S04.E08: America Decides

[Chicago Redshirt]

10 hours ago, maddie965 said:

I can't believe that knowing Shiv was pregnant had absolutely no effect on Tom.

It did have an effect: it caused him to question whether it was true. And I don't blame him. Shiv had plenty of opportunity to say "I'm pregnant" that would have made more sense, including in the last bit where they had reconciled and were getting it on. Shiv is perfectly capable of lying to Tom and claiming that she's pregnant when she's really not to simply manipulate him. I think a reasonable person in Tom's shoes might distrust the news unless it came with lab reports, ultrasounds and sworn testimony from Shiv's Oby/gyn. 

[jeansheridan]

3 minutes ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

I think a reasonable person in Tom's shoes might distrust the news unless it came with lab reports, ultrasounds and sworn testimony from Shiv's Oby/gyn. 

 I think it was one of Tom's most candid moments in the whole ep. The rest was performance or fear driven. 

Have we seen Tom do coke before? It didn't feel surprising but he also seems so cautious about such things. 

[Lassus]

11 hours ago, Penman61 said:

This ep should've come with a trigger warning for 2016 and 2020 election night PTSD sufferers.

Left out 2000!

Edited May 15, 2023 by Lassus

[TexasGal]

A reminder of the site's Politics Policy - please do not discuss elected political figures that were not mentioned in this episode.  Posts have been removed for violating this.

[jeansheridan]

2 hours ago, Lassus said:

I think more likely, however, is a post farther up, where little changes at all and Jesse Armstrong David Chases the finale.  Not a blackout, but no matter what happens, things just keep on keeping on for the wealthy.

I suppose that is one of the arguments in the show. Roman saying nothing matters and Shiv saying not true. Something matters but she can't express what exactly. The future? Her baby? The "process" of fair elections. Calling him Rome right then was striking for me because empires do fall. Cities fall. Someday NYC may fall.

Connor may sound silly but his initial gut impulse to be a gracious loser,  however brief, was nice to see. I will miss Alan Ruck in this role. I hope he goes on to something great because he clearly has the chops to carry a VEEP-like satire. Or get him on Season 2 of The Diplomat.

Edited May 15, 2023 by jeansheridan

[absnow54]

This episode was so frustrating! Ken feeling betrayed by Shiv, while he's been working behind the scenes to cut Roman and Shiv out of his Viking pillage. Shiv doubling down with Mattson, even though he's obviously using her. The next two episodes of this slow moving car wreck are going to be brutal, I feel. 

[cardigirl]

24 minutes ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

It did have an effect: it caused him to question whether it was true. And I don't blame him. Shiv had plenty of opportunity to say "I'm pregnant" that would have made more sense, including in the last bit where they had reconciled and were getting it on. Shiv is perfectly capable of lying to Tom and claiming that she's pregnant when she's really not to simply manipulate him. I think a reasonable person in Tom's shoes might distrust the news unless it came with lab reports, ultrasounds and sworn testimony from Shiv's Oby/gyn. 

I agree with you, Tom's reaction was exactly what I would expect him to feel. Shiv has shown time and again that she has little to no regard for his feelings. Even after season 2, where she stood up for him a little, she knows that he wants a traditional  marriage in the sense that they practice fidelity with each other. Shiv's not really capable of that. 

I knew many would view this episode as upsetting because the world has no shades of gray but must split down the lines of bad vs. good. I thought the fire at the polling station was a great example of reporting what they did or did not, in fact, know. Everyone was so certain who had done what, and why, but there were no facts actually presented, at least not that I recall. Immediately there were calls for reporting on it in a certain way, because, well it must be OBVIOUS what was going on. (Whoever shouts the loudest.) So we have news that skews toward one bias or another and everyone feels justified in believing what they believe, before even confronting facts. Everyone is looking for sound bites, no one is doing deep dives. 

I'm not certain if Roman's big play for "calling it" will backfire or not. I cannot stand Mattson and Shiv may be headed for huge disappointment in her own life by "going to war" with her brothers. Most of that is NOT motivated by her concern for the republic either. And I don't believe Mattson has any real concern about the election, other than his deal going south. 

Will wait to see how this wraps up. I'll be disappointed though, if it's simplistic. 

[jeansheridan]

22 minutes ago, cardigirl said:

Will wait to see how this wraps up. I'll be disappointed though, if it's simplistic. 

