Carol walks into Gretchen’s office.
Carol: Gretchen, you have a visitor here to discuss next year’s election.
Gretchen: Ah, right. We set this meeting up a few days ago.
Carol: I’m not sure that you did!
Gretchen: What do you mean? Are you offended I forgot to tell you? Carol, you know I’m forgetful, it’s not an indictment of my respect for you.
Carol: I think I can just let them in and you can see for yourself what I mean.
Gretchen: You’re being very strange, Carol. Are you menopausal?
Carol: Oh my god…
Gretchen: Just a question!
Hank: Gretchen Raymond, we meet again.
Gretchen: Fu-
Hank: Full of gratitude to see me?
Gretchen: No! This must be a nightmare. Please, Anthony, get out of bed to pee and wake me up like you do every morning at 4:30 AM. Crap, that did happen today. Does that mean this is hell?
Hank: No, it’s real life, on earth.
Gretchen: An earth where only bad things happen?
Hank: I can’t believe you’re not overjoyed to see me.
Gretchen: Really? You can’t believe it? This is unbelievable to you?
Carol: Did I not tell you that this wasn’t a meeting you’d set up already?
Gretchen: You tried to warn me.
Carol: You should listen next time! I speak with purpose!
Gretchen: Hank, why exactly are you here?
Hank: I’m going for it, Gretchen.
Gretchen: For what? I’m lost here.
Hank: I’m running for governor.
Gretchen: Ha! Good one! No, really, even you’re not delusional enough to think you’d win. What are you really doing here?
Hank: I’m trying to be the next governor of Rhode Island.
Gretchen: Are you on crack?
Hank: That’s rude!
Gretchen: It’s honesty. Hank, you lost re-election to the house. What makes you think you can be governor?
Hank: My district is filled with idiots and racists.
Gretchen: The district that elected you for twenty years?
Hank: The times change.
Gretchen: So why are you gracing me with your presence?
Hank: I want to ask for your endorsement.
Gretchen: When pigs fly.
Hank: Word on the street is you’re still waiting for the right candidate to announce before you make an endorsement.
Gretchen: Why on earth would you think that candidate is you?
Hank: Look, we had our differences.
Gretchen: You made my life hell! I can’t begin to state the degree to which my life has improved since you left office and effed off to god knows where.
Hank: You understand the importance of experience.
Gretchen: You didn’t. I was incredibly qualified and you still stonewalled me for six damn years.
Hank: I was put in office to be a check on the governor.
Gretchen: That’s what you decided to be. Most people except the state leaders to attempt to work together, especially when they’ve given one party a supermajority in both houses of the legislature! I’m not endorsing you, Hank.
Hank: I’ll make you my lieutenant governor!
Gretchen: That’s not even how this works! We have separate primaries for that. You think I would’ve picked Pratt?
Hank: Look, I’m the outsider that this state needs. The establishment needs a wake-up call.
Gretchen: You spent two decades in state government! You are the establishment!
Hank: Please.
Gretchen: Hank, this is just sad.
Hank: I want to be governor!
Gretchen: Do you even have a campaign staff? Or a website?
Hank: I haven’t announced yet. I was planning to have you introduce me.
Gretchen: Better start planning something else. Hank, it’s been lovely seeing you, I have a busy schedule today and I do need you to get going if you don’t mind.
Hank: It’s really a no on the endorsement?
Gretchen: It’s really a no.
Hank: Well, your loss. I gave you the chance to be part of an inspirational movement. It’s not my fault you wouldn’t take advantage of that opportunity.
Gretchen: Yep, sure. Have a nice day.
Hank gets up and leaves, and Sarita, Carol and Esther rush in.
Esther: What the heck was that about? I haven’t seen that man in years.
Carol: I have a feeling I know.
Gretchen: He wants to be governor.
Carol: My god. Even I didn’t expect him to quite so audacious.
Gretchen: What did you think he wanted?
Carol: I thought he wanted to be lieutenant governor! This is too much!
Gretchen: Gosh, the man didn’t even realize we have a separate primary for that.
Carol: He’s been in politics for decades!
Gretchen: What can I say? He’s never been politically gifted. If he wants to make a fool out of himself, so be it.
Sarita: So you won’t be endorsing him?
Gretchen: Good one, Massachusetts!
Sarita: Are you sure he’s really running and that it’s not all just a big joke?
Carol: Oh, it’s a joke all right. Just one he’s unknowingly playing on himself.
Gretchen: I actually have a scheduled meeting with Carrie Lione today. Now that is a serious campaign, if she does go through with it.
Carol: Are you going to endorse her?
Gretchen: Carol, your guess is as good as any.
Sarita: You’ve sort of led Samantha Pratt on here. You’ve never told her you’re planning to endorse Carrie.
