Verbatim

Thanks to everyone who has viewed Verbatim over the past couple of months and added their content to share. With the conclusion of our spring semester at UNC-Chapel Hill Verbatim will be taking a summer hiatus, but will return in August 2009 to continue to provide the best public information related quotes.

We wish everyone a terrific, safe summer and we’ll see you in the fall.

And congratulations to all our graduates! 

 

Andy Ives

Verbatim  Webmaster and Assistant Editor

“It seems that this administration looks for every opportunity they can to seek to embarrass the previous administration.  And I think this is one time they really overstepped their bounds.”

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), msnbc.com, Apr. 20, 2009.  Chambliss discussed his disapproval for Obama’s interaction with Venezuelan President Hugo Chaves at the recent Summit of the Americas.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/20/1900519.aspx

 

“It is very American to talk about secession. That’s how we came in being. Thirteen colonies seceded from the British and established a new country. So secession is a very much American principle.”

- Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.), politico.com, Apr. 20, 2009. Paul defended Texas Governor Rick Perry’s suggestion that the state of Texas might secede from the U.S. to protest Democratic spending and tax policies.

 

“I joined Twitter a few months ago; so far, it has been a liberating way to transition from political to personal blogging… There’s also been a downside: I am now being followed by Karl Rove, and my local sheriff, and God knows how many other political pundits. We need to take Twitter back from the creepy people.”

- Meghan McCain, daughter of former GOP presidential candidate John McCain, CNNPolitics.com, Apr. 19, 2009. Meghan McCain discussed the pitfalls of social media site, Twitter.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

 

“Let’s give the new administration a chance. Let’s not question their intentions. Let’s have a real debate on their policies.”

- Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana, Politico.com, Apr. 16, 2009. Jindal responded when asked to comment on Dick Cheney’s recent intense criticism of Obama.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21321.html

 

“[President Bush] has behaved like a statesman. And as I’ve said before, here and elsewhere, I just don’t think the memo got passed down to the vice president.”

-David Alexrod, top Obama adviser, Political Ticker blog, Apr. 5, 2009.  Axelrod told CNN’s John King on State of the Union regarding the former Vice President’s decision not to criticize the new administration.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/05/axelrod-hits-back-at-cheney-not-behaving-like-a-statesman/

“Finally, we get to know what’s on Oprah’s mind. She can finally speak to fans who don’t like TV, magazines, books, the Internet, shopping…”

-Jimmy Fallon, Comedian, Jimmy Fallon Blog, Apr. 20, 2009. Fallon commented on Oprah joining the Twitter community.

http://www.deaddog.com/?p=11200

 

“Hello everybody that’s Malia, our technical advisor.”

- President Barack Obama, ABC News, Apr. 13, 2009.  After experiencing some technical difficulty at The White House Easter Egg Roll, Malia Obama successfully tested the speaker system.  Her father joked about her technical expertise.  http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/basketball-book.html

 

“This is Washington. That was a campaign promise.”

- President Barack Obama, Associated Press, Apr. 12, 2009.  Obama joked about his promise to get a puppy for his two girls.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103008021

“One would think that Rudy would understand the importance of having the chance, or in his case, the chances, to marry the one you love.”

- Joe Solmonese, president, Human Rights Campaign, Politico.com, Apr. 20, 2009. Solomonese, the leader of one of the most powerful gay rights organizations, commented on Giuliani’s new anti-gay marriage stance, simultaneously jabbing at Giuliani’s marriage history.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21451.html

 

“What makes the United States special and what makes you special is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and ideals even when it’s hard.”

- President Barack Obama, Politico.com, Apr. 20, 2009.  Obama responded to criticism on his decision to allow the legal memos describing interrogation techniques to be published.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21462.html

 

“When we lose contact with teams we can’t give much information because it can give problems afterwards.  I hope you can understand that this is too delicate, too problematic at this stage.”

- Michel Peremans, spokesman for Medecins Sans Frontieres, BBC, Apr. 20, 2009.  Peremans discussed the capture of two Doctors without Borders Somali aid workers from MSF’s Belguim office.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8007039.stm

 

“There is a third rail [in American politics], and that is the UFO question. It is many magnitudes more radioactive than Social Security ever dreamed to be.”

