24 (TV Series)

Day 3: 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (2004)

Dennis Haysbert: President David Palmer

Photos 

Quotes 

• Wayne Palmer : [Briefing David using a map of the city on a monitor]  quarantined areas are circled in red: now as far we know we have containment

  President David Palmer : Still not certain?

  Wayne Palmer : No, we can't really be certain for hours: maybe days. Listen, the press has been breathing down Gerry's neck pretty hard, now he thinks we should release a statement

  President David Palmer : I already have. I've closed down public transportation and I've told the people to stay in their homes. We have F-18's patrolling the sky

  Wayne Palmer : You haven't revealed the exact nature of this threat and press has been picking up on that

  President David Palmer : We have ten million people spread out over a four thousand square mile area. If even a small percentage decide to leave at the same time, it will ignite a public panic beyond anything we could control. The "right" thing to do is to withhold the truth until we're sure the virus is contained

  Wayne Palmer : [Before walking away]  I'll tell Gerry to hold off on the press as long as he can

• President David Palmer : [Meeting privately]  please take a seat

  Senator John Keeler : Thank you, I'll stand

  President David Palmer : You can imagine my surprise when I was told me you wanted to see me: are you withdrawing from the race?

  Senator John Keeler : Mr. President, with respect to the death of Alan Milliken, I know you lied to the police

  President David Palmer : Excuse me?

  Senator John Keeler : You obstructed the investigation of a capital crime

  President David Palmer : That's a baseless charge though I've come to expected this recklessness from you

  Senator John Keeler : No Sir, it is neither "baseless" nor "reckless." This is a photograph of the Nitroglycerin that would've saved Milliken's life: if it hadn't been kept from him, you told the police Sherry was with you at the time of Milliken's death. Fingerprints on this prescription bottle prove otherwise. Now the last thing this country needs is to have its President "dragged through the mud" for complicity in a murder

  President David Palmer : Why are you showing me this? What do you want?

  Senator John Keeler : Your resignation: not immediately of course but once this crisis you're dealing with is over, you can resign with any kind of "face saving" reason you want to give

  President David Palmer : [Sternly]  get out of here

  Senator John Keeler : I'm giving you the chance to leave this Office with honor, to control how your legacy is written. It's a good deal, you should take it

• President David Palmer : [Over the phone]  you've gone too far this time

  Sherry Palmer : You know I thought I might be hearing from you

  President David Palmer : [Angrily]  you send Keeler over here to blackmail me into giving up my Presidency?

  Sherry Palmer : [Denying her involvement]  whoa, slow down, you mean Keeler paid you a visit?

  President David Palmer : You know damn well he did and you know why: only one person could've given him that prescription bottle and that's you

  Sherry Palmer : Ok, supposing that was true, what then?

  President David Palmer : You could go to jail for murder

  Sherry Palmer : You could go to jail too. You lied to the police, you told them I was with you all night, withholding evidence, obstruction of justice: those are serious crimes. I know you always wanted to go down in the history books but I'm not certain like this, am I right?

  President David Palmer : What did Keeler offer you?

  Sherry Palmer : Exactly what you should've offered me: respect and a seat at the table but instead you called me up when you needed me and after I did your little "dirty work", you threw me out like an old pair of shoes

  President David Palmer : You know me, better than anyone and you know I won't be bullied so before this goes too far you better ask yourself one question: "Are you willing to go to jail?"

  Sherry Palmer : You know I've asked myself that a million times and the answer is "Yes I am willing to go to jail." The question is "Are you?"

  Sherry Palmer : [after David remain silent, chuckles, before hanging up the phone]  I didn't think so

• Wayne Palmer : So, what did Keeler want?

  President David Palmer : My job: he has proof that Sherry was at Alan Milliken's tonight

  Wayne Palmer : [Shocked]  what? What proof?

  President David Palmer : [while handing a picture of the prescription bottle]  Alan Milliken's prescription bottle turned up with Sherry's fingerprints on it

  Wayne Palmer : How did he even get a hold of this?

  President David Palmer : How do you think?

  Wayne Palmer : Sherry?

  President David Palmer : I talked to her a few minutes ago: she didn't even bother to deny it

  Wayne Palmer : She's got to be bluffing, I mean if this gets out, she goes to jail

  President David Palmer : So will I, she figures I have more to lose than she does. I think she's right

  Wayne Palmer : What does Keeler want you to do?

  President David Palmer : Withdraw from the race with whatever reason I choose, our party gets thrown into chaos whoever takes my place won't have a prayer in the election and Keeler becomes President

  Wayne Palmer : Oh my God, this all my fault

  President David Palmer : Hey look, we both made mistakes. I'm the one who called Sherry

  Wayne Palmer : There may be a way out of this

  President David Palmer : How?

  Wayne Palmer : [Referring to the prescription bottle, while holding the picture]  without this, Sherry's got nothing right?

  President David Palmer : What're you suggesting?

  Wayne Palmer : That we take away the only leverage she has

  President David Palmer : You mean steal evidence? My God

  Wayne Palmer : Before you say "No", just think about this ok? I can call Foxton and he can make all of this disappear. All you have to do is give me the "Ok"

  President David Palmer : [Lowers his head then back up giving his approval to Wayne]