I think the most frustrating finale was Ken's press conference because ultimately nothing happened. But I do want something with impact. The third season finale will always be that image of Tom through the doorway. Of Caroline's fake apologetic voice. Shiv's fury. Yeah, season 3 was so good!

[kittykat]

Shout out to the actor who plays the vile but believable Ravenhead.  That rant sounded way too real.

46 minutes ago, cardigirl said:

'm not certain if Roman's big play for "calling it" will backfire or not.

It may go to the courts but if anyone is taking the fall it will be Tom.  His face is already plastered all over other news outlets.

[iMonrey]

Quote

This ep should've come with a trigger warning for 2016 and 2020 election night PTSD sufferers.

Yeah, but I don't think an election will ever again be called the night of. With the way mail-in ballots are counted I think going forward presidential elections are going to take several days to call, like in 2020. So that part didn't really feel realistic to me. Moreover, the whole think with Wisconsin would hold everything up indefinitely. So the rush to call it just didn't feel realistic.

I noticed on the TV screens in the background they kept showing someone who looked like Kellyanne Conway. I had to rewind and freeze frame a couple of times, it wasn't really her but it sure looked like her and I don't think that was a coincidence. 

[rhygirl720]

I'm totally Confused with Shiv's motivation here. Why is she doubling down with Matsson when she knows his numbers are off (or are they) and the whole blood story and he wouldn't commit to any real role for her go forward? I see this blowing up big time.

Roman is now completely unredeemable.

 

[absnow54]

3 minutes ago, rhygirl720 said:

I'm totally Confused with Shiv's motivation here. Why is she doubling down with Matsson when she knows his numbers are off (or are they) and the whole blood story and he wouldn't commit to any real role for her go forward?

I was confused by this too, because last week it seemed like she realized getting into bed with Matsson was a dead end, and was looking for an exit strategy, but then this week she doubled down on it. Her phone call to him at the end of the episode sounds like she's going to quietly have him air his dirty laundry while the news cycle is tied up with the Milwaukee coverage.  

[BlackberryJam]

So they were talking about what PGN (or something like that) was doing with coverage, which would be Pierce Group Network? Or something? So they did discuss other networks. And what happened with the Pierce deal anyway?

I think Shiv knows she can’t “win” by aligning herself with either of her brothers. Her only option is to beat them and Mattson is her key to doing that. 

[Chicago Redshirt]

2 minutes ago, rhygirl720 said:

I'm totally Confused with Shiv's motivation here. Why is she doubling down with Matsson when she knows his numbers are off (or are they) and the whole blood story and he wouldn't commit to any real role for her go forward? I see this blowing up big time.

Possible Shiv motivations:

1. Even with the potential problems with Matsson, that deal going forward is still the best thing for her/the Roys. Pretty much the worst case scenario is that they become extra extra rich in the short term and are able to use the money from selling Waystar to buy Pierce and run it on their own, and that at some future date the Matsson/Waystar stock gets devalued once his funky numbers or other issues come to light. But well before then, Shiv and co. can sell off and avoid the loss.

2. She may think that the bad numbers and the blood bricks aren't that big a deal.

3. She may think that eventually she's going to get the significant role with the new company anyway after proving her worth again and again.

4. She wants a different kind of merger with Matsson, if you know what I mean.

5. She wants to screw over the CE-Bros for leaving her out of decisions, going behind her back to screw Matsson over for no good reason, and for generally being the incompetent, arrogant, entitled douches that they are.

6. Some form of daddy issues (such as Logan wanted the deal so she wants the deal, Matsson reminds her of Logan so she wants to get Matsson's approval now that she can't get Logan's, etc).

7. Matsson is likely to fire Tom and she wants to bring that outcome about out of her love/hate relationship with him.

[absnow54]

1 minute ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

7. Matsson is likely to fire Tom and she wants to bring that outcome about out of her love/hate relationship with him.

To be fair, Kendall and Roman offer to fire and/or kill Tom on a weekly basis, but Shiv has never taken them up on it.

[Blakeston]

I'm genuinely worried that this episode will inspire people to try to burn ballots in the next election.

[MerBearHou]

6 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

I'm genuinely worried that this episode will inspire people to try to burn ballots in the next election.

I had the same thought -- terrible to give any ideas of sabotage to polling sites.

