* “We will do our utmost to protect people’s lives. This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat.”–Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in responding to North Korea firing a ballistic missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
* “We’ll see.”–President Donald Trump’s response to a media question regarding any plans to attack North Korea.
* “A massive military response.”–How Defense Secretary Jim Mattis characterized a scenario open to America if North Korea threatened the U.S. or its allies.
* “Never allow chaos and war.”–What Liu Jieyi, Chinese ambassador to the UN, said was China’s commitment to the Korean Peninsula.
* “Seen from Beijing, Europe is an Asian peninsula.”–German Chancellor Angela Merkel, noting aggressive Chinese investment in Europe, especially in Greece.
* “We don’t need hysterical impulses.”–Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s new ambassador to the United States.
* “Congress must govern with a president who has no experience of public office, is often poorly informed and can be impulsive in his speech and conduct. We must respect his authority and constitutional responsibilities. We must, where we can, cooperate with him. But we are not his subordinates. We don’t answer to him. We answer to the American people.”–Sen. John McCain.
* “Law enforcement officials have a special responsibility to respect the rights of everyone in the United States. We should not allow anyone to believe that responsibility is diminished by this pardon.”–Statement from House Speaker Paul Ryan expressing disagreement with President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon Joe Arpaio.
* “I think this was a nod to the base, post-Bannon, that he’s still with them.”–David Axelrod, former adviser to President Barack Obama, on Trump’s pardon motivation.
* “I wake up every day in disbelief. It’s not just that Donald Trump is president. It’s that he has empowered the worst people in the world: people who would’ve been regarded as misfits and crackpots just a few years ago. … I don’t think America comes out on the other end of this unaffected. We’re not immune to history.”–Conservative political commentator Charlie Sykes.
* “… Millions have placed their hopes in you, and all of us, regardless of party, should hope for expanded prosperity and security during your tenure.”–Excerpt from the private letter to Trump from outgoing President Barack Obama.
* “It’s ironic that race was the issue that created the Republican Party and that race could very well be the issue that destroys it. … It may someday be possible to reduce the influence of white identity politics, but probably not while Trump is in office. As long as he is in power, the GOP is a house viciously divided against itself, and cannot stand.”–David Brooks, New York Times.
* “Princess Royal.”–How Ivanka Trump is referred to by some White House aides, according to Vanity Fair.
* “Our clients were coming to me eight months ago and saying, ‘What if we are the victims of a nasty Trump tweet?’ Now they’re saying, ‘What do we do if the president wants a photo op?’ You don’t want to be seen with this president.”–Washington-based, public relations veteran Richard Levick.
* “An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.”–Gerald Ford, when he was House minority leader in 1970, and there was an effort to impeach Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.
* “You know the old saying–‘there are no atheists in foxholes.’ I’ve got a new one: We’re all socialists after a natural disaster. Even Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. The hypocrite who tried to block Hurricane Sandy aid to the East Coast in 2012 is now demanding the federal government expedite emergency funds for the survivors of Hurricane Harvey.”–Joan Walsh, the Nation.
* “Publishing identifying information on line for malicious intent, or ‘doxing,’ is gaining popularity as a tool of activists of every ideological bent. Without action, there can be no doubt that we will see this tactic used again, and we cannot know into whose hands the information might make its way.”–Linda Porter, chairwoman of the county’s Citizens Advisory Committee Council.
* “I don’t believe we are ready to mandate solar panels on new construction. I am, however, supportive of innovative ideas to ensure we are a solar city moving forward, like incentives for solar panel installation.”–St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.