Air Force One (1997)

Dean Stockwell: Defense Secretary Walter Dean

Photos 

Quotes 

• White House General : [after hearing the president]  My God! Is he saying what I think he's saying?

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : If we're going to act, we have to act now.

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : It's too risky.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : The president is up there with a gun to his head.

  General Northwood : He asking us to do that to Air Force One?

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : He's not asking. Your Commander-in-Chief has issued a direct order. Do it!

• Defense Secretary Walter Dean : We found the escape pod. It's empty.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : So where's the president?

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : I think we have to acknowledge the possibility that the president may be dead.

  White House Aide Thomas Lee : Why wouldn't they tell us?

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : Diversion. Try to buy some time. It could've happened in a crossfire, and they're afraid we'll retaliate.

  General Northwood : Damn right we'll retaliate. We'll release General Radek into the god damn atmosphere.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : It doesn't add up. That terrorist knew that we'd recover the pod in short order. He expected that we'd be talking to Marshall.

  White House General : Let's not bury him yet. He could still be alive on that plane. Let's not forget this president is a Medal of Honor winner. In Vietnam, he flew more helicopter rescue missions than any man in my command. He knows how to fight.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : Then he's taking a terrible chance with his life.

  White House General : The element of surprise is a formidable advantage in combat. If he's up there, he's the best chance that we have.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : That pod was designed for a reason, General. He has no right to take chances with his life.

• General Northwood : Moscow police found six members of a Russian TV news crew murdered. The same crew that was cleared to fly on Air Force One.

  White House Aide Thomas Lee : Jesus.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : Oh, please tell me it's not that easy.

  White House Aide Thomas Lee : No. You would have to generate fake ID, photo, fingerprints.

  General Northwood : Could be with a little help from Moscow.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : How would they get the weapons on board the plane?

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : There's no way to get weapons aboard Air Force One. It's impossible.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : Well, there are enough weapons already on board to take Panama, but who has access to them?

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : You think someone on the plane helped them?

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : What if somebody did and they're still on the plane? Who do they trust up there? Who do we trust?

• Defense Secretary Walter Dean : The United States does not negotiate with terrorists. It's been our bedrock principle for 25 years. You can't give in to them now. It'll be open season on the U.S. Many more will die.

• Vice President Kathryn Bennett : Can't we release him today and pick up the pieces tomorrow? We caught him before, we catch him again.

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : If Petrov releases Radek, his government will fall. I promise you that. Then who's gonna stand up to Radek? You go to catch him again, you're gonna find him in Moscow.

  White House Aide Thomas Lee : With all respect, Mr. Secretary, we don't need more dramatics. We need options.

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : It's not an option.

  White House Aide Thomas Lee : We need a decision.

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : It's not her decision.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : No?

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : This is a military situation. I'm the Secretary of Defense. Check your regs. In the absence of the president, the buck stops here.

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : Get the Attorney General with a copy of the Constitution. We have...

  [checking their watches] 

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : Oh, my god! 19 minutes. I'm gonna consult with President Petrov.

• Vice President Kathryn Bennett : What does the psych profile say? How far do they say he'll go?

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : He's a Radek loyalist. That tells us all we need to know, doesn't it?

  White House Aide Thomas Lee : He'll see this thing through to the last hostage or his own death.

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : You release this bastard, and all of Central Asia will go up in flames!

  Vice President Kathryn Bennett : I'm well aware of that.

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : Bring back the old Soviet empire under a flag of genocide? Radek with a nuclear arsenal? I hate to say this, but 50 people is a small price to pay to stop that from happening.

  White House Aide Thomas Lee : Even if one of them is the president?

  Defense Secretary Walter Dean : The presidency is bigger than any one man. Didn't they teach you that at Yale?