him on his Presidential ticket. This does not sit well with Jake, who takes a page out of Rowan’s playbook by threatening him and his future if he doesn’t make him his running mate. What can he do?

Olivia heads over to meet with Doyle to wheel and deal. He confesses to not liking the people he has to shake hands with and not believing in the stuff they preach. Olivia tells him that she’s willing to make a deal and the two agree to have Mellie drop out so Doyle can make a real play for the presidency.

Olivia meets with Edison and she does her best to persuade him not to let Rowan him steer him down the wrong path. She assures him that she can protect him and that he has her in his corner. She doesn’t want him to end up his wake. In an act of strength, Edison goes all in with Olivia and makes a public declaration of war. He uses Black Lives Matter as fighting word and speaks out against Doyle and his close minded politics. Boy, is Rowan going to be PISSED!

Sally Langston (Kate Burton) comes on the TV and we get some breaking news. It seems Olivia had her own agenda when meeting with Doyle. During an interview with the candidate, it comes to light that Olivia taped their conversation earlier and now America gets to hear his true thoughts on the public. Ouch! Olivia gets a call from an excited Cyrus (Jeff Perry) because this means his candidate Vargas (Ricardo Chavira) is now the official Democratic nominee. In a moment of grandeur and giddiness, he says, “May I say how glad I am that you have chosen to never go to therapy? It has served us well!”

The Republican candidates are now down to Mellie and Susan. Both of them meet in the Oval Office with their staffs and drop their biggest piece of dirt on one another. They make it clear that if you stay in the race that the information will find its way to the public, but if you drop out then it goes away. Olivia’s gem is that Rosen agreed to a deal with Governor Baker (Annie Potts) in order to get her endorsement. This sends Susan off the rails as this means he has lied to her once again! Well, the saying “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” rears its head. It also angers Fitz because it is unethical and illegal.

Susan asks Abby to reveal her side, but she doesn’t mention the abortion. She shares that Mellie saw a psychic at the White House after the death of her son. Well, that’s it. Susan throws in the towel right then and there. She’s done with the race for President and it is all David’s fault. It was him that convinced her to run for President (she still doesn’t know Elizabeth put him up to it) and gave her the drive to win. But now he’s taken it all away from her she can’t be with someone who has no faith in her. With that, Mellie is now officially the Republican nominee.

Outside of the Oval Office, Mellie is ecstatic! Marcus (Cornelius Smith, Jr.) had given her a pep talk to calm her nerves before the meeting and it seems his belief in her has paid off. So much so that the two share a hug in celebration that almost leads to a kiss before she is pulled away to meet with the media. Who could have seen that coming? They hated each other at the start of the race!

Post hubbub, Olivia and Abby sit down for a chat over some wine. Olivia doesn’t believe that Abby’s biggest dirt on Mellie was that she met with a psychic. She figures it out that it wasn’t about what Abby had on Mellie, but it was what she had on her. In a moment of clarity, she realizes that Abby knew about the abortion…thanks to her father. With their friendship still intact, Abby warns her, “Liv, I don’t think he’s done with you.”

An enraged Rowan finds Edison who is doing his best assure Papa Pope he was in his right mind when he spoke to the media earlier that day. Rowan knows his daughter is behind this and he is going to make her regret playing his pawn against him. Edison attempts to [fake] apologize to Jake for him no longer having the chance to run for Vice President, but an angry Jake slams his head on the desk. Jake lets Edison know that he is only letting him live for now because Rowan has bigger plans for him. For now, he has a message to be delivered. “Tell Liv I need her help. Tell her I want to escape. Tell her I’m chasing the sun,” Jake alludes.