House of Cards U.S. TV series

Claire Underwood: We expel the Baathists, and you go from bureaucrat to extremist. But youre a well-educated man, Yusuf, and you dont care about Islam or the caliphate. Youre just using that to radicalize soldiers.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series hate

priest: Id like to speak today on the subject of humility. A lot of you have just won re-election. If you hadnt, you might not be sitting here. And, of course, we should enjoy our success and be grateful for it, but never let your gratitude sour into pride. Youll have many challenges ahead over the next couple of years, and a persons character isnt determined by how he or she enjoys victory but rather how he or she endures defeat. Nothing can help us endure hard times better than our faith.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series faith

Frank Underwood: I just love this painting, dont you? Were in the same boat now, Zoe. Take care not to tip it over. I can only save one of us from drowning.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series love

Frank Underwood: Centuries from now, when people watch this footage, who will they see smiling just at the edge of the frame?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series people

Frank Underwood: Every Tuesday I sit down with the speaker and the majority leader to discuss the weeks agenda. Well, discuss is probably the wrong word. They talk while I sit quietly and imagine their lightly salted faces frying in a skillet.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series light

Frank Underwood: Such a waste of talent. He chose money over power - in this town, a mistake nearly everyone makes. Money is the McMansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after 10 years. Power is the old stone building that stands for centuries. I cannot respect someone who does not see the difference.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Frank Underwood: Nobody can hear you. Nobody cares about you. Nothing will come of this. Why dont you let these nice gentlemen take you home?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series men

Frank Underwood: I grew up here, in the up country - Bibles, barbecues, and back breaking. Everything gets just a little bit thicker this far south - The air, the blood, even me. I try to make it down here at least once a month. Every trip is a reminder of how far Ive come. I hated Gaffney as a kid, when I had nothing, but now Ive come to appreciate it. Its not as suffocating as it once was, except when I have to deal with the sort of nonsense that makes me want to hang myself.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series mind

Frank Underwood: When Oren gets the jury to weep a river of shot over this dead girl, when Gaffney goes tits up because you cant afford to pay a seven-figure award in damages, when you all get booted out of the office and I lose to Chase, then you can chew my ears off about principles because well all have nothing but time on our hands. Until then, you either contribute or you keep it shut, Travis.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series war

Frank Underwood: Its 11:25, Nightline is about to come on, millions of people are watching. Where are you -- home?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series people

Frank Underwood: You dont want to work anywhere youre not willing to get fired from, Zoe. Treading water is the same as drowning, for people like you and me. Good luck, Ill be watching.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series reading

Tom Hammerschmidt: You havent earned the right to be treated as an adult. You think a few front-page stories and some face time on TV makes you the next Judy Miller? Youve got a long way to go. Dont be so arrogant.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series time

Margaret Tilden: Two freshmen girls are moving into their dorm room together. One of thems from Georgia, one of thems from Connecticut. The girl from Connecticuts helping her mother put up curtains. The girl from Georgia turns to them and says, Hi! Where yall from? The girl from Connecticut says, Were from a place where we know not to end a sentence with a preposition. The girl from Georgia says, oh, beg my pardon. Where yall from? Cunt? You heard that one before?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series men

Margaret Tilden: Tom, we dont need people who follow the rules. We need people with personality. We want Zoes face, her energy. We want to get her on TV as much as possible. It helps us cut through the noise. See what Im saying?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series people

Frank Underwood: Love of family: most politicians are permanently chained to that slogan, family values. But when you cozy up to hookers and I find out, I will make that hypocrisy hurt.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series love

Frank Underwood: Its so refreshing to work with someone wholl throw a saddle on a gift horse rather than look it in the mouth.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series work

Frank Underwood: You see, Freddy believes that if a fridge falls off a minivan, you better swerve out of its way. I believe its the fridges job to swerve out of mine.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series believe

Tom Hammerschmidt: I dont think you appreciate anything. I think youre an ungrateful, self-entitled little c-

