Cal Nails It: Spoiled By Desert Storm Success, America Awaits Jack Bauer

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Cal Thomas had the line of the night on this evening's Fox News Watch. Here's how the conservative commentator explained Americans' dissatisfaction with progress in Iraq:

"Part of the problem here is we have Desert Storm with the 100-hour war. Everybody came home. There were victory marches, General Schwarzkopf leading. The press was full of stories: 'we finally got the Vietnam monkey off our back.' Now we're used to the very quick action. It's not going to happen, except thank goodness Jack Bauer is coming back to make it happen on '24' - that's what we're waiting for."

Well said, Cal.

View video here.Interestingly, Cal's comment echoed that made to me by Colonel George Bristol, Commanding Officer at Camp Fallujah when I visited there. He also alluded to our quick success in Desert Storm and expressed confidence we could win in Iraq - given the time.

Mark was in Iraq in November. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Waiting-for-Jack-Bauer ping to Today show list.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I have an admission to make: I've never watched one episode of '24'!

[Txsleuth]

I would have enjoyed it more if Cal hadn't started his speech with a slam at "the great communicator administration"...

I don't believe that Pres. Bush has ever contended that he is "the great communicator".

[livius]

Bush hasn't, and he's not. That said, I actually never liked Reagan's voice and I never found him that convincing as a "communicator." Obviously, other people did, but not me.

What I found convincing was what he did.

[Bahbah]

Mark, you need to join the 24 devotes. It is a trip. Not for the weak of heart though.

Now, mind you, I watch NO regular entertainment programs, but 24 has got me hooked utterly.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I bet I'd like it, but if I'm not mistaken it's on Sunday nights when I tend to be watching those awesome HBO original series!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Wouldn't it be hard to get into at this stage, in any case?

[KillTime]

I'd recommend the first season and this last one; the last season was the best action/suspense show ever on tv; I was pacing the floor the first few hours.

[stig]

I have an admission to make: I've never watched one episode of '24'!

Don't start you'll get hooked like I did two years ago. Those 2 hour season openers hook you. It's the crack cocaine of network tv.

[lesser_satan]

Same here. The new season of Rome starts tomorrow, BTW.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Would you believe I set a TV reminder two weeks ago to be sure not to miss it?!

[Txsleuth]

Last year a few freepers talked me into watching 24...I had never watched it because I don't watch network TV.

I thought the same thing...that since I hadn't been watching from the start, I would get confused or not enjoy it that much...

I was WRONG..I was so hooked after the 1st night..but, it is an addiction...truly.

[Miss Marple]

I recommend renting the first season from Blockbuster or something. Make sure you get all the episodes and watch them in order.

I have yet to watch it in regular time, although we may start this Sunday. My husband and I didn't understand what the fuss was about until we watched a couple of seasons. Honestly, it is the most exciting show I have ever seen on TV...and the plot twists keep you guessing through the whole thing. Well worth it!

[pieceofthepuzzle]

I'm really tired of this nonsense about 'can we win?'. Of course we can win. We have enough junk in our trunk to destroy the entire Middle East in less than a week. That's the difference between us and them. We have the capability, but we don't use it because we value human life and we want to 'fix the problem' with minimal loss of life. If these jerks (Queda et. al.) had the capacity, which they don't, they would use it in a heartbeat. When the morons in the media have this debate from now on it shouldn't be centered on the question 'can we win?'. It should be rephrased as "Can we win without taking the gloves off?". That is truly the question.

[capt. norm]

I have an admission to make: I've never watched one episode of '24'!

Same here...and intentionally so. I'm going to get the DVD sets and watch them in context.

Too much is lost by joining a 'tight' series like this in the middle.

[Bahbah]

Wouldn't it be hard to get into at this stage, in any case?

Nope. It was in its third season before comments I happened to see on this forun got me interested enough to watch one episode. Now I unplug the phone and allow no interruptions. It is amazing.

[A Citizen Reporter]

I will highly recommend it. I watched some of season one, and then didn't keep up. Started watching the DVDs around Thanksgiving, and I whipped through all five seasons. It's quite addicting and when you have a DVD you don't have to wait a week to resolve the cliff-hanger.

It is the best thing being written and produced for any medium in years and years.

[95Theses]

So what's everyone's record for most 24 episodes watched in one day?

My wife and I once made 7. My friend and his wife have done 8 - twice.

[lesser_satan]

Have you heard anything about when the new Sopranos season starts?