24 (TV Series)

Day 7: 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. (2009)

Kurtwood Smith: Senator Blaine Mayer

Photos 

Quotes 

• Senator Blaine Mayer : You're reprehensible, Bauer.

  Jack Bauer : And you, sir, are weak! Unwilling and unable to look evil in the eye and deal with it!

• Senator Blaine Mayer : I see you found the bar: mind if I join you?

  Ethan Kanin : [Holding a glass of liquor]  something I never knew, if it ain't from Kentucky, you can't call it bourbon

  Senator Blaine Mayer : [Irritated]  spare me the southern gentlemen "routine", the President didn't call me up here in the "ass end of the day" to drink her booze. I flipped through the briefing book

  Ethan Kanin : I thought it might be "helpful" before your meeting to bring you "up to speed" on the events of the last ten hours

  Senator Blaine Mayer : [Casually gets up to leave]  ok, I'm "up to speed"

  Ethan Kanin : Surely you have some "reaction" to what you just read

  Senator Blaine Mayer : [Sits back down]  damn right I have a "reaction". I want to know what all this has to do with Jack Bauer? I mean that's the reason I'm here right?

  Ethan Kanin : Without Mr. Bauer, we would've never "uncovered" the conspiracy, in the first. Nor the people behind it, his efforts in conjunction with those at the FBI are largely responsible for the arrests being made right now: across the District

  Senator Blaine Mayer : You're not saying his acting in an official capacity? I don't have to tell you how this looks, colluding with a rogue operative from a disbanded agency?

  Ethan Kanin : I'm sorry you see it that way

  Senator Blaine Mayer : How else am I supposed to see it?

  Ethan Kanin : The way the President does, that Jack Bauer saved lives today: plain and simple, including her husband's. Look, I know this isn't easy for you, the public battle you waged against detainee abuse, human rights violations...

  Senator Blaine Mayer : [Interrupts him]  are you "seriously" asking me to "look the other way" on this? I have been after this son of a bitch for years. His a thug, his "exhibit A"

  Ethan Kanin : The President's prepared to reverse policy and support your amendment to the War Crimes Act

  Senator Blaine Mayer : In exchange for what "exactly"?

  Ethan Kanin : The hearings: declare a recess until after the holidays, and "quietly" let Mr. Baker's subpoena "expire"

  Senator Blaine Mayer : And if I refuse to go along?

  Ethan Kanin : The President is prepared to invoke Executive Privilege

  Senator Blaine Mayer : Executive Privilege? Meaning what "exactly"?

  Ethan Kanin : Well, that's for the President to decide

  Senator Blaine Mayer : Are you talking about a pardon?

  Ethan Kanin : I wouldn't rule it out

  Senator Blaine Mayer : If that's how the President wants to "play it", you can tell her she just walked into a "street fight"

  Ethan Kanin : [Before leaving]  you can tell her yourself

• Senator Blaine Mayer : Madam President, I don't care if his source is the Blessed Virgin Mary, nothing justifies what happened in this room.

• Senator Blaine Mayer : Let me just remind you Madam President, you supported the effort to ban abuse and torture: you campaigned to reform the intelligence agencies

  President Allison Taylor : Over these past ten hours, things haven't appeared as black and white as they once did

  Senator Blaine Mayer : Well, there's nothing gray about Jack Bauer. The man committed atrocities, prisoners have died in his custody

  President Allison Taylor : Mr. Bauer has served under the aides of three Presidents: not just me

  Senator Blaine Mayer : Is it anymore lawful? Or anymore less repugnant if it's authorized at the highest level? The state of award is not a blank check for the President or for anyone

  President Allison Taylor : [irritated]  Oh, don't lecture me, I am well aware of the limits of my power

  Senator Blaine Mayer : With all due respect madam President, your power is great: just be careful you use it to send the right message

  President Allison Taylor : All I'm asking you to do is excuse Mr. Bauer as a witness. It's not a message, it's an expression of gratitude for what he has done today

  Senator Blaine Mayer : You're asking me to excuse him as a target of the investigation, and the message is clear: under certain circumstances, you believe his methods are acceptable

  President Allison Taylor : Some would argue they are

  Senator Blaine Mayer : And they would be wrong, under any military or moral standard. America has been down this road madam President, you, yourself called it a national tragedy

  President Allison Taylor : It was a tragedy, I still believe that

  Senator Blaine Mayer : Pardoning Jack Bauer and you are telling every interrogator in the field, that it's open season again