Designated Survivor (TV Series)

Outbreak (2017)

Kiefer Sutherland: Tom Kirkman

Photos 

Quotes 

• Tom Kirkman : How'd you turn them around?

  Kendra Danes : I unified them by giving them a common figure to hate.

  Tom Kirkman : Huh. Sadly, I'm starting to realize that that's one of the great secrets of good governance.

• Alex Kirkman : Why do I get the feeling that my mom likes you better?

  Tom Kirkman : 'Cause she likes me better.

• Carlton Mackie : Do you know what you've done?

  Tom Kirkman : Yes. I've ruined your reputation. But I'm gonna give you a chance to get it back.

• Tom Kirkman : Dr. Shen was just filling me in on our little friend here.

  Seth Wright : Yes, indeed.

  Tom Kirkman : He's incredibly resilient. Can fight off a wide variety of enemies, holds his ground.

  Dr. Shen : It's fiercely protective of its family.

  Tom Kirkman : And doesn't even sleep much. I think he's a perfect namesake.

  Dr. Shen : We thought so, too, sir.

  Tom Kirkman : Seth, why don't you get the White House photographer? Hylidae kirkmanus is ready for his close-up.

• Dr. Tammy Bruner : Two Air Force muscleheads are telling me I got to get on a plane, that they're gonna carry me out if I resist. That's called kidnapping.

  Tom Kirkman : Well, you're gonna have to take that up with a higher authority. Wait a second, I am the higher authority. Come on, Tammy. They were following orders. They were trying to help.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Yeah, I suppose.

  Tom Kirkman : The doc says you're gonna make a full recovery.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : I didn't get the job done. I am a soldier who left the field of battle before the battle was won.

  Tom Kirkman : Think of it like this. I'm a general who refuses to leave anyone behind, and I outrank you. Now, I want you to behave yourself. Listen to the nurses and do what they tell you because if I have to come back, it is not going to be pretty.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Yes, sir.

• Carlton Mackie : Extasis is an experimental drug. Our patent is pending. But now the drug is in circulation, meaning every lab in America will be reverse-engineering it by Monday. We spent $1 billion in R&D on this drug. If that investment is gone, so is my company.

  Tom Kirkman : That is absolutely ridiculous. You're gonna peddle some kind of corporate doomsday scenario while the country is really dealing with one? Pharmaceutical companies have made billions upon billions of dollars profit every year on the backs of the American people with the understanding that if there is ever a crisis - a real emergency - you people would finally step up and do the right thing and make a sacrifice!

  Carlton Mackie : It isn't just my sacrifice. We have heart disease drugs in the pipeline, diabetes drugs. Whatever happens with this outbreak, if we go bankrupt, more people will die from the drugs that we do not develop than from this bug.

  Tom Kirkman : I took an oath to protect the American people. My job is to save lives now, today, and I will not let you get in the way.

  Carlton Mackie : I know what you think of me, sir, but I'm not a racist. I'm a capitalist.

  Tom Kirkman : Yet the fact still remains the community that is suffering from this right now is made up of minorities.

  Carlton Mackie : And I want to help them. But I don't run a charity. So pay me what I deserve or have me arrested for contempt of court, but your lawyers better be ready for a fight. In the meantime, Mr. President, I have a business to run. Just like you.

• Tom Kirkman : Reverend Dale, this is a great honor for me.

  Rev. Tramer Dale : The honor is mine, sir.

  Tom Kirkman : I also wanted to thank you for your willingness to compromise on the statue. In the end, we moved it to an area that was less trafficked. I know that's not what you wanted.

  Rev. Tramer Dale : No, sir. I believe we sanitize history at our peril. It's nice when it's history we don't like.

  Tom Kirkman : But not when it's something we do.

  Rev. Tramer Dale : Yes, sir. It's a dangerous precedent we set here today, sir.

  Tom Kirkman : I don't disagree with you, but sometimes compromise seems to be the only way to move forward.

  Rev. Tramer Dale : Yeah. Well, you can thank your pistol of a young lawyer here for bringing me around. She reminded me that there's no virture in absolutism. Old lions like me can be stubborn.

  Tom Kirkman : Yet they still roar.

• Alex Kirkman : Hey, mom, is something wrong with the coffee?

  Eva Booker : Yes. I didn't make it.

  Alex Kirkman : Come on. I told you, you can use the kitchen anytime.

  Eva Booker : Someone else's kitchen. Someone else's coffee.

