24 (TV Series)

Day 4: 6:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m. (2005)

Dennis Haysbert: David Palmer

Quotes 

• President Charles Logan : [Referring to Agent Bern confessing his involvement in the raid at the Chinese Consulate, implicating Jack Bauer and the United States]  damn it David, you said this would be handled

  Mike Novick : [Responding for Palmer]  I'm sure the Chinese don't want war

  Walt Cummings : No, but they do want to embarrass us: take the moral high ground in the court of world opinion. We need to take the least damaging course of action

  Mike Novick : Unfortunately, then there's only one option

  President Charles Logan : Which is?

  Mike Novick : We hand Bauer over to the Chinese

  David Palmer : Unacceptable

  Mike Novick : Besides if we turn him over, he'll implicate this Administration. The Chinese made Bern talk, they'll do the same with Bauer eventually

  David Palmer : Jack Bauer would never compromise national security

  Walt Cummings : As much as I'd like to believe that, everyone breaks

  David Palmer : What you believe is irrelevant

  Walt Cummings : [to Logan]  there is another option Mr. President

  President Charles Logan : Go on

  Walt Cummings : Suppose something happens to Bauer? Suppose he has an "accident"?

  David Palmer : That's an obscene suggestion

  Walt Cummings : It solves a lot of problems

  David Palmer : [to Logan]  Mr. President...

  President Charles Logan : This Administration does not condone murder and it never will, is that clear?

  Walt Cummings : Yes Sir, I'm sorry Sir

• President Charles Logan : I don't understand: Bauer had orders to take Marwan alive

  David Palmer : I'm sure Jack did whatever he could

  President Charles Logan : That's not good enough David

  David Palmer : CTU is searching Marwan's helicopter, trying to find something that will help them locate the missile

  President Charles Logan : We're out of time

  David Palmer : Not yet

  Mike Novick : [while entering the room]  Mr. President, I'm sorry to add to an already difficult situation, but the acting Chinese Consul Su Ming is on the teleconference: he says it's urgent

  President Charles Logan : [to Mike]  put it through

  Su Ming : Gentlemen, as we discussed earlier, our Consulate in Los Angeles was attacked three hours ago. A Chinese citizen was abducted and our Consul was killed

  David Palmer : We've already given you our assurance that we had no knowledge of this reprehensible attack

  Su Ming : It's strange, one of your agents has confessed to his direct involvement an implicated his superior as well

  David Palmer : What are you talking about?

  Su Ming : Mr. Bern provided additional details that leaves no doubt that his telling the truth: the full tape will be forwarded to you immediately

  David Palmer : Putting aside the question of how this so called "confession" was obtained, what is it your government expect us to do?

  Su Ming : Mr. Bauer committed a crime at our Consulate, which is Chinese territory. If he was acting without your approval, he should be turned over to our government to be tried and sentenced according to our laws

  President Charles Logan : [Before ending the teleconference]  Mr. Su, we'll get back to you

• David Palmer : [Over the phone]  words cannot express the debt this country owes you

  Jack Bauer : Thank you Sir

  David Palmer : This is hard for me but I don't seem to have a choice: the Chinese have proof that you lead the assault on their Consulate

  Jack Bauer : What kind of proof?

  David Palmer : Howard Bern made a full confession. He identified you as the agent in charge

  Jack Bauer : And then the Chinese want me?

  David Palmer : That's right and we have no choice but to comply

  Jack Bauer : I see

  David Palmer : What they really want is for you to implicate the government

  Jack Bauer : Mr. President, that will never happen

  David Palmer : I know that: they'll put you on trial, propagandize about American arrogance, and put you in prison

  Jack Bauer : I understand

  David Palmer : This is unfair to say the least and I'm ashamed of my part in it. I'll promise you this, I'll make it my life's purpose to bring you back to American soil as soon as humanly possible

  Jack Bauer : I know you'll do what you can Sir

  David Palmer : Secret Service is sending over an agent to CTU, he'll place you under house arrest but you'll have some time to put your affairs in order. My friend, I wish there was something else I can say

  Jack Bauer : Mr. President, you're doing what has to be done. So will I

  David Palmer : I know you will

• David Palmer : [Over the phone, relived to be hearing from him, implying he just made it out alive]  "You thread at the eye of the needle"

  David Palmer : I had some help Sir, I wanted to thank you for advising me of the situation: you saved my life

  David Palmer : I'm really sorry it came to this

  Jack Bauer : Me too Sir, I just wanted to let you know I was out

  David Palmer : I'm glad

  David Palmer : [sighs]  this is probably the last time we'll ever speak. You do understand after you hang up: for all intents and purposes, Jack Bauer is dead?

  Jack Bauer : I understand that. It's been an honor

  David Palmer : Same for me, my friend

• David Palmer : [Talking privately]  Sir, I have reason to believe your security chief may preempting your decision to hand Jack Bauer over to the Chinese

  President Charles Logan : Preempting me, how?

  David Palmer : By killing him before they can take custody

  President Charles Logan : [Amused]  oh for God's sake David, Cummings was just speaking hypothetically: you can't take that at face value. Besides, I told him it wasn't an option

  David Palmer : All I'm asking Sir if for you to talk to Cummings and make sure he understands your order

  President Charles Logan : I can't indulge some half baked conspiracy...

  David Palmer : [Interrupts him]  I think I've earned the "privilege" of having my concerns taken seriously

  President Charles Logan : You have: it's also no secret your Presidency was "infected" with a certain level of paranoia and scandal. I won't allow that in my Administration. Questioning my security chief would not only undermine his authority, it would compromise mine as well

  David Palmer : "Hear no evil"

  President Charles Logan : I beg your pardon?

  David Palmer : [Sternly]  you heard me

  President Charles Logan : [Before Palmer leaves without saying a word]  thank you for your assistance today but it's time for you to go back to civilian life and let me do my job

• Mike Novick : The President ordered Jack extradited: not murdered

  David Palmer : Cummings wants Bauer dead so the Chinese can't question him

  Mike Novick : President Logan shut him down, we were both there

  David Palmer : It was a weak rebuke at best

  Mike Novick : This is still conjecture on your part: base on one side of a conversation

  David Palmer : I know what I heard and I know Cummings, you don't

  Mike Novick : You really think his capable of doing something like this?

  David Palmer : His been doing Logan's dirty work for the last fifteen years. Logan's got used to looking the other way. I'd tell the President myself but he won't listen to me, if you don't intervene now, it may be too late