- Stephen Bassett, head of the Paradigm Research Group, CNN.com, Apr. 20, 2009.  Bassett attempted to compare the political issues of today with UFO existence/sightings. http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/20/ufo.conference/index.html

 

“I smell burning flesh, and I hope to God it’s human. This smell of burning animals is making me sick.”

- Morrissey, British singer/songwriter, PETA Blog, April 20, 2009.  Morrissey commented during his performance at Coachella in response to the presence of meat vendors at the expansive music festival.

http://blog.peta.org/archives/2009/04/morrisseys_beef.php

 

“We wouldn’t allow the sale of videos of child abuse or murder staged for the express purpose of selling videos … and the same legal principles apply to despicable acts of animal cruelty.”

- Wayne Pacelle, Humane Society president, Yahoo! News, Apr. 20, 2009.  Pacelle responded to the debate surrounding the Depiction of Animal Cruelty law.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090420/pl_afp/uscourtanimals

 

“Our destiny, in my opinion, and we might as well get started with it, is [to] become a part of the planetary community. … We should be ready to reach out beyond our planet and beyond our solar system to find out what is really going on out there.”

Edgar Mitchell, Former astronaut, CNN.com, Apr. 20, 2009.  Mitchell said there is no doubt that man is not alone in the universe and that we are being visited.  He is from Roswell, NM, and says that resident who were told to not talk about their experience in 1947 felt brave enough to tell him so the story would not die. 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/20/ufo.conference/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

 

“There’s some data out there that shows 47 percent of Americans have smoked marijuana at some point in their life.”

- Keith Stroup, founder of the marijuana legalization organization NORML, CBS News, Apr. 20, 2009.  Stroup discussed the rationale for legalizing the drug on the annual celebration of April 20th and the launch of the first national advertising campaign for marijuana legalization. Stroup cited a 2002 Time/CNN poll and suggested the current number of users is much, much higher.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/20/national/main4957497.shtml

 

“If this record is allowed, it could encourage other animal abusers to attempt silly feats that make a mockery of animal protection,”

-Tracy Reiman, Executive Vice President of PETA, News Release, Apr. 20, 2009.  PETA urged the Guiness World Records editor in chief to not accept KFC’s bid to set a world record for the largest group chicken dance. Guiness has previously refused to certify records that involve animal cruelty.

 http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=12929

 

“It’s just so sad. I mean, you have to understand the sport of polo. These horses are wonderful athletes. Some of the owners of these horses - these young polo players - have owned these horses since they were embryos, and bred them as embryos. And they’ve raised them and rode them every day.”

- Dr. Scott Swerdlin, veterinarian, KMBG News, Apr. 20, 2009.  Swerdlin discussed the death of 21 horses on a Florida polo field.

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/16464/42/

 

“We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.”

- Carrie Prejean, Miss California and first runner-up Miss USA, ABC News, Apr. 20, 2009. Prejean was booed at her response to celebrity-blogger Perez Hilton’s question regarding her beliefs on the issue. http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Television/story?id=7381893&page=1

 

“As co-director of the Miss California USA, I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss California believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman.”

- Keith Lewis, Director of Miss California competition, FOX News, Apr. 19, 2009.  Lewis referenced Carrie Prejea, the winner of Miss California, who spoke against same-sex marriages in a pageant interview/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517137,00.html  

 

“It feels really natural. I’ve worked so be here and this has been my lifelong dream and it’s finally here. And whoever knew you could win in a turquoise gown?”

-Kristen Dalton, Miss USA, FOX News, Apr. 19, 2009.  Dalton (from North Carolina) was crowned Miss USA after controversy surrounding her win over first runner-up Miss California. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517137,00.html  

 

“Common sense informs us that directing a 13-year-old girl to remove her clothes, partially revealing her breasts and pelvic area, for allegedly possessing ibuprofen … was excessively intrusive.”