Edited May 15, 2023 by MerBearHou

[laprin]

13 hours ago, nb360 said:

I didn't enjoy this episode -- too much like real life and real election contests. I watch "Succession" to kind of fantasize about living the life of the 1%. This... just wasn't it. I have to think about it, a little.

I watch to see them tear each other down, not to endanger the country. This was not fun. I guess we got a preview into 2024 - so we’re better prepared. 

[Jordan Baker]

I haven't been able to get this episode out of my mind. I don't recall any other episode of this show in which I felt so deflated afterward. I listened to the official podcast but didn't enjoy it as I usually do. 

My initial reaction to the ending was Go, Shiv! because a) I was totally POed at Roman and Kendall and b) she seemed to be the only member of the family who was horrified about what a Mencken election would mean to the country. But I've read a few views (here and on other sites) that Shiv is doing this for no reason other than to screw over her brothers. 

I've never been a particular fan of Shiv, but I actually do think at least some of her motivation is about the country, not just a power play. I hope we find out in the next two episodes.

[Chicago Redshirt]

35 minutes ago, absnow54 said:

To be fair, Kendall and Roman offer to fire and/or kill Tom on a weekly basis, but Shiv has never taken them up on it.

They offer, but it seems (to me, anyway) like most of what they say and do to be largely an empty gesture that, given that both are bullies and cowards, would be unlikely to result in action. Combined, Roman has fired the studio head and kinda-sorta Geri and both firings are almost certain to result in legal trouble; I can't think of anyone that Kendall has directly fired. 

It seems way more likely that they like keeping Tom where he is because they can in fact boss him around than they would be to actually fire him to make Shiv happy or because he's not particularly (as far as we've seen) good at his job or because he's stabbed them in the back in their dealings with Logan or any number of reasons that he is potentially worthy of a firing.

Edited May 15, 2023 by Chicago Redshirt

[sugarbaker design]

2 minutes ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

They offer, but it seems (to me, anyway) like most of what they say and do to be largely an empty gesture that, given that both are bullies and cowards, would be unlikely to result in action.

So true.

2 minutes ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

I can't think of anyone that Kendall has directly fired. 

Remember this awesome scene in season two?

[MerBearHou]

I'm sorry but I do not see Shiv as a great American patriot, so concerned for the country.  I see her as 1000% self-absorbed and she often chooses the wrong horse.

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

I'm sorry but I do not see Shiv as a great American patriot, so concerned for the country.  I see her as 1000% self-absorbed and she often chooses the wrong horse.

In this case, I feel like she is 85% motivated by righteous anger, 10% motivated by wanting to screw with her brothers, and 5% wanting to screw with Tom.

[Avaleigh]

14 hours ago, DoubleUTeeEff said:

I didn't know Conner's slogan was Enough Already! LOL. I also liked Frank, Hugo and company joking "Conner's running for President?"

This was truly my favorite moment of the episode. That along with Carl's "alright, alright' with that knowing smirk. I could have watched an entire episide of that crew giving their take on everything that was happening that night. 

In other news, Roman is the original worst.

[txhorns79]

I'm curious if the other major news networks in Succession-land called the election.  It would be interesting if ATN is the only one out front on this, and it ends up blowing up in their faces. 

[Chicago Redshirt]

53 minutes ago, sugarbaker design said:

So true.

Remember this awesome scene in season two?

I didn't have that specifically in mind, and was thinking more as a single firing of a high-level exec. But IIRC even that mass firing was because Logan made him do it. Kendall acquired Vaulter because he thought he could make it into his own little piece and Logan's like, nah, let's strip it for parts.

[Penman61]

For those wondering about election law & how defensible what Tom, Kendall, and Roman did in calling Wisconsin is, an interesting Twitter thread from an election lawyer's perspective (Twitter, so grain of salt, etc.). Seems like in the real world, losing a large number of ballots that could affect the outcome would trigger a re-vote.

Money quote:

Quote

The bottom line is that given these facts, *no* responsible media organization would declare Wisconsin as "decided" with such a large, known tranche of uncountable ballots out there. It would be appalling to do so. That's not to say the Courts would get it right, or that Congress (however constituted in the SUCCESSION-verse, whether the 2022 ECRA was enacted there or not) wouldn't then overrule whatever happened in WI. But I can state pretty confidently that what Roman pushed and Kendall & Tom acquiesced to was wrong, wrong, wrong.

