We recently wrote in Politico about the Jack Bauer moment — how nearly every debate includes some cameo mention of the “24″ action hero character.

Last night’s CNN/YouTube debate did not disappoint.

Here’s John McCain admonishing Mitt Romney over waterboarding:

Well, then you would have to advocate that we withdraw from the Geneva Conventions, which were for the treatment of people who were held prisoners, whether they be illegal combatants or regular prisoners of war. Because it’s clear the definition of torture. It’s in violation of laws we have passed.

And again, I would hope that we would understand, my friends, that life is not “24″ and Jack Bauer.

Life may not be Jack Bauer.  But debates certainly are.

And a postscript — we’ll believe this is the first time an Axis leader has made a debate appereance — John McCain admonishing Ron Paul over Iraq:

We allowed Hitler to come to power with that kind of attitude of isolationism and appeasement.

Jack Bauer would never have let that happen.

Why would anyone write this in Politico?

Call it the Jack Bauer moment.

It’s the moment in nearly every presidential candidate debate when the moderator asks the question that would please Jack Bauer. That is, if the “24″ action hero would get off his cell phone long enough to pay attention to the campaign.

Find out by clicking here.

When crooked former President Logan’s artery was stabbed open during last night’s “24″ episode, it brought home a stark truth: Not since Helen Thomas entered the White House press briefing room has the Presidency been under this much assault.

A few episodes ago — two hours in Jack Bauer time — current President Palmer was blown to smithereens, surviving of course.  That’s after last season the other President Palmer was shot and killed by a koala bear, if I remember correctly.

In real life battles, White House staff need A-list super lawyers.  In “24,” they just need Kevlar.

Fun item in the Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire blog by Ben Winograd:

Fans of the Fox show “24″ may have noticed a subtle historical reference in Monday’s episode sure to fuel the ongoing debate over the program’s stance toward the real U.S. government’s conduct since 9/11.
For those unfamiliar with this season’s plot, U.S. cities have suffered a series of attacks over the previous three months orchestrated by a character named Abu Fayed. A nuclear bomb went off outside Los Angeles in a prior episode, and Fayed plans to detonate four more.
Hoping to head off the attacks, the president’s chief of staff has pushed for an executive order suspending habeas corpus and expanding a series of detention centers for Muslim residents. The president has resisted issuing such a decree, which he last night referred to as “Executive Order 1066.”
Though not identical, the name might remind some of Executive Order 9066, which President Franklin Roosevelt issued in February 1942. The measure led to the internment of nearly 120,000 residents of Japanese ancestry, mostly U.S. citizens. The Supreme Court blessed the tactic in the early 1940s, but the U.S. government apologized for the practice in the 1980s.

Interesting theory.  My two cents: I thought 24’s mention of 1066 was a reference to the Battle of Hastings in 1066, which lead to the end of Anglo-Saxon rule over England, and thus an allegory about weak defense.  Even in hindsight, though, it’s tough to tell whether William, Duke of Normandy, can be classified as an evil-doer.

Marion Barry, who’s had his share of brushes with the law, gets off a good line in today’s Examiner Yeas and Nays column:

Just when we thought Anacostia might finally have a bright future, we find out that the government has a Guantanamo-like facility there?
Yes, fans of the hit Fox show “24” may have noticed that during Monday’s episode, the president of the United States’ sister, Sandra Palmer (played by Regina King), and her boyfriend, Walid Al-Rezani (played by Harry Lennix), who’s with the Islamic American Alliance, are sent to “one of our provisional facilities” (says a presidential aide) after Palmer deleted personnel files sought by the FBI.
What does Council Member Marion Barry, who represents Anacostia, think of the prospect of an Anacostia-based detainment facility?
“There’s nothing funny or entertaining about such a scenario,” he told Yeas & Nays. “We’re not that much in need of development that we would tolerate something like that.”

By the way, the Extreme Mortman family watched that scene a few times on video, and was struck by how sunny and nice the weather was at the Anacostia detention facility.  Couldn’t find a palm tree, but the shrubbery looked very Southern Cal.