Gretchen: I’ve never said anything to imply I’m endorsing her, either. The truth is, if Carrie decided not to run, I’d be on board with backing Pratt. But I’m not sure I’m endorsing Carrie, either. I like the idea of staying out of it and just letting the voters decide.
Sarita: Why give up your influence? The voters still get their choice no matter what, they can choose to ignore you.
Carol: Lord knows they often do.
Gretchen: Fair point. I guess It just feels more democratic to not put my thumb on the scale.
Carol: Counterpoint: this is your last chance to ever do it. You leave office, your influence leaves with you. Don’t you want to endorse someone who’ll uphold your legacy?
Gretchen: I do.
Sarita: And if Jeanne wins, she’ll trample on your legacy.
Gretchen: I haven’t even seen the polling. I’m not going to endorse someone whose campaign is hopeless. I’m going to back whoever has the chance of beating that evil woman.
Carol: See, now we’re formulating a strategy!
Gretchen: This just feels like it’s moving way too fast. How can people possibly already be expecting an endorsement from me?
Sarita: You don’t have to publicly endorse anyone yet. I think they all just want some sort of a show of support. You’re a power broker. You’re the most high-profile figure.
Carol: Plus, you don’t want that bitch Judith to beat you to an endorsement.
Sarita: Why are you calling Senator Meyerson a bitch?
Carol: She stole my daughter from me.
Esther: She gave your daughter a promotion, you whiner.
Carol: Why is she here? She’s not a part of the group!
Esther: I absolutely am!
Carol: Go do… whatever it is that you do around here.
Gretchen: I’m not concerned about Judith or Clara endorsing before me. I know my endorsement carries a lot of weight regardless. That’s why it has to be carefully weighed.
Carol: So what are you actually meeting with Carrie about today?
Gretchen: She’s gonna tell me her decision and probably try to sell me on her campaign, if she is running.
Carol: Don’t impulsively tell her you’re endorsing her just because you find her charming
Gretchen: I wouldn’t do that! I have self-control.
Carol: Do you?
Gretchen: To a point.
Sarita: When’s you’re meeting? I can supervise if -
Gretchen: No need for supervision. I’m an adult, who does not need a babysitter.
Carol: We’ll see.
Samantha: Hey, did you hear the big news?
Gretchen: Why do people ask such cryptic questions? Just cut to the chase and tell me what you’re talking about from the start.
Sarita: You’re guilty of it, too.
Gretchen: Just shut up and go to Dunkin’.
Sarita: We don’t all love Dunkin’ in Massachusetts!
Gretchen: Yes you do!
Sarita: We do, but nobody likes being stereotyped.
Samantha: Hank Matthews is running for governor!
Gretchen: Oh, that.
Samantha: You knew? And didn’t tell me?
Gretchen: The nut job literally just left my office ten minutes ago. That’s the first time I’d heard of it.
Samantha: God, I can’t wait to crush him!
Gretchen: I know, right? What a fun blast from the past!
Two hours later…
Carol: Gretchen, senator Lione is here to see you.
Gretchen: Let her in.
Carrie: Governor Raymond, lovely to see you again.
Gretchen: You can just call me Gretchen, Carrie.
Carrie: It still feels so strange. I’ve looked up to you my whole life.
Gretchen: That’s a jab in the heart. All I hear is “you’re old!”
Carrie: No! Not the intention in the slightest!
Gretchen: In fairness to you, I am old and I don’t like it.
Carrie: My grandmother always said “rather old than dead.” Not that you’re old.
Gretchen: Of course, we’ve established that I’m the only one who acknowledges the reality of my old age. Anyhow, I think I know what this meeting’s about, but I’ll let you go ahead.
Carrie: Gretchen, I’ve done a lot of soul-searching.
Gretchen: Yup! Here it comes!
Carrie: I’m gonna run.
Gretchen: I’m so pleased!
Carrie: You’ve always said that you’re willing to help me out with advancing my career. I’m not expecting anything, but I did want you to be the first to know that I’m in. I’ve hired a campaign manager, the website’s being designed right now, I’m planning to launch next week.
Gretchen: I’m really excited for you. Do you happen to know that Speaker Matthews is running now?
Carrie: Hank Matthews? I did not.
Gretchen: Don’t worry, I have firsthand knowledge that he’s no threat to you. But it will be fun for you to get more votes than him.
Carrie: So now I’m running against him, congressman Seider, Leader Rivero and Lieutenant Governor Pratt.
Gretchen: It’s a crowded field of underachievers and losers, yes.
Carrie: They’re not! That’s a stacked field! I’m not going to have an easy time against them.
Gretchen: They’ll try their hardest to make it easier for you.