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Penman61

[sugarbaker design]

Just now, Chicago Redshirt said:

I didn't have that specifically in mind, and was thinking more as a single firing of a high-level exec. But IIRC even that mass firing was because Logan made him do it.

I agree with you totally, I just had to post that scene.  Logan did make Kendall do that.  It really illustrates what Logan always said about Kendall, he's no Logan Roy.  Except for a brief moment in the last episode of season 3, where Kendall admitted to his role in the accidental death of the waiter, Kendall has not shown an ounce of growth or self-awareness.  He is a mass of resentment, self-seeking and self-pity.

[Chicago Redshirt]

3 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I'm curious if the other major news networks in Succession-land called the election.  It would be interesting if ATN is the only one out front on this, and it ends up blowing up in their faces. 

IIRC the other conservative networks called Wisconsin for Mencken. So they too would likely have also said that his win in Arizona (which does not seem to be contested as potentially problematic) would get him over 270. He and Jimenez had 262 before Arizona's 11 EVs were factored in, I believe. 273, Mencken, 262 Jimenez, with 3 electoral votes (presumably Alaska) still to be accounted for would be the last total. If Wisconsin is shifted to Jimenez, it would have given Jimenez the win with 272. Mencken  would be at 252 before Arizona, 263 with, with the three remaining votes still to be allocated (but essentially irrelevant). 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Chicago Redshirt

[thuganomics85]

Forgot to give a shoutout to Justin Kirk as well in my original post.  It's kind of amazing how his smirks and smarmy lines can actually be kind of charming and entertaining on the likes of Perry Mason as Hamilton Burger, but here, he is just so chilling, unlikable, and scary in almost every way possible.  He truly makes Mencken an odious individual that makes you fear what he will do with any kind of power: let alone the presidency.  Great work.

Thanks again, Roman.  Oh, and Logan for being the one to "pick" him in the first place.  Assholes.

[realityplease]

Shiv is in a bad spot.

Roman, that sexist jerk, called her hysterical, taunted her about her "boyfriend." Supported Mencken & did exactly what he wanted - ignoring her objections.  He's still intent on breaking free of the GoJo deal.  

Ken will ice her out (to the extent he hadn't already by co-CEO-bro-ing with Roman or by pushing his own agenda) because he now knows she lied about calling Nate AND in cahoots with Mattson. He won't be able to trust her.  (Not that he's very trustworthy.)

Mattson's already ignored Shiv's efforts to get him to name a particular position for her within his operation - and either he, Oskar or one of his cohorts alerted Greg about her help to Mattson. So the Mattson side can't be trusted to look out for Shiv's interests as a reward for getting info/help from her. They didn't even protect her or keep her cooperation secret before the deal's completed.  But he's her only shot going forward.

Greg, wasn't intimidated by her threat to him. Instead, when pressed by Ken, he immediately ratted her out.  Not only because Greg'd rather throw down with the guys (whether Tom or Ken/Roman), but also, because Shiv did nothing to promise Greg anything "golden" if he supported her.  He's very much in need of a quid pro quo but Shiv didn't & never has tried to nail down his support or loyalty - so no wonder she didn't get it. 

Tom didn't even trust that Shiv didn't lie to him when she told him she was pregnant.  He didn't apologize to her after she apologized to him, though both said equally hateful things to the other. He put guilt & the responsibility for Logan's death on her.  

She's got some cards left to play but there's burnt bridges all around & she's surrounded by the untrustworthy - and untrustworthy herself.  If after all this, she miraculously pulls out a win, there will still be quite a lot lost. No one left to trust or who will trust her.   

 

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by realityplease

[MerBearHou]

The facial expressions by Shiv, Kendall and Greg during the "did Shiv call Nate" moments -- just so subtle and so good.  I felt her terror that she'd been caught (quite quickly) in her lie and the way the scene was shown with Kendall on the actual Nate call and then conferring with Greg outside of the conference room -- very well done.

[Lassus]

Coulda shoulda woulda, but When Kendall wanted to call, Shiv could have hemmed hawed and THEN called Nate "back" to cover herself before Kendall got to him.

[jeansheridan]

13 minutes ago, realityplease said:

She's got some cards left to play but there's burnt bridges all around & she's surrounded by the untrustworthy - and untrustworthy herself.  If after all this, she miraculously pulls out a win, there will still be quite a lot lost. No one left to trust or who will trust her.   

