Or maybe, just maybe, Americans know the difference between a TV show and reality

Media Matters has the latest on how conservatives are trying to promote 24 for their own interests. My favorite examples:

...conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham told host Bill O'Reilly: "The average American out there loves the show 24. OK? They love Jack Bauer. They love 24. In my mind that's close to a national referendum that it's OK to use tough tactics against high-level Al Qaeda operatives as we're going to get."

See the above headline. Also, does anyone ever wonder how conservatives rationalize theories like this with Bush's 28% approval rating? Speaking of which:

From the September 7, 2006, edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck:

BECK: The president said these "alternative procedures" and secret prisons have saved American lives. He said they have saved -- or stopped plots designed to occur inside the U.S. Things like downing of airplanes, bombing office buildings, and potential biological attacks. Things we've never heard about.

Oh, well, if the president said it, that settles it. After all...what has the president ever done to arouse suspicion?

Of course, this stuff never used to bother me as much until I learned that 24's co-creator actually means the show to be a rationalization for torture...