Elected America's first Vice President, Adams is scolded by Abigail for his vanity, and is frustrated by his exclusion from President Washington's inner circle. He also sees his friendship with Jefferson, the new Secretary of State, strained by the ongoing British-French conflict. Though he's vilified for casting an unpopular swing vote in the Senate that ratifies a U.S./British treaty, Adams ends up being elected President in 1796 - by a mere three votes over Jefferson. As Adams tours his presidential residence with Abigail, they find it stripped bare by his predecessor's staff. Undaunted, Abigail tries to rally her husband out of a melancholy brought on by the burdens of the presidency - and the nation's uncertain future.