I feel like Ken has burnt more bridges and yet the doors keep opening up for him. 

Maybe Shiv turns to Pierce? Maybe. She has no friends or allies seemingly. I will give her credit for never ever trying charm. None of the Roy kids have charm.

[DrSpaceman73]

Shiv is blatantly lying to her brothers about working with the enemy. So can you really blame Tom for questioning a pregnancy and asking if it's his when she brings it up out of nowhere?  I can't. Heck we as viewers don't even know if she's really telling the truth.  We know she is pregnant but not if it's his baby.  

Kendall knows what he should do but is spineless and backs down to his brother just like he used to do to his dad. 

Roman just cares only about himself and nothing else with the election. 

Shiv does care about the outcome at least and can see the consequences for people beyond her family.  But also totally wants her candidate to win to screw over her brothers sbd gain more control of the business. 

[millennium]

4 hours ago, kittykat said:

Shout out to the actor who plays the vile but believable Ravenhead.  That rant sounded way too real.

Ironically because the ranters in real life sound like actors.

[Dac22]

44 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Kendall knows what he should do but is spineless and backs down to his brother just like he used to do to his dad. 

I think his final decision was born out of spite. Once Shiv's deception became clear, he wasn't going to let her and Matsson win.

Especially given how Shiv had tried to manipulate him for her own purposes when he came to talk to her about being a bad father and that he wanted to be 'the king' without losing his family. The whole "you're a good guy" spiel was just crap to get him to side with her while he was actually trying to have an honest moment about his misgivings about multiple things.

I think Kendall could have looked past her lying about talking to Nate on its own, but finding out she was working with Matsson ultimately tainted her concern for the country with Kendall because he couldn't trust that wasn't simply another play of hers. 

[aghst]

Only interesting thing is ATM loses value because it made this call and they see that the Roys meddled in the election night coverage.

Then that may impact the deal negatively for Kendall and Rome.

 

 

[lucindabelle]

I’m puzzled by all the people saying tom is reasonable to question Shiv.

what possible reason would she have to lie? She doesn’t love Tom, at least she doesn’t believe she does. She doesn’t need child support. She’s only telling him because he has a right to know.

 

his accusation was the lowest of the low. 

[rhygirl720]

5 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

 

I think Shiv knows she can’t “win” by aligning herself with either of her brothers. Her only option is to beat them and Mattson is her key to doing that. 

Good luck with that...

[DrSpaceman73]

4 minutes ago, lucindabelle said:

I’m puzzled by all the people saying tom is reasonable to question Shiv.

what possible reason would she have to lie? She doesn’t love Tom, at least she doesn’t believe she does. She doesn’t need child support. She’s only telling him because he has a right to know.

 

his accusation was the lowest of the low. 

Emotional manipulation to keep him on her side and keep him from blabbing to her brothers about her secret dealings with the enemy. 

In politics and pr, which is supposedly her specialty they say never let a crisis go to waste. A pregnancy is not a crisis exactly but she and her family seem to operate by this principle. Use whatever you can to maximize your manipulation of others. 

Even assuming she is telling the truth I dont for a second think Shiv is telling Tom out of the kindness of her heart or just because of his 'right to know'   

[Artsda]

7 minutes ago, lucindabelle said:

I’m puzzled by all the people saying tom is reasonable to question Shiv.

She made no effort to tell him until she needed him to go her way for election night. He also knows she's lying and scheming against her brothers backs, who have been sticking up for her against him. Ken did it this episode when Tom made a comment to Shiv, Kendall stood up for her and shut up Tom instantly. Yet Shiv has been backstabbing him for a guy she knows has numbers issues with his worth of Gojo, who she knows has sexual harassments issues with his employee, not to mention the blood situation.

 

 

[lucindabelle]

Yeah I guess I can see why you might say that but as a woman I just feel differentiy… she only JUST got the 20 week news, and she and Tom have not been talking or happy. Shiv has shown that she has a conscience and while it doesn’t control her I think it would make her tell Tom before too much MORE time went by.

shiv has never seemed to me to be the kind of woman who’d manipulate using feminine wiles which is what a false pregnancy is. It’s shudder inducing even to think of it. 
 

it seems simple to me. After the fight she had it was soon or never. They were barely speaking, so she had to do it.

that tom thought that she would ever do something like that shows how much he does not know her.

