Stevie is trying to finalize her Harvard Law application with an interview and recommendation letter from Russell, even though Elizabeth and Henry are encouraging her to look at UVA. After being put off several times, she decides to wait at his office. He blows her off again to try and sway some Congressmen to Dalton's side while getting some golf in. He stops by the War College to ask Henry to get in touch with an old Marine buddy who is now a representative from Michigan. Henry's price for the favor is that Russell meet with Stevie. Initially Stevie doesn't think the meeting goes well, since Russell first encourages her not to go to law school, and then she is unable to answer his query of why Harvard instead of somewhere else. Surprisingly he tells her to come back the next day to pick up a letter of reference. When she arrives, the letter is not ready, but he insists that he will get this one thing done. As he is signing the paper, he collapses to the floor, clutching his chest.

Henry visits with an old friend at Russell's request. He's under the impression that their friendship is fine, even if it was been neglected over distances and time. While commiserating over the friend's failing marriage, Henry is surprised when his buddy blames him for failing a flight test year back, one that kept him out of service in the Gulf War. Henry doesn't really think that he did anything wrong based on his recollections of events, but instead of fighting with his (drunk) friend, he makes a (conditional) apology. The next morning he is surprised when he gets a call from Russell thanking him for flipping his buddy to Dalton's side and securing the Michigan vote. 

Elizabeth and the team at State are frustrated that the UN security council is not reimposing sanctions on Iran in a timely manner. The (new) French Foreign Minister pays Elizabeth a visit and discretely gets the point across that France has no interest in sanctioning Iran because it would have a negative economic impact on their own country. Jay and the doomsday guy come up with a theory that the Iran is not communicating with the US or the UN about the IAEA inspectors or the nuclear program because there is a second faction behind the nuclear program and not the Supreme Leader. Meanwhile, Israel is getting antsy about the UN dragging it's feet. Word comes through that Iran won't show their hand because their nervous about the political instability in the US and Evan's apparent intent to dismantle the peace deal anyway. Elizabeth then tricks Evans into telling her that he doesn't *actually* intend to tear up the deal unless he's given hard evidence that Iran has violated their side while he's micced for an appearance on Wolf Blitzer. The hot mic story goes to press, and Iran is appeased. Everything seems to be resolved when an Iranian plane is bombed by Israeli forces who try to blame the incident on terrorist organizations hididng in the Caucaus mountains.