President Walker appears to have other plans, however. With the Pennsylvania special election in chaos, Underwood convinces the vice president to step down and run for his old position of governor leaving the vice presidency open to Underwood, as was his plan all along. In response, Frank kills Russo by leaving him passed out in a closed garage with Russo's car running, asphyxiating him. ![]() Distraught, Russo decides to make amends for his failure by coming clean to the press about his role in Underwood's schemes. Underwood helps Russo get clean and props up his candidacy but later uses call girl Rachel Posner to break his sobriety and trigger his downfall shortly before the election, by Russo's being drunk while appearing on a radio interview. Because the new Vice President is the former governor of Pennsylvania, a special election is to be held for governor. Underwood also uses Russo in a plot to end a teachers' strike and pass an education bill, which improves Underwood's standing with President Walker. Underwood eventually has Kern replaced with his own choice, Senator Catherine Durant. Meanwhile, he manipulates Peter Russo, a troubled alcoholic and congressman from Pennsylvania, into helping him undermine Walker's pick for Secretary of State, Senator Michael Kern. He begins a symbiotic, and ultimately sexual, relationship with Zoe Barnes, an ambitious young political reporter, and then makes a deal with her that she will publish damaging stories he leaks about his political rivals. Underwood begins a highly intricate plan to obtain a cabinet position, acquiring pawns he can manipulate in his power play. It is clear from the outset that Claire shares both her husband's cold-hearted, ruthless pragmatism and his lust for power. At the end of the week, she checks in to ask how the process went and then informs the manager she is being let go as well. Claire directs her to fire CWI employees, cutting the staff by half. This is met with great misgivings by her office manager. Keen to be on the international stage, she decides to change her organization to one that supports international well-digging to provide clean water. In the opening episode, she deems the otherwise-successful charity to have too limited a footprint. ![]() ![]() She seems to use her charity to cultivate her own power and influence, yet its ultimate purpose remains unknown. ![]() Frank's wife Claire runs an NGO, the Clean Water Initiative ("CWI"), but her intentions are not made explicit. In reality, Underwood begins an elaborate plan behind the president's back, with the ultimate goal of gaining power for himself. Inwardly seething, Underwood quickly gains control of his anger and hides his disappointment to present himself as a helpful lieutenant to the president and his agenda. Chief of Staff Linda Vasquez tells Underwood that the president wants him to promote his agenda in Congress and will not honor their agreement. After securing the election of President Garrett Walker to get himself appointed Secretary of State, Underwood is devastated to learn that he is being passed over. Along this theme we follow Underwood, a power-hungry Democratic congressman from South Carolina and House majority whip. Season 1 The series opens with congressman Francis "Frank" Underwood displaying his ruthless pragmatism by killing a suffering pet dog with his bare hands while explaining to the audience how there are times when we require someone to do the unpleasant yet necessary thing.
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