* “She set the tone for some of our public figures inside the country, sent a signal to them. They heard this signal and launched active work with the U.S. State Department’s support.”–Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in criticizing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for questioning the validity of Russia’s recent parliamentary elections.
* “We all agree that a financial transaction tax would be the right signal to show that we have understood that financial markets have to contribute their share to the recovery of economies.”–German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the merits of the so-called Robin Hood tax: a tiny levy on trades in the financial markets.
* “A crappy VC.”–Former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers’ characterization of the federal government as venture capitalist.
* “Why doesn’t he propose to drug test executives at Wall Street banks?”–Rep. George Miller of California, top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, in response to legislation introduced by Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., that would require applicants for federally subsidized jobless benefits to fill out a drug-screening questionnaire to determine whether they should have to take a drug test.
* “In tough economic times, it’s not the time to stop investing in education.”–Education Secretary Arne Duncan in his visit to Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach.
* “How does an ostentatious know-it-all fare so well in a party supposedly hostile to intellectuals and intellectualism?”–Frank Bruni, New York Times, on the pre-primary surge of Newt Gingrich.
* “The only reason you didn’t become a career politician is because you lost to Teddy Kennedy in 1994.”–Newt Gingrich to Mitt Romney at last Saturday’s debate in Des Moines, Iowa.
* “One of the things that I think people recognize in Washington is that people go there to serve the people and then stay there to serve themselves.”–Mitt
Romney.
* “Let me just say, if Newt Gingrich is the smartest guy in the room, leave that room.”–Joe Scarborough, former Congressman (R-Fla.) and host of MSNBC’s
“Morning Joe.”
* “I am not going to contort myself into something that’s unrecognizable–I am what I am.”–Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman.
* “It’s worth remembering also that four years ago at this time, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was the Republican leader.”–Pollster Peter
Brown.
* “Americans do not believe that Obama has succeeded, but they still want him to succeed.”–Michael Gerson, Washington Post.
* “I’m being judged against the ideal. Joe Biden has a good expression. He says, ‘Don’t judge me against the Almighty, judge me against the alternative.'”–President Barack Obama.
* “Although he claims to have no interest in the job, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is still the most likely VP choice for any Republican nominee, especially Gingrich, who has mentioned Rubio specifically.”–Jonathan Alter, Bloomberg News.
* “A stable regulatory environment does not mean lower environmental standards.”–Gov. Rick Scott.
* “We do not support either the magnitude of the cuts or the policy behind the reductions.”–Paul Belcher of the Florida Hospital Association referencing Gov.
Rick Scott’s proposed Medicaid cuts of nearly $2 billion.
* “It would be transformative.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn on the impact of a Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium in downtown Tampa.
*”From afar, I’ve been in awe of the job they’ve done. I’ve admired the work of Joe Maddon and his (Tampa Bay Rays) team.”–New Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine.