* “If (Syrian President) Bashar (Assad) has them interest of his own country, he would step down.”–Jordan’s King Abdullah.
* “It’s a work in progress. But we have a plan, we’ve seen results, and we have the courage to continue.”–Brazilian Jose Mariano Beltrame, head of Rio state security, on winning the fight against violent drug gangs that have ruled Rio’s shantytown favelas for decades.
* “About as many left the country after 1917,”–Sergei Stepashin of the Russian Audit Chamber commenting on the exodus of Russians–approximately 1.25 million–in the past decade.
* “Let there be no doubt: In the Asia Pacific in the 21st century, the United States of America is all in.”–President Barack Obama
* “If Newt Gingrich gets nominated, can the George Michael comeback be far behind?”–Democratic opposition researcher Mike Gehrke.
* “Uproot and overhaul.”–Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry’s shorthand for his approach to Washington.
* “The minute he gets the nomination, they will basically fall in line behind him.”–Christopher Ruddy, Newsmax, on what conservative commentators will do despite their ideological differences with Mitt Romney.
* “The central paradox of financial crisis is that what feels just and fair is the opposite of what’s required for a just and fair outcome.”–Treasury Secretary
Tim Geithner.
* “Evidence suggests very strongly that a gun in the house will most likely be used to take out a relative.”–Gail Collins, New York Times.
* “Americans will accept unequal economic outcomes in a fair system. They object when the results seem rigged. That way lies the Bastille.”–Michael Gerson, Washington Post.
* “The first lesson of economics is scarcity. There is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.”–Thomas Sowell.
* “Yes. … It will continue to be a vibrant force in American politics.”–U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio on whether the Tea Party will still exist in four years.
* “It’s been estimated that 10 million Americans have at least one tattoo and, of those, 50 percent would like to get them removed.”–Neil Fenske, M.D., chairman of the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at USF Health.
* “The party started alienating urban dwellers some 10 years ago–it determined that the city (Tampa) would not represent the Republican Party.”–East Hillsborough businessman and GOP activist Sam Rashid.
* “We all recognize that we are going to survive together or we are going to fail alone.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn in underscoring the importance of public
officials–city and county–working together to attract jobs to Hillsborough County.