Carrie: I don’t expect a cakewalk here. I love this state, I love serving it, and I love fighting for what’s right. Hard work is worth it if it means I can make this state that I so deeply cherish just a bit better. You’ve done it -
Gretchen: As much as Hank and Jeanne have allowed, yes.
Carrie: I just hope that the state will give me that same opportunity. Imagine what I can get done with Jeanne Rivero out of the way!
Gretchen: I could cry just thinking about it.
Carrie: Gretchen, again - I don’t expect anything from you. You’ve been so kind, and a truly generous and patient mentor. But I would be so honored to have your support.
Gretchen: Carrie, you’ve got it.
Carrie: I do?
Gretchen: Yep!
Carrie: Gosh, I’ve been hearing so much from people about how you’re not going to endorse anyone. This is a bit of a surprise. It’s so early, too.
Gretchen: Many will be surprised that those words came out of my mouth. Perhaps including myself!
Carrie: You are so funny!
Gretchen: Yes, funny! That’s what Carol’s going to call me. Funny!
Later that day…
Lucinda: My god, Gretchen. You look like you’ve traveled through a war zone.
Anthony: Honey, are you okay?
Gretchen: I’m fine. I’ll be fine.
Anthony: Those are two different things.
Gretchen: I just need some relaxation.
Toby: What goes on at the capitol?
Lucinda: Nothing good. Hellhole.
Gretchen: I feel like I made a minor error.
Anthony: You’re like this over a minor error? You might need to see someone about that.
Gretchen: It’s not really that minor, honestly. I told Carrie Lione I was endorsing her. I didn’t want to do that yet. I wanted to see some evidence she had a chance at winning before I did that and spited Pratt. What if I endorse her and she just fails? What if she gets a bump and then everyone forgets about the endorsement months before the primary? I’ll look like a fool!
Anthony: Honey, I didn’t even see you this concerned over governor races you were actually running in.
Lucinda: I did. It was really annoying.
Toby: I keep forgetting you have to leave office. Does that mean we have to move?
Lucinda: I’m not leaving this place.
Anthony: We own this house, kiddo.
Lucinda: Well, Gretchen owns it. She has all the money in this family.
Anthony: Not in front of Toby…
Gretchen: Does anyone care about my plight?
Lucinda: You focus too much on never looking foolish. In reality, you often look foolish, and you survive it. Stop worrying so much.
Anthony: I think there’s a nicer way to put that.
Lucinda: No, that was me being reserved.
Anthony: Honey, how about you just ask Carrie not to go public with that endorsement yet? Just tell her you are supporting her, but you want to wait a few months for it to be public, so it can make more impact. That gives you a chance to let Samantha down gently.
Gretchen: You always know what to say!
The next day…
Carrie: Gretchen, should I be worried that you asked me to come back again so soon?
Gretchen: Worried? No! I just wanted to clarify about the endorsement I may have given you yesterday.
Carrie: Yes?
Gretchen: That’s a secret for now.
Carrie: Excuse me?
Gretchen: You have my full support, but not for a few months. Not in public, anyway. It’s just too early to wade into this. The election’s in September, for goodness sake! Early spring, that’s when it’ll be heating up. That’s when an endorsement will make a lot more impact.
Carrie: I’d be fine with that.
Gretchen: Ah, I knew you’d understand. I’ve been in stitches over this. I wasn’t planning on endorsing anyone until much later, I just let my intentions slip in front of the one person I shouldn’t have slipped in front of.
Carrie: I’m good at keeping secrets. No worries here!
Gretchen: I knew you were a good one!
Later that day…
Carol: Gretchen, you have v-
Samantha: Really, Gretchen?
Jeanne: You traitor!
Gretchen: I feel like I should know what this is about.
Jeanne: You’re endorsing Carrie Lione?
Gretchen: No!
Samantha: That’s the rumor floating around the capitol today.
Carol: That’s news to me!
Samantha: I have no intentions of endorsing until next year. It’s just too early. Anyone who told you I'm backing her is stirring the pot, taking advantage of the fact that she met with me yesterday to tell me she’s running. Which, by the way, Hank also did!
Jeanne: He’s running against me?
Gretchen: See? Your capitol intel is flawed, you need a new source of gossip!
Jeanne: Hank was my source!
Gretchen: He’s trying to turn us against each other. A very nasty tactic.
Samantha: I’m so sorry for doubting you! I knew you wouldn’t endorse anyone but me!
Jeanne: I don’t think she said those exact words…
Gretchen sighs.
What did you think of the midseason finale of Raymond Island? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to read the season premiere of Evergreen Aimee next Sunday! Raymond Island will return this December for a holiday special, and next spring for the remainder of season seven!
