Good Grief!

It's a freaking tv show. Please tell me that people (especially in government and talk radio) aren't taking this seriously.

Looks happy doesn't she? The yuck factor is waaay too high for me.

Chertoff says homeland security no '24' - TELEVISION - MSNBC.com: "And so it went in the surreal meeting of Hollywood and Washington, sponsored by the Heritage Foundation think tank, about America's image in the war on terror. The audience included Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife, Ginny, in the front row.

The star of '24,' Kiefer Sutherland — that's agent Jack Bauer — wasn't there.

In one parallel between Homeland Security and the show, Chertoff spoke of the challenges in 'trying to make the best choice with a series of bad options.'

Characters on '24' constantly face situations 'where there is no clear magic bullet to solve the problem, and you have to weigh the cost benefits of a series of unpalatable alternatives,' he said.

'That is what we do every day.'

Limbaugh peppered the panel over whether '24' influences public perceptions about counterterrorism, and whether the actors are snubbed by Hollywood liberals for participating in what Limbaugh called a 'pro-America show.'

Gregory Itzin, who plays the nefarious President Charles Logan, said he has had to defend himself from one or two people 'about the fact that the show does have torture issues and how could I live with that.'

'It's a show!' he said. 'I've done Shakespeare and have killed people with a sword.'

Later, Limbaugh went back to the program's creation, saying: 'You got lucky with 9/11 happening shortly after the show started." He quickly stopped himself, saying: "Sorry — not got lucky — bad choice of words.' At another point, he offered a story line for a political cameo: Democratic Rep. John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, a tough critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policy, as 'head of the new KGB.'"

Oh yeah, like The Agency and Threat Matrix (disappeared faster than Osama been Forgotten) were big hits and they were scheduled around 9/11. The Agency was a little closer to the truth than 24 but not as much bloodshed or great one liners.

I would love to know what the actors (Mary Lynn is a stand up comedian) had to say afterwards. A Supreme Court judge and Rush Limbaugh, what a combination. Did they ask Tom Clancy to attend this time?

No wonder American Idol is so popular. People really think this stuff is true to life. Sheeple.

Update: I was channeling Modo and didn't know it!

The hapless homeland security chief could snatch more money away from American locales most likely to be hit by Al Qaeda. Or let another wonderful city fall into a watery abyss. Or go on TV and help cable news hype the saga of the Miami gang of terrorist wannabes who look like they couldn't find the local Sears, let alone the Sears Tower.

These guys were so lame they asked an informant for boots, radios, binoculars, uniforms and cash, believing he was Al Qaeda — and that jihadists need uniforms.

Instead, the cadaverous Chertoff was gallivanting on stage yesterday morning with some fictional counterterrorism experts from "24." The producers, writer and three actors from the Fox show appeared at an event sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
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Lulled by our spy thrillers and Tom Clancy novels, we used to take for granted that our intelligence agencies were just as capable as heroes on the screen. Jack Ryan, either the Harrison Ford, the Alec Baldwin or even the Ben Affleck version, could have gotten Osama single-handedly in the two hours allotted.
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On the homeland security set, Mr. Chertoff, flanked by the actors who play the beautiful technogeek Chloe and President Logan, seemed a little fuzzy about whether the fancy technology on "24" exists.

He noted, "One thing you don't see on '24' is when the computer's crashing and having to get the I.T. people to come in to reboot and get the computer working again." Given that the F.B.I. is struggling to get a computer system that can simultaneously search for "flight" and "schools," his answer was not all that funny.

It makes me wonder if the theme song for this administration is "A Rock and Roll Fantasy" since they aren't dealing in reality.

Update 2: Okay, this seems to be a major news story. A five page article over at ABC.com, the WaahPoo has an article.

Very little news about the sneak estate tax that made its way through the house. Nice going guys.

Tags: 24, Clarence Thomas, rush limbaugh, Gregory Itzin, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Maureen Dowd, Michael Chertoff