* “Libya is the (ISIS) affiliate that we’re most worried about. It’s the hub from which they project across all of North Africa.”–Patrick Prior, the Defense Intelligence Agency’s top counterterrorism analyst.
*”Turkey was our friend, almost an ally, and it is a shame that this was destroyed in such a foolish manner.”–Russian President Vladimir Putin.
* “We are truly saddened by this incident. We wish it hadn’t happened as such, but unfortunately such a thing has happened. I hope that something like this doesn’t occur again.”–Recep Tayyib Erdogan, president of Turkey.
* “We all have a common enemy, and that is ISIL (ISIS), and I want to make sure that we focus on that threat.”–President Barack Obama.
* We will welcome them with a smile. This is a wonderful, humanitarian gesture by all Canadians.”–Canadian Immigration and Refugee Minister John McCallum, in announcing that Canada’s new government will accept 25,0000 Syrians for resettlement over the next three months.
* “We’ll work to mobilize support to help the most vulnerable countries expand clean energy and adapt to the effects of climate change we can no longer avoid.”–President Barack Obama at the climate change conference in Paris.
* “We’re going to put H&R Block the hell out of business.”–Donald Trump, in noting that as president he would implement a far simpler tax code.
* “The Republicans always misunderstand the Democratic coalition, especially the Obama coalition, as merely identity politics.”–Paul Begala, political analyst and former strategist for President Bill Clinton.
* “Now people aren’t talking on Facebook and Twitter. They are communicating through apps that are encrypted, and it’s very difficult for law enforcement, because even when we get warrants and subpoenas, we still can’t get information. Unless there are certain legislative changes made, we’ll have to go back to the basics of human intelligence collection.”–Lydia Khali, former counterterrorism analyst for the NYPD.
* “If the inspector general finds out that the New York Times report is true, then people ought to be fired immediately.”–U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, on reports that ISIS intelligence was manipulated at CentCom, which is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base.
* “The big TV news event is constantly satirized for good reason. Pressure for scoops leads to errors and a silly focus on what ‘we have learned exclusively’–no matter how incremental. It overplays spats between hacks, gaffes and the most outrageous quotes floating around the blabosphere.”–Dick Meyer, Scripps Washington Bureau.
* “It is clear that workers are not saving enough for secure retirement.”–Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez.
* “Rather than abandoning America’s shores, Pfizer should work with Congress to make international reform, and growth in America, a reality.”–Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on the announcement that Pfizer plans to merge with Allergan, which is based in Ireland and has lower tax rates than the U.S.
* “Many celebrities suffer from the arrogance of power and the sense of entitlement. They surround themselves with ‘yes people’ who are afraid to give them the truth about anything. They get their moment of truth from me.”–Attorney Gloria Allred.
* “I’m a big believer in getting an internship, because you have to figure out what you want to do. Particularly for this generation. They’re coming out of college, and a lot of them don’t know what they want to do. An internship can give you a sense of where you want to go.”–Margaret Keane, CEO of Synchrony Financial.
* “The utility companies are not fond of renewal energy because they have not found a way to make a profit off it.”–State Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee.
* “Things are very different than they were in 2009, the last time the (Seminole Tribe) compact was negotiated. Then, the state was starved for money so they were going to do whatever they could do to get it done. This time, state’s in a little better position for money and the Seminoles are in a much better position than they were in 2009, too.”–State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, the House’s chief negotiator, on the impasse over Florida’s complicated gaming landscape.
* “We are not getting the most value for our incentive money. So I am in favor of doing away with incentives and coming up with more grant money.”–State Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, an advocate for massive reform in the way Florida lures filmmakers and TV series production companies. The current state incentive program is broke.
* “Tampa is very attractive with its lack of personal income tax and a new waterfront development. It is one of the signature development projects today in all 50 states.”–John Boyd, site selection consultant and head of the Boyd Group in Princeton, N.J.
* “We intend to build the best building ever built in the Tampa market, both on the office building portion and the residential portion. It’s our goal to provide an iconic building that’s going to change the skyline of Tampa.”–Developer Larry Feldman on plans for a 52-story high rise along Tampa’s Riverwalk–the site of the erstwhile Trump Tower project.
* “To say that we’re excited for the prospect of having Publix in the Channel District would be an understatement.”–Reaction of Mayor Bob Buckhorn to a building permit filed by Mercury Advisors that calls for a 38,000-square-foot, two-story Publix grocery store.
* “We cannot fix what you’re doing. This past week, 25 cars stolen. How many keys do you think were in those cars? Twenty-four.”–St. Petersburg Police Chief Tony Holloway.
* “We’ve been on a journey to going tobacco- and smoke-free since 2011. It’s a natural step in the progression of that process.”–USF Environmental Health and Safety Director Beverly Daly, on the announcement that the Tampa campus will become tobacco-free starting Jan. 4.
* “You may ask me anything–except about politics, religion or other artists.”–Wrap artist Christo at a post-presentation Q&A at the Tampa Museum of Art.
* “All credit goes to the players and coaches. They have been magnificent. We’re playing as well as anybody in the conference, if not the country.”–USF Athletics Director Mark Harlan, on the resurgent, Bulls’ football program.