* “My job in Iraq was to help rebuild the infrastructure and create a functioning democracy. No way was any of that going to happen.”–Peter Van Buren, former U.S. State Department official and author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People.
* “He always had a reputation for being a very holy man, intense and deeply committed to prayer. But he is not going to make moves to somehow change church teachings on the core issues.”–The Rev. Matt Malone, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, on Pope Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires.
* “He is very approachable, very friendly. He has a good sense of humor, he is very quick and a joy to be with.”–Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston on Pope Francis.
* “We have to get much better at capturing those (digital) readers.”–Mary Berner, president of the Association of Magazine Media.
* “People in China and elsewhere are wondering if the fracking revolution means that the 21st century will be another North American century, just like the last one.”–David Brooks, New York Times.
* “Is as mired in past and mired in stupidity as it was in 1976.”–Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s CPAC reference to GOP leadership.
* “Never again can the Republican Party simply write off entire segments of our society because we assume our principles have limited appeal. We need to be larger than that.”–Jeb Bush at CPAC.
* “I am sorry that I will not be your president. But I will be your co-worker, and I will work shoulder-to-shoulder alongside you.”–Mitt Romney at CPAC.
* “The popular media narrative is that this country has shifted away from conservative ideals, as evidenced by the last two presidential elections. That might be true if Republicans had actually nominated conservative candidates in 2008 and 2012.”–Texas Gov. Rick Perry at CPAC.
* “The GOP of old has become stale and moss-covered. I don’t think we need to name any names.”–Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul at CPAC.
* “We don’t need a new idea. There is an idea, the idea is called America, and it still works.”–Florida Sen. Marco Rubio at CPAC.
* “They’re trying to buy us off one by one, but I’m not buying it. Florida will not buy it, and America should not buy it.”–Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford at CPAC, where he promised to reject a federal expansion of Medicaid.
* “Coming up with boilerplate stands that Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal could all run on is an unsquareable circle.”–Dan Schnur, GOP strategist and University of Southern California political scientist.
* “If you don’t overly worry about losing, you become hard to beat.”–Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
* “I offered everything that I could to the administration. I believe I did a fantastic job.”–Recently resigned Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll.
* “I thought it was a horrible idea the moment I saw it. I just don’t think our teachers need to be worrying about protecting their students with weapons.”–Hillsborough County School Board Chairwoman April Griffin, responding to House Bill 1097, which would allow principals in Florida to select one or more teachers who would be permitted to carry guns at school.
* “I’m organizing for success. With that reorganization comes change; some will be process, some will be branding and some will be personnel. We will work through all those issues as a team.”–Tampa Port Authority Director Paul Anderson.
* “We have national awareness, which is a big, big difference from us and any aquarium that’s starting from scratch.”–David Yates, Clearwater Marine Aquarium CEO.
* “It’s way too early to be super excited or super depressed.”–Dunedin Mayor Dave Eggers responding to Canadian media reports that the Toronto Blue Jays are considering leaving Dunedin, their spring training headquarters.
* “There’s an electricity about downtown that hasn’t existed in decades.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.