- U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, CNN.com, Apr. 19, 2009.  The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a 13-year old who was strip searched because the school believed that she had prescription strength ibuprofen.  The case will be heard by the Supreme Court.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/19/scotus.strip.search/index.html

 

“I didn’t buy the horse for business or to make a profit.  You do not sell dreams…This horse has a mission here in Hungary.”

- Zoltan Mikoczy, owner of Overdose, New York Times, Apr. 19, 2009.  Melkoczy discussed the comparison of his Hungarian racehorse Overdose to Seabiscuit, a small racehorse that raise American spirits during the Great Depression, because of Overdose’s unlikely success and the difficult economic times in Hungary. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/world/europe/20hungary.html?em

 

“I won’t let Simon Cowell take her to his dentist, and I certainly won’t let her near his hairdresser. The minute we turn her into a glamourpuss is when it’s spoilt.”

- Amanda Holden, the third judge on “Britain’s Got Talent,” New York Times, Apr. 17, 2009.  Holden referred to Susan Boyle, an unlikely star on “Britain’s Got Talent” and subsequently on YouTube. Her success has made her an instant celebrity. It has also provoked some discussion of the prevalence of societal prejudice against older, less attractive people.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/arts/television/18boyle.html?em=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1240254183-ZuyinRT4HQcksgTDw2jwRw

 

“I’d wager that most of our joyful tears were fueled by the moral implicit in Susan’s fairy-tale performance: ‘You can’t tell a book by its cover.’”

- Letty Cottin Pogrebin, a feminist writer, blogging for The Huffington Post, The New York Times, Apr. 17, 2009.  Susan Boyle’s appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent” has made her an instant celebrity. It has also provoked some discussion of the prevalence of societal prejudice against older, less attractive people.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/arts/television/18boyle.html?em=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1240254183-ZuyinRT4HQcksgTDw2jwRw

 

“I could have turned everything into a crime scene like O.J., cutting everybody’s throat.”

Hulk Hogan, American pro-wrestling legend, CNN.com, Apr. 16, 2009. Hogan commented on how he understands OJ Simpson’s actions due to Hogan’s dirty divorce.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/15/hulk.hogan.oj/index.html

 

“Get out of here, you whores!”

- Afghan men in a mob that formed against a women’s protest, New York Times, Apr. 15, 2009.  About 300 Afghan women marched to Parliament in Afghanistan to protest a new law that introduces restrictions on women like allowing marital rape. A huge mob of three times more men formed an angry counterprotest and were held off by police. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/world/asia/16afghan.html?hp 

 

“Octomom is clearly a nickname for only one person.”

-Jeff Czech, attorney for Nadya Suleman, Los Angeles Times, Apr. 15, 2009. Czech commented on the Octuplet mother’s request for a trademark on her nickname so it can be used for commercial purposes.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/04/octomom-seeks-trademark-.html

 

“Teaching kids about the benefits of vegetarian foods like PB&J and orange juice is as important as teaching them their ABCs.”

-Tracy Reiman, Executive Vice President, News Release, Apr. 15, 2009.  PETA offered to help children in Massachusetts stay healthy by teaching them about vegetarian diets.

http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=12912

 

“It is, in a sense, the discovery of a new organ.”

-Sven Enerback, University of Goteborg researcher (Sweden), The Washington Post, Apr. 9,

2009.  Enerback discussed the discovery of “brown fat” in adults.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040804290.html?hpid=topnews

 

“Contrary to the claims made by the opponents of equality, it’s not just judges, it’s not just the coasts, and it’s not just going away.”

- Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, Apr. 7, 2009, The New York Times.  Wolfson commented after victories for same-sex marriage in Vermont and Iowa state legislatures, hoping that momentum from these events will cause other states to follow.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/us/08vermont.html?_r=1&hp

 

“He doesn’t have to worry about the global economic crisis. He doesn’t have to worry about the war in Afghanistan or building down in Iraq. He doesn’t have to worry about health care for his country. He only has worry about one thing, and that’s keeping his power.”

-Wendy Sherman, former President Bill Clinton’s policy advisor on North Korea, Political Ticker blog, Apr. 5, 2009.  Sherman, one of the few American diplomats who have directly spoke with Kim Jong-Il, talked about the North Korean leader and what he is really like.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/05/talking-to-kim-jong-il/

 

“You don’t…go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.”

- Oscar de la Renta, fashion designer, Political Ticker blog, Apr. 3, 2009.  Oscar de la Renta told Women’s Wear Daily regarding Michelle. Obama’s decision to wear a cardigan over an Isabel Toledo-designed dress for the private meeting.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/03/oscar-de-la-renta-has-tough-words-for-michelle-obama/

“We expect protests about controversial subjects at Carolina. That’s part of our culture. But we also pride ourselves on being a place where all points of view can be expressed and heard.”

- Holden Thorpe, Chancellor University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Email to UNC student body, Apr. 15, 2009.  Thorpe responded to the unruly riot that prevented Tom Tancredo from speaking at UNC.   

“There is a need to coordinate better the reactions of all of the nations and organizations involved in policing the coastline off of Somalia.”

- Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, CNN.com, Apr. 21, 2009.  Clinton made this statement after a meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen.  Clinton believes releasing the pirates is “sending the wrong signal.”

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/20/clinton.pirates/index.html

 

“Israel is the most cruel and repressive racist regime.”

- Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, Raleigh News & Observer, Apr. 21, 2009.  Ahmadinejad spoke at the U.N. Conference causing dozens of western diplomats to walk out.  The United States has denounced the remarks as hateful which raised tensions as Obama seeks to continue talks with Iran on nuclear programs and issues.

http://www.newsobserver.com/nation_world/story/1494019.html

 

“The world out there, both our friends and foes, will be quick to take advantage … I don’t think we have much to apologize for.”

- Dick Cheney, former Vice President, The Huffington Post, Apr. 20, 2009. Cheney discussed President Obama’s overseas trips and considers them ineffective.

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/20/cheney-slams-obama-again_n_189268.html

 

“How do you mend relationships with someone who actively hates your country …?”

- Newt Gingrich, Former House Speaker, The Huffington Post, Apr. 20, 2009.  Gingrich expressed his concern about President Obama’s friendly meeting with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/20/gingrich-slams-obama-over_n_188980.html

 

“I am gravely concerned with her safety and well-being…and we want to make sure that we end up seeing proper disposition of this case.”

- President Barack Obama, CNN.com, Apr. 20, 2009.  Obama called Sunday for the release of a U.S. journalist convicted of espionage in Iran.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/04/19/iran.us.journalist/index.html

 

“One of the benefits of my campaign and how I’ve been trying to operate as president, I don’t worry about the politics. I try to figure out what’s right in terms of American interest, and on this one I think I’m right.”

- President Barack Obama, CNN.com, Apr. 20, 2009. Obama commented on shaking hands with Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/20/obama.chavez/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

 

“This is a person who is one of the most anti-American leaders in the entire world. He is a brutal dictator, and human rights violations are very, very prevalent in Venezuela. And you have to be careful.”

- Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), CNN.com, Apr. 20, 2009. Ensign responded to Obama shaking hands with Chavez. 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/20/obama.chavez/index.html#cnnSTCText

 

“If you look at what this really comprises, if you look at the documents that have been made public, it says ‘top secret’ at the top. The definition of top secret is information which, if revealed, would cause grave harm to U.S. security.”

- Gen. Michael Hayden , former CIA Director, CNN.com, Apr. 19, 2009.  Hayden responded to the release of four Bush administration memos that stated that interrogation tactics such as waterboarding, sleep deprivation and slapping did not violate laws against torture.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/20/obama.cia/index.html?iref=24hours

 

“I do think that our enemies — the Taliban and Al Qaeda — knew that we were torturing, and it was a great recruitment tool for those who want to do harm to our country.  We have removed that recruitment tool, and this president has shown his commitment to going after the enemy by what he is doing in Afghanistan right now.”

- Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), FOX News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Apr. 19, 2009.  Sen. McCaskill defended Pres. Obama’s decision to release memos which detailed Bush-era torture tactics. 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517159,00.html

 

“I thought it was one of Chavez’s books.  I was going to give him one of mine.”

- President Barack Obama, TVNZ, Apr. 19, 2009.  Obama responded to Chavez presenting him with “The Open Veins of Latin America” a book written by notable left-wing writer Eduardo Galeano. Upon his acceptance of the book, Chavez said to Obama (in English) ‘I want to be your friend.’

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/obama-wins-praise-summit-2654955

 

“We have decided to kill U.S. and French sailors if they happen to be among our future hostages.”

- Abdullahi Ahmed, member of Somalian pirate group,  CNN.com, Apr. 13, 2009.  Ahmed responded to the US Navy’s rescue of Captain Richard Phillips and killing of his three pirate captors.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/13/somalia.pirates.revenge/index.html

 

“This is a cautious first step by a president whose political advisers are looking at the Florida electoral vote, and who are not looking at this as a matter of foreign policy. That’s the big problem with Cuba policy. We have a policy toward Miami and not toward Havana.”

- Julia Sweig, director of Latin studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, Associated Press, Apr. 13, 2009.  Sweig commented on Obama’s decision to ease restrictions on travel to Cuba as well as restrictions on transferring money to the country.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090413/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_cuba

 

“The French and the Americans will regret starting this killing. We do not kill, but take only ransom. We shall do something to anyone we see as French or American from now.”

- Hussein, Somali pirate, The Boston Globe, Apr. 12, 2009.  One of several Somali pirates who vowed revenge over the shooting of their comrades and the French military assault to rescue a yacht.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2009/04/12/somali_pirates_us_captive_drift_toward_shore_1239519571/?page=2

 

“This is a big wake-up to the pirates. It raises the stakes. Now they may be more violent, like the pirates of old.”

- Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of Mombasa-based East African Seafarers Assistance Program, The Boston Globe, Apr. 12 2009.  Mwangura commented on how the recent rescue of the hostage from the Somali pirates would change the stakes in future pirate attacks.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2009/04/12/somali_pirates_us_captive_drift_toward_shore_1239519571/?page=2

“Whether it’s Russia or Egypt or China or Zimbabwe, strong advocacy for human rights and democracy will be part of our approach.”

- Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, politico.com, Apr. 4, 2009.  Rice discussed her decision to rejoin the troubled U.N. Human Rights Council. Rice called this time one of great optimism for the United Nations with the election of President Obama.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/20881.html

 

“[It was] caused and encouraged by the irrational behavior of white people with blue eyes, who before the crisis appeared to know everything but are now showing that they know nothing.”

- Luiz Ignacio Lula Da Silvia, president of Brazil, Financial Times, March 27, 2009.  The President of Brazil spoke at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ae4957e8-1a5f-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

“Coffee is something that has been with humanity for 1,500 years. It’s not going anywhere any time soon.”

- Andrew Hetzel, consultant, CNN.com, Apr. 20, 2009.  Hetzel discussed the effect on the economy on high-end coffee.

 http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/20/coffee.recession/index.html

 

“I’m not making a joke about it. I’m being completely sincere, that only in Washington, D.C., is $100 million not a lot of money.”

Robert Gibbs, White House Press Secretary, whitehouse.gov, Apr. 20, 2009. Gibbs responded to a reporter’s accusation in his daily briefing that he was joking about the deficit’s severity.

 

“I was just shocked. It’s really not much of an economic recovery plan to tell your wife to pull money from the bank.”

- David Young, chairman of N.C. Democratic Party, News & Observer, Apr. 16, 2009. Young responded to U.S. Sen. Richard Burr’s anecdote about instructing his wife to withdraw as much money as possible from the ATM.  David Young criticized Burr’s reaction to the banking crisis.

http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1487625.html

 

“It’s like buying a house bigger than what you can afford and not being able pay the utilities.”