— House of Cards U.S. TV series self

Zoe Barnes: So should I press send? I think I should. Call me whatever you want, but you should remember, these days, when youre talking to one person, youre talking to a thousand.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series hate

Frank Underwood: Marty and I have a good working relationship. Or used to. You can see he has a temper, but I can usually cut through that and reason with him. But I may have pushed him too far, which is worrisome. Friends make the worst enemies.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Tom Hammerschmidt: I know how to run a paper, Margaret. What I dont know how to do is run a paper staffed with people I cant control.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series people

Margaret Tilden: Was she really out of control?! To my understanding, she simply turned down a new position.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series understanding

Margaret Tilden: My employees. And if they have something to offer that you dont, yes, it is your job. Weve been through this, Tom. The papers operating at a loss. We need people like Zoe.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series people

Tom Hammerschmidt: Im very aware of how much were hurting, Margaret. Staff reductions, dip in circulation. Each one of those faces and every subscriber we lose, they keep me awake at night. Now, I wont argue the business side of things. Its neither my place nor my area of expertise, but know this-- Zoe Barnes, Twitter, blogs, enriched media, theyre all surface. Theyre fads. They arent the foundation this paper was built on, and they arent what will keep it alive. We have a core readership that thirsts for hard news. Those are the people I work for. And I wont be distracted by whats fashionable.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series war

Frank Underwood: This is the worst possible position to be in. If I water down the bill, the president will still see me as a failure. If the strike doesnt end in a week, I forced myself into a corner. Only total victory will put me back into his good graces. The alternative is exile, which would mean the last five months were for nothing. I cannot abide falling back to square one.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series failure

Marty Spinella: Mrs. Underwood, Claire, I am sincerely sorry that you had to go through that ordeal, truly. And it actually sickens me that someone made you feel unsafe in your own home. And I give you my word that to the best of my knowledge, none of our people had anything to do with it. But you know what sickens me more? That right now, your husband is using you as a prop on national television to try and win a debate. So I think youre the one that owes your wife an apology, Frank. And when youre done apologizing, can we please get back to the issue here of educating our children?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series knowledge

Candy Crowley: Congressman Frank Underwood says he got quote, schooled by AFT spokesman and chief strategist Martin Spinella during a debate last night on this network. In the past 24 hours, reruns of the gaffe have played nonstop on TV news programs and the Internet. A YouTube clip set to techno music has logged more than 300,000 hits and spawned dozens of other spoofs.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Claire Underwood: You know what Francis said to me when he proposed? I remember his exact words. He said, Claire, if all you want is happiness, say no. Im not gonna give you a couple of kids and count the days until retirement. I promise you freedom from that. I promise youll never be bored. You know, he was the only man - and there were a lot of others who proposed - but he was the only one who understood me. He didnt put me on some pedestal. He knew that I didnt want to be adored or coddled. So he took my hand and put a ring on it. Because he knew Id say yes.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series happiness

Frank Underwood: Im a white-trash cracker from a white-trash town that no one would even bother to piss on. But heres the difference — Ive made something of myself. I have the keys to the capitol. People respect me. But you, youre still nothing. Youre just an uppity dago in an expensive suit turning tricks for the unions. Nobody respects the unions anymore, Marty. Theyre dying. And no one respects you. The most youll ever make of yourself is blowing men like me. Men with real power. Yes. I can smell the cock on your breath from here.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Walter Doyle: Ive been doing this a long time, congressman. I know when Ive scraped all the shit off the shoe.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series time

Frank Underwood: Theres no better way to overpower a trickle of doubt than with a flood of naked truth.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series truth

Frank Underwood: The Citadel, South Carolinas premier military college. They taught me the values of honor, duty, and respect. They also hazed me, tried to break me, and, senior year, nearly expelled me when I volunteered for a Senate race and my studies suffered. But that didnt stop them from soliciting a hefty sum for their new library 30 years later. How quickly poor grades are forgotten in the shadow of power and wealth.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series power

