'The Good Wife' recap: The Florricks copy Obama to battle Hillary

The Good Wife (CBS)

Ed. note: The following contains spoilers from "The Good Wife"

They're in it to win it!

Alicia Florrick's husband Peter had been planning to run for President only to be chosen as Hillary Clinton's running mate. But on Sunday's episode of "The Good Wife", Peter's decides he wants to win the top job. And when he announces his candidacy, the Florricks copy Barack and Michelle Obama to try to beat Hillary.

The Illinois governor's campaign manager Ruth Eastman (Margo Martindale) comes up with the devious plan and his new campaign slogan "service above self." But she also wants to make sure her bitter rival, his former Chief of Staff Eli Gold (Alan Cumming), who now represents Alicia, knows the score.

Over strong drinks, Ruth informs Eli that Pete picked up a four-point bump in an internal poll.

"If things turn sour for Hillary -- the emails, the next thing they throw at her -- we win," Ruth raves.

She wants Eli to know there will be enough power for both of them and "we're not being kind and deferential to the front runner ... we're aiming for the Presidency."

They need Alicia to be Jackie to Peter's JFK, Ruth explains. But more than that, they need to channel Barack and Michelle Obama, who beat out Hillary for the Democratic nomination in 2008.

Soon, Eli tells Alicia she must be at Peter's side when he throws his hat in the ring. Eli has already written her a "very Michelle Obama" speech. Alicia asks him if he thinks Peter has a chance, and he replies, “I thought [Donald] Trump would self-destruct, so what do I know?”

Despite Ruth's olive branch, Eli is still secretly determined to ruin Peter and enlists the help of bond court Judge Schakowsky to find out information about DNC chairman Frank Landau as part of that effort.

Meanwhile, Ruth is telling her team she wants Peter to wear the exact same overcoat Obama did for the 2007 Presidential announcement. Ruth also asks Eli if Landau can introduce Peter instead of Alicia, and Eli agrees.

The Chief of Staff intends to let Landau introduce Peter and then expose Landau for rigging the voting machines in the last election, in which Alicia won State's Attorney before resigning because of the scandal. But Eli has a change of heart after Judge Schakowsky tells him both Landau AND Peter committed the election fraud; Peter didn't want his wife to lose.  Desperate not to hurt Alicia, Eli hesitates about using Landau to smear Peter.

While Eli stews, Ruth is upset when they're unable to have Peter make his Presidential announcement on the steps of the Illinois state capitol, the way Obama did in 2007. Instead, they are relegated to a hot Illinois school gym. Still, Ruth insists that Peter put on the Obama replica coat and Alicia dress in an outfit identical to Michelle's, complete with purple scarf.

As TV reporters note the comparison, Landau introduces Peter, who announces his candidacy for President.

"I couldn't do it without this woman by my side," Peter declares of his wife.

Also on the episode, Alicia and her new partner Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo) represent a woman fired by a high tech Silicon Valley company for flunking a polygraph test. The complicated case eventually lands Alicia in hot water with the NSA after she contacts an Edward Snowden-like character.

While that plot is sure to be continued, viewers also see Alicia concerned about her legal insurance after recently learning her investigator Jason Crouse (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a former lawyer, was disbarred after punching a judge. Worried about his past, Alicia calls the judge directly to ask him about Jason.

"He's a ticking time bomb," the judge tells her, adding he's a sociopath who will "explode when you least expect it." However, Lucca later tells Alicia she got information that the judge is wrong.

Viewers also see Alicia's former firm Lockhart, Agos, and Lee embroiled in a racial discrimination controversy when they try to fill a new associate's position.

An African-American woman, Monica Timmons, interviews for the job but is shocked after Howard Lyman (Jerry Adler) asks her if she's Nigerian and Cary Agos (Matt Czuchry) and Diane Lockhart (Christine Barranski) question her about growing up in a rough neighborhood.

In a partners' meeting, Diane argues the firm should hire Monica for diversity while Cary and David Lee (Zach Grenier) would rather choose from the three white male candidates. Ultimately, Diane loses the battle and tells Monica the firm won't be making her an offer.

Later, Monica sends Diane secret undercover video she had made of Cary, Diane, David, and Howard making their condescending interview comments. Diane tells Monica she empathizes because she had to battle sexism for years in the legal industry.

But Monica sternly tells her there's no comparison between racism and sexism and makes clear what Diane feels won't help her: "What I need is a job."

"The Good Wife" airs Sundays on CBS.