Oscar-winning actor and House of Cards star Kevin Spacey discusses ethics, politics and power with former White House politico and Georgetown government faculty member Ron Klain (C’83).

Kevin Spacey receives applause for donning a Georgetown shirt during his discussion about ethics, power and politics in Gaston Hall on Nov. 4.

NOVEMBER 5, 2013OSCAR-WINNING ACTOR KEVINSpacey sat down with former White House politico and Georgetown government faculty member Ron Klain (C’83) last night to talk about ethics, power and politics.

“People behave in unethical ways to get what they want,” says the award-winning actor who plays fictional Rep. Francis Underwood (R-S.C.) in the Netflix seriesHouse of Cards.

House of Cardsis a political drama in which Spacey’s character uses questionable ethics to gain power and exact revenge on those who he sees as betraying him.

Spacey and Klain, who served as chief of staff for Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore, talked about the parameters of ethics in a time of government shutdowns and the Supreme Court involvement in the 2000 Bush-Gore election, which was the focus of the 2008 HBO filmRecount. Spacey played Klain in the film.

The evening’s discussion, sponsored by Georgetown’s government department, served as this year’s Sullivan Lecture on Ethics and Government.