Best explanation for the twenty-four hour pause

From Bro. Bartleby on Crooked Timber. Cheney had to make a phone call ...

Dick: Now what?
Teddy: You have 24 hours to come up with something, a minute over and then ‘you’ set precedence and you’ll be free game.
Dick: Thanks Ted, and thank god I didn’t have to swim out of this mess.
Teddy: Tell me about it. Well, the clock is ticking … and by the way, did you know that the insurance covered the water damage to that 67 Oldsmobile Delta 88.
Dick: A Delta 88!? You know what that would be worth today!
Teddy: Tell me about it … my loss.

Via.