* “The Obama administration has cleverly understood that its island neighbor is in the middle of a generational transition. A well-timed engagement policy before the final retirement of the Castro brothers would open relations with the new post-revolutionary elites with a clean slate.”–Arturo Lopez-Levy, a lecturer at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.
* “I wouldn’t use the word ‘collapse.’ The rate is really changing, the rate is volatile, but it’s far from a collapse.”–Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Vladimir Putin, on the state of the Russian ruble, which has been hitting historic lows against the dollar.
* “It seems ironic that in the run-up to the global financial crisis we were worried about oil prices being too high in 2007 and 2008. Now we’re worried about them being too low.”–Julian Jesson, head of commodities research with London-based Capital Economics Ltd.
* “Rarely has a party so passively accepted its own self-destruction. Sure, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are now riding high in some meaningless head-to-head polls against Hillary Clinton, but the odds are the nomination of either would lead to a party-decimating general election.”–David Brooks, New York Times.
* “The GOP planned a dynastic restoration in 2016. Instead, it triggered an internal class war. Can the party reconcile the demands of its donors with the interests of its rank and file?”–David Frum, political commentator and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush.
* “I am convinced if this president could confiscate every gun, he would.”–Marco Rubio.
* “It’s all strategy … (it’s) what’s selling right now. Rubio is trying to communicate that ‘I can run as a conservative but I can be a lot more appealing.’ If he can get it into a three-way race (with Trump and Cruz) he may turn back to the more optimistic stuff.”–Brad Coker of Mason-Dixon Polling.
* “It certainly is surprising that two people, who I would deem as being among the conservative wing of the Republican Party … have been swallowed whole by the tea party and the extremists have taken over.”–DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, on the prospect that neither Jeb Bush nor Marco Rubio will win the Florida primary.
* “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, okay?”–Donald Trump on the loyalty of his supporters.
* “In the debates, she (Hillary Clinton) has shined, and while conventional wisdom says they offer no upside to a front-runner, she would benefit from more.”–Democratic strategist Carter Eskew.
* “The reality is, if Mrs. Clinton loses Iowa and New Hampshire, that could create new and real problems for her here.”–Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C.
* “Bernie’s appeal is powerful and it resonates with a certain lane of the Democratic electorate for sure, young voters, independent voters. But it’s ultimately not a winning general election message, it’s a protest message. It’s difficult to see it grow to the point it becomes a real threat to Secretary Clinton’s campaign.”–Democratic strategist Steve McMahon.
* “Mike Bloomberg for president rests on the not-impossible but somewhat unlikely circumstance of either Donald Trump or Ted Cruz versus Bernie Sanders.”–Edward G. Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania and past chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
* “I just think women in general are better listeners, are more collegial, more open to new ideas and how to make things work in a way that looks for win-win outcomes.”–Hillary Clinton.
* “We’ve been fighting the War on Poverty for 50 years now. And I don’t think you can call it anything but a stalemate. … Today, if you were raised poor, you’re just as likely to stay poor as you were 50 years ago.”–House Speaker Paul Ryan.
* “I have always been bullish on Florida.”–Bill Marriott, chairman of Marriott International.
* “Ludicrously unfair.”–Jean Clements, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association, in assessing a controversial state program that gives substantial bonuses to teachers based on their ACT and SAT results from high school.
* “I’m a child of the ’60s, and one of the concerns I have is separate-but-equal. … I keep going back to those cities that have greater financial resources will have the better schools.”–Rep. Larry Lee Jr., D-Port St. Lucie, commenting on a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow citywide school districts, instead of the countywide oversight the Florida Constitution requires.
* “The science does not yet exist to determine impairment levels.”–Jodi James, executive director of the Florida Cannabis Network.
* “We don’t have any illusions that we’re going to be Singapore or Shanghai. But you know what, there’s half a million containers out there with our name on it.”–Wade Elliott, Port Tampa Bay’s vice president of marketing and business development.
* “(Open carry) threatens public safety, tourism, economic development job creation and our quality of life. Moreover, I believe it is a foolish and ineffective solution to the gun violence epidemic sweeping our nation. More guns do not equate to safer streets.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.
* “There are means in place to keep the public safe. We met with state and federal agencies, and there is nothing on the radar to indicate a possible threat to Tampa.”–Tampa Police Chief Eric Ward, on Gasparilla security.
* “This really is going to be something that sets us apart from other universities in the state and out of state.”–USF COO John Long on approved plans of Publix to build a supermarket on the USF Tampa campus.
* “The state of St. Petersburg is strong and sunny.”–Mayor Rick Kriseman during his state-of-the city address.
* “We’re going to do what we have to do to sell ourselves.”–Kevin King, Mayor Rick Kriseman’s chief of staff, on an upcoming community campaign to help draft a plan to convince the Rays to build a new park in the same Trop location.
* “It’s going to be exciting to get back in there come spring training and see everybody. Much more high-fiving and hugging … rather than shaking your hand and introducing yourself.”–Tampa Bay Rays second-year manager Kevin Cash.