* “Pure evil.”–President Barack Obama’s characterization of the Islamic State after the most recent beheading of an American.
* “This campaign will be marked or characterized … (as) three steps forward, two steps back, and at every step forward or back, we’ll debate about the size of the step.”–Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, on the nature of the military campaign against Islamic State barbarians.
* “The United States is proud of its record as a leader in respecting, promoting and defending human rights and the rule of law, both at home and around the world. But in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, we regrettably did not always live up to our values.”–Mary McLeod, acting State Department legal adviser.
* “If oil prices stay between $75 and $95 a barrel, we would see the kind of stimulus package that the Federal Reserve or Congress could never do.”–Douglas R. Oberhelman, CEO of Caterpillar.
* “The Obama presidency is crippled, not dead. There will be opportunities for compromise and even triumph. But the Democrats are now Hillary Clinton’s party.”–Joe Klein, Time magazine.
* “The real problem for Republicans is that they lost the presidency in 2012 … . And whatever strategy Republicans select should be designed to increase their chances of securing the presidency in 2016, instead of merely venting … self-destructive outrage.”–Michael Gerson, Washington Post.
* “There is no way I would ask others to go on a Virgin Galactic flight if I didn’t feel it was safe enough for myself.”–Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson, saying he will still be the first passenger on his company’s commercial spaceflight after last month’s test-flight crash.
* “Reckless operation of drones, whether near airports or anywhere else, is a serious threat to public safety.”–Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
* “The more I travel, the clearer it seems to me: Fear is for people who don’t get out much. These people don’t see the world first-hand, so their opinions end up being shaped by sensationalistic media coverage geared toward selling ads. Sadly, fear-mongering politicians desperate for your vote pile on too.”–Travel-guide author and PBS host Rick Steves.
* “Many (American bishops) grew up in conservative families, went to conservative seminaries and have been told not to talk to theologians who are creative because they’ve been labeled heretical. Now (Pope) Francis is saying let’s go in a different direction and let’s have a discussion.”–Rev. Thomas Reese, senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter.
* “Keystone (XL oil pipeline) is certainly overhyped as a job creator, mostly because the vast majority of jobs are temporary.”–Tim Boersma of the Brookings Institution.
* “I hate to disappoint, but there is no political telenovela under production in Florida. These guys have a genuine, long, strong relationship.”–Miami-based Republican strategist Ana Navarro, on the relationship between potential presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio.
* “This is just the first battle, and I plan to win the war.”–John Morgan, on the narrow defeat of Amendment 2.
* “This makes both ecological and business sense, from our standpoint.”–Curt Engel, general manager for Lockheed Martin mission systems and training, on LM’s plans to build a large-scale solar system at its Pinellas County facility.
* “It puts us on the grid with the world.”–TIA CEO Joe Lopano, on the significance of landing non-stop Lufthansa flights to Frankfurt, Germany.
* “This will be a radically different skyline over the next five years.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.
* “To me, it’s what a growing and vibrant city does. It embraces new concepts, new ways of enjoying what we have.”–Tampa City Council member Harry Cohen, on council’s passage of an ordinance permitting open containers of alcoholic drinks along the Riverwalk.
* “By looking into the past, it should enable us to look into the future.”–Oceanographer Jacqueline E. Dixon, dean of USF’s marine science department, on USF’s $20 million grant to further study the impact of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 1979.
* “The Tampa Police Department exists to serve the community, and it’s very, very important to us that we mirror the community that we serve.”–Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor.
* “Had they accepted (an “extremely, extremely fair” counterproposal), I would still be a Ray. It’s very simple.”–Joe Maddon on negotiations with the Rays that preceded the exercising of his opt-out clause and subsequent signing with the Chicago Cubs.
* “Home base is here. The roots have started to take hold here. It’s the people, the whole vibe to the place. I really like it.”–Joe Maddon on remaining in his Tampa home.