  Tom Kirkman : Eva, it's only been a weekend. It's gonna take you some time to get settled. Besides, the White House has 132 rooms, so if you're not happy with the one you're in...

  Eva Booker : You're so sweet. And a wonderful host. I just... want to go home.

  Alex Kirkman : Mom, your house is still an active crime scene.

  Alex Kirkman : Your son's bedroom is an active crime scene. My house is just a place some lunatic broke into, and he's dead. And I'm not.

  Tom Kirkman : I promise you, I give you my word we'll get you home as soon as possible. Until then, know you have the run of the place.

• Tom Kirkman : Okay, what do we got?

  Tom Kirkman : Thirty-two cases in the past twenty-four hours in South Carroll Parish. It's twelve fatalities.

  Emily Rhodes : Which means thousands are infected.

  Tom Kirkman : So what's the CDC saying? Is this as bad as Liberia?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Worse. It's influenza "A", likely avian origin. Highly contagious. Short incubation period facilitates the spread.

  Tom Kirkman : Could this be the superbug you've been worried about?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Well, I might have an answer for that if the CDC had some money for infectious disease research.

  Tom Kirkman : Just like when we were teaching at Columbia. Always trying to squeeze blood from a stone.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : But that was for faculty pensions. This is about lives.

• Dr. Tammy Bruner : This flu appears to be an H7N9 subtype. Like the Yangtze Delta flu.

  Tom Kirkman : And no one here has immunity. How fast will it spread?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Our simulation says the H7N9 will appear in surrounding states in thirty-six hours. In seventy-two hours...

  [showing the simulation of the disease spreading across the country] 

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : ...that's what it will look like.

  Tom Kirkman : Oh, my god.

• Emily Rhodes : We have a shot at containment because the area is so isolated. They didn't even have state roads in some parts until the '70s.

  Aaron Shore : The FAA shut down all airports in a 200 mile radius. Same for NHTSA and highways.

  Emily Rhodes : And I told Governor LaSalle that we're at his disposal.

  Tom Kirkman : Okay, good. Aaron, I'm gonna want you to be the liaison between the World Health Organization and the UN. We also need to notify the Canadian and Mexican authorities.

  Emily Rhodes : HHS has activated the Strategic National Stockpile of vaccines and antivirals, so hopefully one of them will match this flu strain.

  Tom Kirkman : Emily, bring Seth up to speed. As soon as word leaks out, panic's gonna spread like wildfire. Let's get on it.

• Tom Kirkman : A hundred years ago, the Spanish flu wiped out 5% of the world's population. How bad is this?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : I'll give you a call when I have boots on the ground.

  Tom Kirkman : All right.

  [she turns to leave] 

  Tom Kirkman : Tammy.

  [she turns back] 

  Tom Kirkman : Be careful.

• Carlton Mackie : Dr. Bruner is right. Extasis could work on H7N9.

  Tom Kirkman : That's great. Carlton, that's excellent news.

  Carlton Mackie : You're suggesting an untested, off-label use not approved by the FDA. If it doesn't work, if it kills someone, Benevax's liability could be catastrophic.

  Tom Kirkman : I understand, which is why I had the White House counsel's office draw this up. It's an indemnification.

  Carlton Mackie : I appreciate that, Mr. President. But it will take my lawyers weeks to vet this.

  Tom Kirkman : We don't have weeks. We... we have hours. People are dying. Carlton, I'm asking you to trust me.

  Carlton Mackie : All due respect, sir, I have an obligation to my shareholders, and I don't satisfy that obligation by saying someone from the government said "trust me." Even if that somebody is the president.

  Tom Kirkman : I respect that. Honestly, I... I do. But there are times in our society where we have to act in faith on behalf of the greater good. And unfortunately, this is one of them.

• Tom Kirkman : What do you mean Carlton Mackie didn't deliver the medicine?

  Aaron Shore : He reneged, sir. He found another buyer.

  Emily Rhodes : Pharmacies whose clientele are willing to pay two grand a dose.

  Tom Kirkman : So the residents of South Carroll Parish will not get the medicine they need, while the residents in Cameron Parish will.

  Emily Rhodes : Yes, sir. It's all about the money; who has it, who doesn't.

  Lyor Boone : It's like Katrina on steroids, Mr. President.

  Tom Kirkman : Not if I can help it. Tell Kendra I'm gonna need her in federal court as soon as possible.