-Keith Bales, US Senator (R- Mon.), helenair.com, Apr. 13, 2009.  Bales commented on using the federal bail out money to build government too big without a future budget to sustain it,

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/04/13/top/65st_090413_bales.txt

“What makes the United States special … is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and our ideals even when it’s hard, not just when it’s easy, even when we are afraid and under threat, not just when it’s expedient to do so.”

- President Barack Obama, CNN.com, Apr. 20, 2009.  Obama defended releasing CIA memos to the public.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/20/obama.cia/index.html

 

“What we have described for our enemies in the midst of a war are the outer limits that any American would ever go to in terms of interrogating an al Qaeda terrorist. That’s very valuable information.”

- Michael Hayden, Ex-CIA director, CNN.com, Apr. 19, 2009.  Hayden voiced his disgust about Obama’s decision to release four Bush-era memos that compromised national security.  Hayden said releasing memos outlining terror interrogation methods emboldened terrorists groups such as al Qaeda.   

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/19/cia.torture.chief/index.html

“This draft guidance only diverts limited federal resources to unethical stem cell research that has not successfully treated a single person for any disease.”

- Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, CNN.com, Apr. 17, 2009.  Perkins responded to a draft recently released of guidelines for federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/17/stem.cell.guidelines/index.html

 

“It is not a drug, if you will. This is an adult smoking experience, and it should be thought of and regulated in that similar construct.”

-Walt Linscott, legal counsel for Smoking Everywhere Inc., Morning Edition, Apr. 13, 2009.  Linscott discussed the new e-cigarettes being evaluated by the FDA.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102964325

“I think he can get his reputation back. I don’t know where he goes to get his legal fees back.”

- Sen. Robert F. Bennett (R-UT), Washington Post, Apr. 2, 2009.  Bennett discussed former Sen. Ted Stevens and his fight to overturn his felony convictions.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/01/AR2009040104171.html
 

“Fundraising stories don’t interest me that much.”

Tim Kaine, Democratic National Committee Chairman, CNN.com, Mar. 25, 2009.  Kaine discussed DNC’s lack of fundraising in February 2009.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/25/obama.fundraising/index.html

 

 “From just a few feet away, I could see in his body language that the normally calm and cool president was perturbed.”

- Ed Henry, CNN Senior White House Correspondent. CNN.com, Mar. 25, 2009.  Henry commented on being spoken down to by the President after questioning him on his response to AIG.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/25/henry.obama/index.html

 

“But it’s fun to gamble and like any good quarterback (though I was never athletic enough to actually play the position), I decided to call an audible.”

- Ed Henry, CNN’s senior White House correspondent, CNN.com, Mar. 25, 2009.  Henry recounts what was going through his head when he asked Obama about the delay in his response to the AIG bonuses.  The question elicited a sharp response from Obama.

 

“President Obama has successfully established himself as the hippest politician around. You know you’re big when Katy Perry wears a dress with your face on it to host the MTV Europe Music Awards. To my fellow Republicans: I’m sorry, I wish I could be more positive about the current ‘hipness’ of our party. But being a Republican is about as edgy as Donny Osmond.”

- Meghan McCain, Sen. John McCain’s daughter, The Daily Beast, Mar. 9, 2009.  Meghan McCain blogged about negative stereotypes of Republicans, later blaming Ann Coulter.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-03-09/my-beef-with-ann-coulter/

 

“The Republican Party – if Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh are going to be the leaders of the party again – that’s not healthy for the party.  They can’t be looking backwards.  They can’t be caught in the 90s.”

- Chuck Todd, NBC News White House Correspondent, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Mar. 2, 2009.  Todd said that the Republican party needed to distance itself from older leaders who are not in touch with today’s society.

http://www.mofopolitics.com/2009/03/04/video-msnbcs-chuck-todd-says-its-not-healthy-for-limbaugh-and-gingrich-to-be-leaders-of-the-gop/

 

“At this point, my biggest aphrodisiac is an apathetic attitude toward politics.”

- Meghan McCain, Sen. John McCain’s daughter, The Daily Beast, Mar. 2, 2009.  McCain responded to a series of bad dates in which the conversation centered solely around her father’s presidential campaign.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-03-02/looking-for-mr-far-right/2/