Peter Russo: You elected me to represent you, but I couldnt forestall the inevitable. The shipyard was gonna close. If not this year, then next year, or the year after that. You all know that. Heres another truth thats gonna be hard to swallow: Im all youve got.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series truth

Reporter: If I didnt think you were such a liability to yourself, Congressman, I might even like you.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series self

Claire Underwood: No? Ive known everything from the beginning, Zoe. My husband and I tell each other everything. Dont you believe me? Is there a spider I can trap? Im not here to punish you or to tell you to stop. I just thought I should open those big bright eyes.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series believe

Claire Underwood: I envy your free spirit, and Im attracted to it, but not all of us have that luxury.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series spirit

Adam Galloway: Which is what I find so frustrating about you, Claire. You-you had a choice. You chose not to be free.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series choice

Raymond Tusk: Tap your ring like that. Ive seen you do it on TV. Two taps every time you get up from a table or leave a lectern.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series time

Frank Underwood: Something my father taught me. Its meant to harden your knuckles so you dont break them if you get into a fight. It also has the added benefit of knocking on wood. My father believed that success is a mixture of preparation and luck. Tapping the table kills both birds with one stone.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series success

Raymond Tusk: Decisions based on emotion arent decisions, at all. Theyre instincts. Which can be of value. The rational and the irrational complement each other. Individually theyre far less powerful.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series power

Frank Underwood: I said to my professor, Why mourn the death of Presidents, or anyone for that matter? The dead cant hear us. And he asked me if I believed in heaven. I said no. And then he asked if I had no faith in God. I said, You have it wrong. Its God who has no faith in us.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series god

Frank Underwood: Ive sat too many times on your side of the table not to enjoy the irony of finding myself on this side of it.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series time

Raymond Tusk: I never make an offer more than twice, Frank. Tell me now if I can count on your cooperation.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series you

Frank Underwood: Youre not offering cooperation, you are demanding tutelage. So let me make you a proposal. I am absolutely willing to work together as equals. I will take your opinions seriously, just as the president does. But I will not bind myself to them in advance. If that doesnt interest you, fair enough. Good luck finding a vice president in the next four days who will prove as pragmatic as I. You cant purchase loyalty, Raymond. Not the sort I have in mind. If you want to earn my loyalty, then you have to offer yours in return. And if we can agree to that - well, youre a man with imagination.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series work

Christina Gallagher: Ive been running a congressional district for the past nine weeks with zero assistance. Nobody elected me. Nobody taught me. Ive done it because somebody had to.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series past

Freddy Hayes: I dont know if Im gonna go back to him. Went out to his shop. Hes got a room in the back where he does it. Soundproof. A whole setup.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series

Zoe Barnes: I took a chance, showed up at your house and placed myself at your feet. Crossed ethical lines, professionally, physically, and I hold myself accountable for that. Those were my choices and I can live with them. Id like to move forward, but I need to know exactly what I was a part of, that that I wasnt a part of someones-

— House of Cards U.S. TV series war

Frank Underwood: Did you think Id forgotten you? Perhaps you hoped I had. Dont waste a breath mourning Miss Barnes—every kitten grows up to be a cat. They seem so harmless at first—small, quiet, lapping up their saucer of milk—but once their claws get long enough, they draw blood. Sometimes from the hand that feeds them. For those of us climbing to the top of the food chain, there can be no mercy. There is but one rule: Hunt or be hunted. Welcome back.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series hope

Frank Underwood: One heartbeat away from the presidency and not a vote cast in my name. Democracy is so overrated.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Frank Underwood: If we never did anything we shouldnt do, wed never feel good about doing the things we should.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series good

Frank Underwood: There can be no false steps now. The higher up the mountain, the more treacherous the path.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series path

Frank Underwood: I dont know about you, but if it really is anthrax and these are our final moments, I want to die with a buzz on.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series men

Donald Blythe: Dont talk down to me about realities. My wife is dying! Thats a reality! Other people will die, too, if your package succeeds! Thats a reality!