In “24’s” view of the world, terrorists are obsessed with Los Angeles.  They live there, they plot there, and they nuke there.  Good thing Jack Bauer calls Hollywood home.

So imagine our thrill to spot this item in Inside Cable News, which links to this Fort Worth Star-Telegram report:

John Cornyn is a U.S. senator, and he plays one on TV.
Yep, the Texas lawmaker and former judge — who, with his snow-white hair and judicial manner, has been called a central-casting version of a politician — taped a mock promo piece for the popular television thriller 24 on the Fox network.
In the spot, which was broadcast Friday on Fox News Live, Cornyn appears to endorse the show, of which he is a fan.
“Here in Congress, protecting the American people and winning the war on terror is our No. 1 priority. But has anyone also noticed there have been no terrorist attacks in the United States since Jack Bauer has appeared on television? … Think about it. And join me in watching this season of 24.”
Brian Walsh, Cornyn’s press aide in Washington, said that the senator enjoyed showing off his lighthearted side but that he’s not going Hollywood.
“It was a one-time thing,” Walsh said.

Maybe after Jack Bauer stops coddling terrorists and murdering patriotic American CTU specialists, he’ll take a much-needed sabbatical … in Texas.  Hey, don’t mess with Texas — or Jack Bauer.

The Heritage Foundation today hosted this conference:  “‘24′ and America’s Image in Fighting Terrorism: Fact, Fiction, or Does it Matter?”

Best line from the conference: If people would just do what Jack Bauer says, the show would be called “12.”

Sometimes when legislative bodies pass laws, you are suprised to learn that common-sense rights you just assumed you had, well, you actually never did.

Such was the case with protecting your home, your castle, in Arizona. Last month, Governor Janet Napolitano (D) signed Arizona’s SB 1145, the “Castle Doctrine” legislation. Excerpts:

a person is justified in using physical force or deadly physical force against another person if the person reasonably believes himself or another person to be in imminent peril of death or serious bodily injury and the person against whom the physical force or deadly physical force is used was in the process of unlawfully and forcefully entering, or had unlawfully and forcefully entered, a dwelling, residence or occupied motor vehicle, or had removed or was attempting to remove another person against the other person’s will from the dwelling, residence or occupied motor vehicle. … A person has no duty to retreat before threatening or using physical force or deadly physical force.

In other words, it’s OK now to have doorbells in Arizona that, instead of going ding-dong, say, “Go ahead, make my day.”

With tonight’s season finale of “24,” it’s worth one more tribute to legendary President Logan — if only to point that actor Gregory Itzin, who plays Logan, was in 1980’s masterpiece screwball comedy “Airplane,” playing a religious zealot.  Talk about a career coming full circle.

SPOILER – THIS COLUMN WILL DEVULGE FUTURE POLITICAL TRENDS AND HAPPENINGS STOP

IF YOU WISH TO BE SURPRISED BY LIFE’S EVENTS DO NOT READ FURTHER FULL STOP

President Logan has a unique approach to fighting terrorism. Vacillation, weaselness, weakness, unsteadiness, spinelessness, lunacy — those are the tools of Logan’s trade when the pressure of evil doers gets to him on “24.” But in last night’s episode, President Logan did something no President, fictional or otherwise, has done in a while — pray. He directed top aide Michael Novick — who looks like he’s about one shot way from mistakenly nailing a hunter pal — to “pray with me.”

Where have we heard that before?

Nixon did it for real with Kissinger. But more fun was this skit from the first season of “Saturday Night Live,” with Dan Aykroyd as Nixon and John Belushi as Kissinger.

President Richard Nixon: Henry, get down on your knees and pray with me.

Henry Kissinger: Mr. President, you’ve got a big day tomorrow, why don’t ve get in our pajamas und go sleepy?

President Richard Nixon: Don’t you want to pray, you Christ-killer?

Henry Kissinger: I don’t vant to get into zat again, Mr. President

By the way, speaking of President Logan, quite a move not lifting a finger to save the iron-willed and full-spirited First Lady from certain doom. Think that’s based on reality, too?