Pop!!

And that noise you just heard was Andrew Sullivan’s head exploding after someone hands him the transcript from this evening’s episode of 24:

[Int: Senate hearing room, where a smarmy, elitist liberal senator looks down his nose at Jack Bauer, questioning his actions in the course of duty. Needless to say, our boy Jack is having no part of it.]

Jack Bauer: It’s obvious that your agenda is to discredit CTU and generate a series of indictments…

Pompous Self Righteous Senator: My only agenda is to get to the truth.

JB: I don’t think it is.

PSRS: Excuse me?

JB: Ibrahim Haddad had targeted a bus carrying 45 people, 10 of which were children. The truth, Senator, is that I stopped that attack from happening.

PSRS: By torturing Mr. Haddad!

JB: By doing what I deemed necessary to protect innocent lives.

PSRS: So basically, what you’re saying Mr. Bauer, is that the ends justify the means, and that you are above the law.

JB: When I am activated, when I am brought into a situation, there is a reason. And that reason is to complete the objectives of my mission at all cost.

PSRS: Even if it means breaking the law?

JB: For a combat soldier the difference between success and failure is the ability to adapt to your enemy. The people that I deal with, they don’t care about your rules. All that they care about is a result. My job is to stop them from accomplishing their objectives. I simply adapted. In answer to your question, am I above the law? No sir. I am more than willing to be judged by the people you claim to represent. I will let them decide what price I should pay. But please, do not sit there with that smug look on your face and expect me to regret the decisions I have made. Because sir, the truth is, I don’t.

America: Fuck yeah.