Francis Underwood, the master puppeteer of Netflix’s “House of Cards,” is nearly as quotable as the Dowager Countess of “Downton Abbey.” Of course, his remarks, delivered to the camera, cut a lot closer to the bone than hers do, but he’s a politician, not an aristocrat. His impulse is always to go for the jugular. We’ve compiled some of Francis’ best lines from Season 1 and a few from the Season 2 trailers that have been released:
- “I love that woman. I love her more than sharks love blood.”
- “He doesn’t measure his wealth in private jets, but purchased souls.”
- “Time would have killed Russo if I hadn’t. Just as it will kill me some day.”
- “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 doesn’t see the difference.”
- “[The chief of staff] thinks I can be bought with a pair of tickets. What am I, a whore in postwar Berlin, salivating over stockings and free chocolates?”
- “A great man once said, everything is about sex. Except sex. Sex is about power.”
- “Freddie believes if a fridge falls off a minivan, you should swerve out of its way. I believe it’s the fridge’s job to swerve out of mine.”