* “The blunt reality is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.S. Congress, and in the American body politic writ large, to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense.”–Defense Secretary Robert Gates in challenging NATO members’ priorities.
* “The current (German) deficit-reduction plan includes about 60 percent spending cuts and 40 percent tax increases. It’s like trying to lose weight by both eating less and exercising more.”–David Leonhardt, New York Times.
* “They actually specifically suggested ‘You’ve Got a Friend.’ That’s sort of the theme of the evening.”–James Taylor, who performed at the recent White House state dinner for German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
* “The conservative governor of Texas, Rick Perry, has gone from a no to a maybe (GOP presidential candidate), but his rightward leanings make George W. Bush look like Al Franken, so he’ll have little claim on the center, where the battle against President Obama will be waged.”–Mark Halperin, Time magazine.
* “I don’t use African American, because I’m American, I’m black, and I’m conservative. I don’t like people trying to label me. African American is socially acceptable for some people, but I’m not some people.”–Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain.
* “President Obama said that he designed Obamacare after Romneycare and basically made it Obamneycare.”–Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty.
* “So far this seems to be a nonevent.”–Gen. Peter Chiarelli, vice chief of staff for the Army, on the impact on soldiers trained after the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”
* “Health care is phenomenally complicated. Providers have much more information than consumers. Insurance companies are rapacious and are not in the business of optimizing care.”–David Brooks, New York Times.
* “Our ability to snap a picture and flash it to the world in a nanosecond has taken instant gratification to new, unimagined levels and enabled the twin temptations of exhibitionism and voyeurism, first cousins to narcissism.”–Kathleen Parker, Washington Post.
* “No child should be able to finish public school, much less college, without a firm grasp of American history. Because history is not dust. Nor is it myths we tell to comfort and acquit ourselves. Nor is it a lever we twist in order to gain political advantage. No, our history is the master narrative of who we are.”–Leonard Pitts, Miami Herald.
* “It is clearly unconstitutional. It’s mean-spirited, racist and we think a court will enjoin it.”–Mary Bauer, legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, commenting on Alabama’s tough new illegal-immigration law.
* “The combination of (NFL) revenue sharing and the salary cap means it takes a perverse genius for a team to lose money.”–George Will, Washington Post.
* “The behavior he has exhibited is indefensible, and Rep. Weiner’s continued service in Congress is untenable.”–U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.
* “The Puerto Ricans in Florida have changed the ball game. This is very much a political trip for Obama.”–National Institute for Latino Policy President Angelo Falcon on President Obama’s recent official visit to Puerto Rico.
* “When you’re in a campaign spending $5 million a week on TV, you can create your truth, but when you’re not in a campaign cycle, the truth creates itself. It’s very hard to disabuse people of their first impressions and his first impression is horrible. People are seeing him for who he really is.”–Former Democratic attorney general candidate Dan Gelber on Gov. Rick Scott.
* “One of the biggest obstacles to solar is that it is much more expensive.”–Progress Energy spokesman Scott Sutton.
* “If we claim to be the party of progress then we need to deliver on that. Citizens want elected officials with idealistic hearts and pragmatic approaches.”–Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn at last weekend’s gathering of Democratic activists at the annual Jefferson-Jackson fundraising gala in Hollywood, Fla.