— House of Cards U.S. TV series people

Lucas Goodwin: You think youre a badass because youre on some vigilante anarchy kick? At least I have the balls to put my name on the work I do.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series work

Frank Underwood: To send a message. The President of the United States and I are not his puppets. Now you tell him that.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series age

Frank Underwood: Do you know how Grant defeated Lee? He had more men, thats all, and he was willing to let them die. It was butchery, not strategy, that won the war.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series war

Frank Underwood: Add up all your billions and you get the GDP of Slovakia. I have the federal government of the United States of America. Your money doesnt intimidate me. The most that you buy is influence, but I wield Constitutional authority.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series money

Xander Feng: The strongest army doesnt always win. Mao started out with only a few thousand men. They took over half a continent.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Xander Feng: Dont forget, your ancestor fought for the losing side. There is no sacred ground for the conquered.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series sin

Frank Underwood: Two minutes in the office and Tusk may be back in his good graces. I need to disrupt the nuptials and prevent a second marriage.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series marriage

Frank Underwood: Im a good Christian, Remy, like your mother. I would tell you the truth if you wanted more.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series truth

Frank Underwood: Presidents who obsess over history obsess over their place in it, instead of forging it.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series history

Dan Lanigan: You know what I like about money? I can stack it on a table, like this one. I can measure it with a yardstick. I can see it, smell it, buy things with it - houses, cars, clothes. Things that are real. Youre going to have to show up with more than beads.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series money

Frank Underwood: A little sibling rivalry isn’t such a bad thing, especially between adopted boys. They either push each other to be the best versions of themselves, or one of them gets booted back to the orphanage.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series age

Freddy Hayes: I aint takin your guilt money. When I was bangin, we used to clear 60 Gs a month. I seen guys shot down execution-style. I didnt give a shit. Then I got caught. Darnell was born my first year in. Never saw him once, not even a picture. I cant take back the bad I done. All I can do is to make my own way, like I been doin. You understand. Aint pride, Frank.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series money

Frank Underwood: Ive always loathed the necessity of sleep. Like death, it puts even the most powerful of men on their backs.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series death

Frank Underwood: The only thing more satisfying than convincing someone to do what I want is failing to persuade them on purpose. Its like a do not enter sign. It just begs you to walk in the door.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series purpose

Frank Underwood: From the lions den to a pack of wolves. When youre fresh meat, kill and throw them something fresher.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series you

Jackie Sharp: And where has she been since? Deflecting scandal and hiding from the press. You called me disgraceful in The New York Times, Megan, and you have every right. But I also have the right to say that Mrs. Underwood is disgraceful, because nothing is more disgraceful than running from a battle.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series time

Megan Hennessy: Do you ever wonder why so many people hate Washington? Its because of people like you using phrases like that.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series people

Remy Danton: When I left, Frank begged me to stay. Power vs. money, he said. Dont reduce myself to a tax bracket.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series power

Remy Danton: He was half right. Power is better than money, for as long as it lasts. But it never lasts.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series power

Frank Underwood: Ive always said that power is more important than money. But when it comes to elections, money gives power well, a run for its money.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series power

Viktor Petrov: So, this is what he does. He leaves the seduction to you. Isnt there a word for that in English?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series you

Frank Underwood: Id push him down the stairs and light his broken body on fire just to watch it burn, if it wouldnt start a world war.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series war

Frank Underwood: Mr. Mahmoud, you may hate me. You may hate the office I hold. But heres the reality: I must make decisions every day that I hope are just. I dont know right from wrong all the time. I wish I did. But what I cant be is indecisive.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series hope

Mahmoud: I wont forgive you, Mr. President. I dont want to make it any easier for you to sleep at night. Knowing a few lines of the Quran does not absolve you.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series sleep

