* “Our number one geopolitical foe.”–Mitt Romney’s characterization of Russia.
* “Ronald Reagan, who as I recall was not accused of being a tax-and-spend socialist, understood repeatedly that when the deficit started to get out of control that for him to make a deal he would have to propose both spending cuts and tax increases. He did it multiple times. He could not get through a Republican primary today.”–President Barack Obama.
* “Romney needs to address his serious problem among Latino voters. It may not be possible, at this point, to do more than contain the damage. During two presidential cycles, Romney has methodically employed the immigration wedge against Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich. Romney’s pledge to veto the DREAM Act–legislation supported by nine out of 10 Hispanic voters–was a major error.”–Michael Gerson, Washington Post.
* “Obama never should have waded into the health care thicket back when the economy was teetering. He should have listened to David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel and not Michelle.”–Maureen Dowd, New York Times.
* “The president is very good at dividing this country, but Republicans need to stay on the issue of the economy and not be pulled into a phony war on women or phony contraception war.”–Fort Lauderdale’s Sharon Day, vice chairwoman of the Republican National Committee.
* “The heyday of exurbs may well be behind us.”–Yale University economist Robert J. Shiller.
* “Blacks and Muslims who face the insults of being profiled might direct their anger toward those who’ve made blacks and crime synonymous and terrorism and Muslims synonymous.”–George Mason University Economics Professor Walter E. Williams.
* “Our conclusion is that this (Stand Your Ground) law ought to be repealed. We don’t think it’s a thing we can tweak.”–Buddy Jacobs, general counsel for the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
* “We welcome Hillsborough County’s money. As long as somebody else is footing the bill and paying the cost of the facility’s use, they can have any kind of themed event they want.”–St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster on Hillsborough County Commission voting to spend some $400,000 to throw a Tampa-specific, GOP Convention eve, welcome party for media and delegates at Tropicana Field.
* “History has shown us that special ordinances passed in anticipation of National Special Security Events such as the RNC are not only often unconstitutional, but have also repeatedly failed to enhance public safety.”–Heidi Boghosian, executive director of the National Lawyers Guild, a protestors’ rights group.
* “If you come here to get a message across, to exercise your First Amendment rights, we are 100 percent on your side, and we will facilitate that any way we can.”–Kirby Rainsberger, Tampa Police Department attorney, on what GOP Convention demonstrators can expect.
* “Completely unworkable. We need to go back to the drawing board.”–City Council member Mary Mulhern on the proposed “Clean Zone” ordinance.
* “We’re so pumped about Ybor. We want to be part of the movement to re-enrich that part of the city. It has such a great, rich cultural heritage and so many great businesses are moving there.”–Nick Friedman, president of College Hunks Hauling Junk which, along with sister company College Hunks Moving, is relocating its national franchise operation to a 10,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in Ybor City.
* “You know, the political people, they come, they go. I’m into my second mayor now.”–Tampa Bay Rays’ owner Stu Sternberg.