• Tom Kirkman : How's it going down there?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : The drugs arrived late this afternoon. My team spent the rest of the day titrating the proper dose.

  Tom Kirkman : You think it's gonna work?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : I don't know, sir. We're administering it now.

  Tom Kirkman : I don't even have the words.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Sir?

  Tom Kirkman : To tell you how grateful I am. The greatest enemy we face these days is one we can't even see, and I send you down there behind enemy lines. And you go. Without hesitation, no questions asked.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Do you know why I do it?

  Tom Kirkman : Why?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Because I know that you would.

• Tom Kirkman : How are we doing?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : The Extasis is working, sir. It dramatically reduces the viral load so that the body's immune system has a fighting chance. The patients that we've administered it to are recovering.

  Tom Kirkman : Thank god.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Problem is we don't have enough. Not anymore.

  Tom Kirkman : Well, we lost a lot of time. We had to chase that son of a bitch into court.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : Yes, sir, and this virus is moving much faster than we thought. We need more medicine.

  Tom Kirkman : Unfortunately, Mackie gave us everything that he had.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : 10,000 doses, right?

  Tom Kirkman : That's correct.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : I don't think that's all he had.

  Tom Kirkman : Why?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : This medication is extremely expensive to develop. 10,000 doses is simply not a cost-effective production, especially for a company that invests as much into R&D as Benevax.

  Tom Kirkman : Right. We'll look into it. I'll get back to you as soon as we can. Emily, I want...

  Emily Rhodes : On it, sir.

• Emily Rhodes : Sir, Carlton Mackie's in the West Wing. Want me to bring him in?

  Tom Kirkman : No. He doesn't set foot in the Oval Office ever again.

• Tom Kirkman : You recognize this? It's a bill of lading from the United States Postal Service for the shipment of 30,000 doses of Extasis to a warehouse in Jacksonville. You're in violation of a court order.

  Carlton Mackie : No, sir. Court order covered exactly 10,000 doses.

  Tom Kirkman : Because you misled us. You allowed us to believe that's all you had. You failed to acknowledge the 30,000 doses that you were holding in reserve.

  Carlton Mackie : I provided an amount I was told was sufficient.

  Tom Kirkman : Which very well might have been if we didn't have to hunt you down to get it. Lives are at stake here, Mr. Mackie.

  Carlton Mackie : I understand that, which is why I'm making additional doses available.

  Tom Kirkman : So you and your company can line your pockets.

  Carlton Mackie : Respectfully, sir, it is not that simple.

• Tom Kirkman : Tammy, what's wrong? You don't look well.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : It's not what you think.

  Tom Kirkman : What is it?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : [showing him an IV in her hand]  It's kidney failure.

  Tom Kirkman : What? How?

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : I had to test out the antiviral on myself to determine its toxicity, and I knew the quickest way to do it. Turns out the proper dosage is only one millileter, not two.

  Tom Kirkman : I want you out of there. I'm bringing you back to Walter Reed. You're coming home.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : No, Mr. President.

  Tom Kirkman : I'm not asking.

  Dr. Tammy Bruner : I know, sir. But we're still fighting here. A good soldier doesn't leave the field early. She stays until the last shot is fired. It's what you would do.

• Tom Kirkman : Did you get a chance to talk to the reverend?

  Mike Ritter : Yes, sir. And I shook his hand. It's one of the many things I'll get to tell my grandchildren.

  Tom Kirkman : He's seen so much. I can't help but wonder what he honestly thinks about where we are. What about you, Mike? What do you think about where we are?

  Mike Ritter : Sir, this country's Constitution originally said I was 3/5 of a person. That's where we started. But I'm more interested in where we're headed.

  Tom Kirkman : We need to do better.

  Mike Ritter : Yeah. But we've also come a long way. My great-grandfather was a sharecropper, and my dad was an auto mechanic. And I'm in the Oval Office talking to the President of the United States.

  Tom Kirkman : You didn't mention your grandfather. What happened to him?

  Mike Ritter : He was a drunk. Progress can sometimes skip a generation.

• Tom Kirkman : It's 2017. We should be talking about anything and everything but this.

  Mike Ritter : But we're not, sir. And as long as we're having the conversation, you're the person I want to be having it with. You've got the boat pointed in the right direction.

  Tom Kirkman : Thank you, Mike. Well, here's to hoping one day, we can all learn to row together.

  Mike Ritter : It's all we can do, sir.