On November 22, 1930, Eleanor arrives early at the White House with Franklin for the Governors' Conference dinner so no one sees Franklin's difficult gait. He advances with iron braces, a cane, and Eleanor's arm, since appearing in a wheelchair is impossible for his public image. While Franklin rests, Eleanor reflects on her childhood losses, her guardianship by Theodore Roosevelt, and her romantic memories of the East Room before their 1905 wedding.

Footsteps signal the first arrivals, and Eleanor hastily helps Franklin stand as Governor Cooper of Ohio enters. They exchange small talk about the East Room. Eleanor and Franklin refuse wine, and Eleanor recalls her father's alcoholism, reinforcing her abstinence.

In the receiving line, Hoover fails to appear for thirty minutes. Eleanor realizes the delay is a calculated move to weaken Franklin, now a formidable presidential prospect after reelection. A mustachioed aide offers Franklin a chair; Franklin declines to show strength, and Eleanor pointedly implies Hoover is hiding behind "national business." The waiting governors witness Franklin's visible strain.

Eleanor's anger intensifies as she recalls rumors smearing Franklin's health and Hoover's failures during the economic crisis. She articulates her embrace of the Democratic Party's human-centered priorities while acknowledging Theodore Roosevelt as a Republican exception. Though Hoover gave Mary McLeod Bethune a commission role, the night's cruelty shifts Eleanor's hesitations: she commits to Franklin's ascent and considers partnering with Bethune on projects, regardless of party lines.