Edited May 15, 2023 by lucindabelle

[Hedgehog2022]

19 hours ago, jeansheridan said:

That was all so depressing.  And Roman just jumped the shark for me as a character. I am not sure how I could ever root for him again. The only real people to him are his family. He has been awful before but there seemed to be growth. Not any more. He needs to be neutralized. Not killed just taken away from power.

When I think about it, had Logan been Shiv, Greg would have been removed from that building. A task or errand far far away. The moment she knew he knew her business, gone. Leaving him alone was a huge mistake.

So agree with you about Roman. He's drunk with power and just going Rambo on everyone for the hell of it...firing people for no reason, insulting everyone with his potty mouth...just wielding his power wherever he can. An obnoxious little twit. 

[Artsda]

Connor's speech was funny and Kendall/Roman's reaction was even more funny. 

Shiv really played bad, so stupid. Her fake call and then her trying to make up things when Kendall went to call. That scene was awesome with the glass wall them watching back and forth while Ken got all the truth.  Shiv's ' don't call, they're busy'  and her "No I I I I I, " just made her look pathetic. The stuttering showed how much she failed.  She tried to play them, she betrayed her bothers,  got caught badly and even had the chance to have Greg go her side and she spit on that so he told Kendall the truth.

Tom was good this episode jumping all around back and forth with calling the states plus dealing with Roman.

Roman did do what his father would have done, get the person elected who you'd have in your pocket. 

[Chicago Redshirt]

23 minutes ago, lucindabelle said:

I’m puzzled by all the people saying tom is reasonable to question Shiv.

what possible reason would she have to lie? She doesn’t love Tom, at least she doesn’t believe she does. She doesn’t need child support. She’s only telling him because he has a right to know.

 

his accusation was the lowest of the low. 

Shiv, like all of the main characters in this show, is a lying liar who lies. She doesn't exactly need a reason to lie.

But in this specific context, among the reasons she might hypothetically have to lie:

Shiv is presumably worried that her alliance with Matsson is going to come out, with Greg having just told her that he knows and trying to see if he can get something in exchange for his golden silence. So she looks for Tom at least in part to make sure he's not going to blow up her spot. Saying she's pregnant when she's really not might be part of the gold in exchange for her silence.

Tom hurt her by pointing out that she hated Logan at least some of the time. Lying and saying that she's pregnant with his kid might be a way to hurt him back, especially if he really really wanted to be a dad. (I don't know if the show had established it one way or another).

Shiv is also trying to have Tom be on her side with the election calls. Lying and saying she's got a kid coming could be a way to make him think more positively about a Jimenez administration or more negatively about a Mencken one.

Shiv is trying to apologize for her part in her argument yesterday and solicit from Tom an apology, which he's not willing to give. Saying that she is in fact pregnant could induce him to apologize for some of the things he said in that argument about her not being fit to be a mother. (and indeed, under normal circumstances I would think that would get that apology).

Alternatively, Shiv could be pregnant but with another man's baby. So saying it's his could be the lie.

[aghst]

I don’t think Shiv told Tom to influence him on election night.  She knew Tom wasn’t going to defy Kendall/Rome unless she got Mattson to promise something to Tom.

She had nothing else to say at the moment so she spilled it, maybe make him feel a little bad for telling her she’d be a bad mother or being unreceptive when she apologized for some of the things she said on the balcony.

He wouldn’t even make a token gesture of saying I apologize too.

[SnarkAttack]

17 hours ago, Mstk3000 said:

Exactly, or sort of, since winner takes all.  Alaska kept coming up in other networks’ coverage on screen.  I really thought that at the end all of the dithering about whether to call Wisconsin would come to nothing because Connor played a role after all - Nadering Mencken’s chance in Alaska and giving Alaska’s electoral votes to Jimenez.  I still think that has to be relevant because, you know, Chekhov’s gun.

Also, Greg still being around signals to me he's more than just comic relief.  Which worries me.

 

The whole thing with Tom being so tired has some meaning too, or why else keep bring it up?

[BlackberryJam]

Tom is fraying at the edges. I can honestly see him standing on the ledge, along with Kendall and Roman, looking down and thinking about the fall.

[Johnny Dollar]

Don’t worry Kendall. Ultra rich people are never affected by elections. Just relocate your wife and kids to London or Paris and start spending your tax cut.