* “This move by Beijing would rip away the remaining veneer of ‘one country, two systems.’ It would precipitate a crisis in U.S.-China relations.”–Evan Medeiros, a former senior Asia director at the National Security Council, on China’s plans to impose sweeping new security powers over Hong Kong.
* “What we’re fighting against is these long-term trends where being selfish, being tribal, being divided and seeing others as an enemy. That has become a stronger impulse in American life. And, by the way, we’re seeing that internationally as well.”–Former President Barack Obama.
* “We concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.”–Rationale of White House physician Dr. Sean Conley, on why he acceded to President Trump’s request for hydroxychloroquine, an unproven malaria drug.
* “I think the pandemic is the world’s way of saying to mankind, ‘You’re not in charge.'”–U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts.
* “If the race is just Trump vs. Biden, Trump stands a chance. If it’s viewed as Trump vs. Obama, the incumbent has a bigger problem.”–Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times.
* “The firings of multiple Inspectors General is unprecedented. … It is a threat to accountable democracy and a fissure in the constitutional balance of powers.”–Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney.
* “(Trump) is the most vaudevillian performance artist who ever inhabited the White House. He has a consuming desire to always be center stage, yet he never wants to reveal who he really is. He masks his finances, his taxes, his friendships, his ongoing family conflicts of interest, his ignorance and his inadequacies. He’s constantly making up areas of expertise he doesn’t have.”–Trump biographer Tim O’Brien.
* “Not every abuse of power, no matter how outrageous, is necessarily a federal crime.”–Attorney General William Barr.
* “There is a growing sense that the recovery may come more slowly than we would like, and that may mean that it’s necessary for us to do more.”–Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
* “This state is really leading the way to open up America again.”–Vice President Mike Pence, praising Florida’s handling of the coronavirus crisis during a meeting in Orlando with Gov. Ron DeSantis and hospitality and tourism industry leaders.
* “This is a virus that, if you’re in good shape, you’re probably going to be OK. I think it’s really important that people have access to gyms.”–Gov. Ron DeSantis.
* “You need a different approach. Florida is test-crazy. I think the virus is forcing some rethinking of what has been given over the past few decades.”–Bob Schaeffer, the Florida-based, interim executive director of the National Center for Fair & Open Testing.
* “The requirement to pay fees and costs as a condition of voting is unconstitutional because they are, in substance, taxes.”–U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle in ruling Florida’s voting law, which requires fines, fees and other costs be paid before former felons are allowed to vote, is unconstitutional.
* “The simple truth is that congestion is the problem, not growth and prosperity.”–Jennifer Motsinger, executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association.
* “The level of uncertainty is absolutely unprecedented.”–Tampa CFO Dennis Rogero.
* We know that as you reopen, the key is to reopen the correct way, because you only get one shot to get it right.”–Bob Morrison, executive director of the Hillsborough County Hotel & Motel Association.
* “We absolutely expect we will be part of the college football season.”–Outback Bowl president Jim McVay.
* “We’re going to have to keep an eye on beach capacity limits. This is something the public is going to have to understand.”–Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.