* “Over all, the politician that (Marine) Le Pen has obviously strained to imitate is not her father (Jean-Marie) or Marshal Petain, but Charles de Gaulle–the de Gaulle who fiercely opposed European political integration, who granted Algeria its independence in part because he doubted France could absorb millions of Muslim immigrants, whose ‘France First’ worldview consistently gave other Western leaders fits.”–Ross Douthat, New York Times.
* “Venezuela is descending into chaos. … The IMF predicts inflation in Venezuela will reach a staggering 700 percent this year. It’s time for Latin American leaders to lead. … It is time for the region to grow up. … A failure to act will lead to more violence, and it may result in mass migrations that destabilize bordering nations, not unlike what has happened with Syria.”–Former Florida Republican Sen. George LeMieux.
* “By essentially endorsing (Philippines President Rodrigo) Duterte’s murderous war on drugs, Trump is now morally complicit in future killings. Although the traits of his personality likely make it impossible, Trump should be ashamed of himself.”–John Sifton, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, commenting on President Donald Trump’s invitation for the authoritarian leader to visit him at the White House.
* “You came through big for me, and I am going to come through for you. The eight-year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end.”–You have a true friend and champion in the White House.”–President Donald Trump, in addressing the NRA in Atlanta.
* “It’s a great day for American workers, unleashing American energy and clearing the way for thousands and thousands of high-paying American energy jobs. Our country is blessed with incredible natural resources, including abundant offshore oil… .”–Donald Trump, in issuing an executive order to implement the America First Offshore Energy Strategy.
* “I urge the Trump Administration to reverse course and put the well-being of our coastal communities above oil industry profits.”–U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg.
* “If the Democrats knew what the hell they were doing, they would approve it. Obviously they don’t mind the illegals pouring in, the drugs pouring in. They don’t mind.”–Donald Trump, addressing the issue of the border wall during a rally in Harrisburg, Pa.
* “We’re going to give renegotiation a good, strong shot.”–Donald Trump on the status of NAFTA.
* “This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier.”–Donald Trump.
* “Nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated.”–Donald Trump.
* “(Trump’s) failed to demonstrate an ability to make deals.”–Former Republican Congressman David Jolly of Pinellas County.
* “The president would be wise to recalibrate, reset and make changes in how he operates before today’s lowly ratings lock in place.”–Republican strategist Karl Rove.
* “Legislating is a very human experience in which trust and mutual respect play critical roles. But 1986 proved that when both are present, big things can get done.”–Bill Bradley, former Democratic senator from New Jersey, in referencing the last time Congress overhauled the tax code: the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
* “Mr. President, the media is not fake news. Our job is to put the best obtainable version of the truth out there, period. Especially now.”–Carl Bernstein, at White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
* “Federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves.”–U.S. District Judge William Orrick, in issuing a preliminary injunction blocking any attempt by the Trump Administration to withhold funding from “sanctuary cities.”
* “Republicans love to brag about Theodore Roosevelt, except when he was protecting the wilderness.”–Gail Collins, New York Times.
* “I find super-expensive drugs annoying, and hospital market power is a big problem. But what’s driving our health insurance premiums is that we are paying the wages of a whole bunch of people who aren’t involved in the delivery of care. Hospitals keep raising their rates to pay for all of this labor.”–Bob Kocher, a former Obama Administration official who worked on the Affordable Care Act and is now a partner in the venture capital firm Venrock.
* “I mean had Andrew Jackson been a little later, you wouldn’t have had the Civil War.”–Donald Trump.
* “The passions to block conservative speakers at Middlebury and the University of California, Berkeley, should also give us pause: Liberalism shouldn’t be illiberal.”–Nicholas Kristof, New York Times.
* “The only fanaticism believers can have is that of charity. Any other fanaticism does not come from God and is not pleasing to him!”–Pope Francis, in his visit to Egypt.
* “Our situation is dire. It is very dire.”–Hillsborough County School Board member April Griffin, bemoaning rising costs and scarce public funds.