Jack Bauer quotes from 24

Jack

Tell the President I'm sorry, I can't do this any more.

Buchanan

The hell you can't!

Bill Buchanan

Curtis didn't leave you any choice.

Jack Bauer

That's what I keep trying to tell myself.

This morning at the hearing you said you had no regrets, but what I saw was a man full of regret.

Jack

Of course I have regret, Senator. I regret losing my family. My wife was murdered because I was responsible for protecting David Palmer during the assassination attempt. My daughter can't even look at me. Every day I regret looking into the eyes of men, women and children knowing that any moment their lives may be deemed expendable in an effort to protect the greater good. I regret every decision and mistake I might have made that resulted in the loss of an innocent life. But you know what I regret the most? That this world even needs people like me.

You think I'm naïve to think that we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard of conduct?

Jack

It doesn't even matter what I think, Senator. You just need to understand that where I work things get a lot messier than where you work on the Hill.

What you've lost, Mr. Bauer, is tragic. What you've been through compelled to do in the name of saving innocent life is tragic. But sometimes we need to incur the most horrible losses in order to uphold the ideals that this country was founded on. How can we presume to lead the world unless we set an example?

Jack

You make it sound so simple.

Well, maybe it's simpler than you think. Maybe all the things that you've seen and all the things that you've done have clouded your vision.

Tony

What the hell are you doing? Don't do it, Jack. Don't turn a surveillance job into a firefight; it'll be two against ten!

Jack

Two against nine.

Teri

Jack?

Jack

Oh. Sweetheart, we already talked about this, remember? You're supposed to call me Grandpa.

Teri

You don't look like a grandpa.

Jack

'Couldn't agree with you more.

Jack

(while holding Pres. Logan at gunpoint) Call President Suvarov and tell him you want to meet him where you are immediately after the press conference.

And what am I supposed to tell him?

Jack

(smiling) Try the truth for once. Tell him that you have credible intelligence about a threat to his life.