MADAM SECRETARY stars Téa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined Secretary of State who drives international diplomacy and circumvents protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home. A college professor and a brilliant former CIA analyst who left for ethical reasons, Elizabeth returned to public life at the request of President Conrad Dalton, who values McCord’s apolitical leanings, deep knowledge of the Middle East, flair for languages and ability to not just think outside the box, but not even acknowledge there is a box.