Roger Stanton

Roger Stanton was the director of the NSA. He served under David Palmer during Day 2.

Day 2
Roger Stanton appears after Eric Rayburn, tasked with briefing and assisting President David Palmer counter the nuclear threat to Los Angeles posed by Second Wave. Stanton at first seems to be uninvolved in the supposed conspiracy against the President as revealed by Sherry Palmer.

Stanton was concerned about an intelligence share between the United States and the unnamed Middle Eastern countries during Day 2. It is suspected that he caused the helicopter crash of Farhad Salim and Ambassador Shareef. Later, Palmer determines that he has been working to undermine him because of his connection to Coral Snake. He has Col. Lamb place him under arrest for treason, and sends Secret Service agent Ted Simmons to torture him.

It transpires that Stanton is a key figure in this conspiracy and, having had prior knowledge of the nuclear weapon, allowed the bomb into the country under the advisement of Peter Kingsley.



Unaware of Kingsley's real agenda, Stanton intended for a paramilitary group known as Coral Snake to track the bomb and neutralise the threat at the last moment. His objectives, in his words, were to give the Palmer administration "balls" and toughen up the President's agenda. Stanton only reveals this to the President after he is tortured - something which is later used against President Palmer in the attempted take-over by Vice President Jim Prescott.

Stanton's plan fails when the Coral Snake team captain, Jonathan Wallace, kills the other six members of the team under orders from Kingsley, allowing the Second Wave terrorists to come very close to fulfilling their plan.

During the interrogation, President Palmer tells Stanton that he would be executed if people die during the bomb blast. However the bomb was detonated safely by George Mason and lives were saved, but during the aftermath of the bomb's detonation Middle Eastern neighbourhoods were attacked in retaliation and many people died as a result including a young boy.

Later in the day, he testifies against Palmer in the 25th Amendment proceedings on behalf of Jim Prescott.

When CTU exposed Peter Kingsley, with help from Sherry Palmer she was able to get Kingsley to confirm that Stanton was involved with the plot and that Palmer was telling the truth in his testimony about Stanton's involvement.

The fate of Stanton was not explained, but it is possible that President Palmer would have carried out his word earlier in the day to have Stanton executed or sentenced to life in prison on the charges of treason.

Memorable quotes

 * David Palmer: What are you trying to do? Start a war with the Middle East?
 * Roger Stanton: No.
 * David Palmer: Then what?
 * Roger Stanton: Your defense policy is too passive. You need more resources.
 * David Palmer: You're trying to hijack my presidency.
 * Roger Stanton: No, no, no. But I'd like to give it some balls.

Day 2
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