24 (TV Series)

Day 4: 4:00 a.m.-5:00 a.m. (2005)

Gregory Itzin: President Charles Logan

Quotes 

• President Charles Logan : [Over the speakerphone]  I've just been told there's a cruise missile containing a nuclear warhead?

  Jack Bauer : Yes Sir, that's correct: our military's tracking device is doing everything they can to find the trajectory of the missile but we don't have a lot to go on

  David Palmer : What about Marwan? You think he'll break?

  Jack Bauer : That won't be easy Sir: his planned and organized everything's that happened today. His committed to his cause, his prepared to die

  David Palmer : I know you'll do your best, keep us posted

  Jack Bauer : [Before hanging up]  yes Sir I will

• David Palmer : [to Mike]  let the Joints Chiefs know of the situation but tell them this should be limited to the intelligence community only

  Mike Novick : Sir, if a nuclear missile's been launched, we have to assume Washington is its target

  President Charles Logan : What are our options?

  Mike Novick : We don't have many: first priority is to establish a continuity of the government and start a quiet evacuation of government personnel in the city

  David Palmer : [to Mike]  bring the Cabinet members and the Speaker of the House to the bunker. Congress and Pentagon should be taken to the mountain safety facility

  Mike Novick : Right

  David Palmer : [Before Mike leaves the room]  let them know this is a Category One emergency: tell them nothing more. We can't afford an information leak

  President Charles Logan : The public needs to be warned, cities needs to be evacuated

  David Palmer : Not yet, let's see what Bauer comes up with first

• President Charles Logan : [after entering the room]  please everybody be seated. I would like to apologize for the abrupt removal from your homes and offices please know that these precautions had to be taken to ensure the secrecy of your arrival: the US has been thrown into a Category One emergency. a cruise missile containing a nuclear warhead has been launched and is headed for we believe a major US city, very possibly Washington DC. Now all branches of the military have been altered and their doing everything in their power to locate the missile and to intercept it

  Don Ashton : Excuse me Sir, you're saying not only do we not know what the missile's target is but you don't even know where the missile is?

  President Charles Logan : That's correct

  Don Ashton : When do you plan on informing the public?

  President Charles Logan : As of this time, we feel informing the public wouldn't be in the country's best interest

  Don Ashton : We" meaning who Mr. President?

  President Charles Logan : "I" feel that way Mr. Speaker

  Don Ashton : Doesn't the public have a right to know the truth?

  President Charles Logan : That's all I have for now: when I know more, an update will be given, thank you

• Mike Novick : We may have a problem

  President Charles Logan : What is it?

  Mike Novick : Don Ashton has been asking a number of questions and raising concerns as to President Palmer's "role" here

  President Charles Logan : That's too bad: we have more important things to worry about at the moment

  Mike Novick : Sir, as Speaker of the House, he can create problems you don't need right now

  David Palmer : Mike's right, Don's very ambitious. Now that his next in line to the Presidency, he'll look to exploit any angle he can

  President Charles Logan : He won't put his ambition in front of national security

  Mike Novick : He won't see it in those terms Sir. In his eyes, national security and his personal ambition are one in the same

  President Charles Logan : [sighs]  what'd we do?

  David Palmer : Show him who's in charge

• President Charles Logan : [During a meeting with his senior advisers]  gentlemen and ladies: considering the crisis we face today, I felt it was prudent to enlist the help of ex-President Palmer

  Jennie : In what capacity Sir?

  President Charles Logan : Excuse me?

  Don Ashton : Sir, everybody in this room has a title and a specific function, exactly what "position" will President Palmer be occupying?

  David Palmer : I'm here "solely" as an adviser, not only to the President, but to anyone else here who requests my counsel

  President Charles Logan : [to Don]  President Palmer is outside the chain of command is what you're asking?

  Don Ashton : I'm just asking for clarification Sir

  President Charles Logan : The missile carrying the nuclear warhead was launched from a location in central Iowa, it's becoming more and more "likely" that the target is on or near one of the coasts

  Jennie : It's clearly going to be New York or DC: why aren't we evacuating those two cities?

  David Palmer : I disagree Jennie. It's not clear, and if you start to evacuate these two cities, then you may have unauthorized mass exodus of Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Atlanta. That's a situation the President shouldn't be dealing with

  Don Ashton : [to Palmer]  maybe the "President" should be telling us that himself?

  President Charles Logan : [to Don]  Mr. Speaker, I've discussed this option with a number of my domestic experts, including President Palmer and that's my assessment as well

  Don Ashton : What about air defense? We're going to stand by and let the airspace over these cities remain undefended?

  David Palmer : We have a limited number of F-18's intercepting jets at our disposal: they need to be augmenting the search for this missile, and not deployed in a "wait and see" mode

  Don Ashton : Mr. Palmer, I'm sure we all appreciate your desire to help but the Constitution has determined who the decision maker should be at this time, I think your overstepping your bounds

  David Palmer : In the first place, it's "Mr. President" Don, and it is the "content" of my statement you should be addressing...

  President Charles Logan : [Interrupts him]  David, it's true, you are to be addressed as "President", it's an expression of respect but not a functional title

  David Palmer : I understand that Sir but you have to understand I've been through this crisis before

  President Charles Logan : Yes, but "we" are here now. The appointed and lawful representatives of the people of the United States

  David Palmer : Mr. President, I would... .

  President Charles Logan : [Interrupts him]  David, there will be no more discussion on this matter, your point has been taken, however, Ashton has made a good point and I want to address his concerns

  David Palmer : Perhaps it's best I excuse myself?