Mahmoud: Theres a fine line between duty and murder. Only you have to power to stop what happened to me. The next time you wield it, I hope youll think twice.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series hope

Ayla Sayyad: The president just made a statement about free speech. Now youre going to start kicking reporters out of the White House?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Frank Underwood: And put Donald Blythe in this office? You know hes not up for the job. Congress would get killed for malpractice. As crooked as you may think I am, you know I can handle the pressure, and you know that Donald cant. So pass your law, Ill veto it, and when you overrule me in the Senate, well let the third branch decide.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series law

Frank Underwood: No writer worth his salt can resist a good story, just as no politician can resist making promises he cant keep.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series good

Michael Corrigan: Do you know what Ive been asking myself ever since the hunger strike? Am I truly willing to die for this? I dont know the answer to that question, but at least I have something I care enough about to even ask the question. Have you asked that of yourself? What are you willing to die for?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series self

Viktor Petrov: Revolutions sneak up on you, one small step at a time. I cant ignore the smallest step.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series time

Frank Underwood: Do you really wanna discuss courage, Claire? Because anyone can commit suicide, or spout their mouths off in front of a camera. You wanna know what takes courage? Keeping your mouth shut, no matter what you may be feeling. Holding it all together when the stakes are this high.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series courage

Claire Underwood: If we cant show respect for one brave man and still accomplish what we set out to do, then Im disappointed in both of us.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series man

Remy Danton: Dunbars promising to save Social Security, go after Wall Street and government waste instead of entitlements.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series men

Frank Underwood: Well, start bringing them in here. Itll take them that long to hobble over on their walkers.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Frank Underwood: I never tried to swim to Fort Sumter. Thomas probably knows that I made it up, but he wrote about it anyway because he understands the greater truth: Imagination is its own form of courage.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series truth

Harlan Traub: Mr. President, I know you have a thousand things on your mind, but I would just love to talk to you about how to revolutionize the food processing industry here in Iowa.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series love

Frank Underwood: But you still put him to work, a man whos trying to recover, whos trying to get back his life. Did you honestly think he could handle that?

— House of Cards U.S. TV series life

Viktor Petrov: The part I dont tell is that after I slit his throat, I kept going. I strapped his head to a donkey so it would carry it back to his village. I killed a man with my bare hands. It wasnt make believe. Do you think youre capable? I think you are. Youre ruthless, like me. Sometimes we must be ruthless with those who hate us, and sometimes we must be ruthless with those we love.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series love

Claire Underwood: He proposed, and I said, 7 years. If its still good, another 7. If not every 7 years. I dont hate campaigning. What I hate is how much I need of

— House of Cards U.S. TV series hate

Frank Underwood: Of course we have. Imagine what the voters would think if we started telling the truth.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series truth

Tom Yates: You see? I ask a question, and neither of you answer. Its tiresome constantly swinging a sledgehammer at the facade, just to get a glimpse beneath the cracks.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series ya

Tom Yates: Somebody whos lost. But I dont know, maybe its all for the best. Id rather imagine who you might be than who you actually are. Good luck, Claire.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series good

Frank Underwood: You cant have it both ways. You want an equal partner when it suits you. You want a man to take charge when it suits you. And Im just supposed to just, what, divine when you want which? Stop being so selfish. Youre better than that.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series art

Claire Underwood: Thats exactly it. Look at us, Francis. We used to make each other stronger, or at least I thought so. But that was a lie. We were making you stronger. And now Im just weak and small, and I cant stand that feeling any longer.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series thought

Frank Underwood: All right. What do you want? What is the goddamn alternative? Please, Claire, tell me, because I dont understand. All Im hearing is, its not enough. That the White House is not enough. That being First Lady is not enough. Not enough!

— House of Cards U.S. TV series god

Frank Underwood: Claire is the First Lady of the United States, and you still think she made the wrong choice.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series choice

Elizabeth Hale: Reduced to tabloid gossip? She might as well be living in that trailer park you come from.

— House of Cards U.S. TV series living

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