* “Most presidents make their name in foreign policy by taking on strong enemies; but most of what threatens global stability today are crumbling states. Exactly how many can we rescue at one time? I’d love to help Ukrainian reformers build a functioning democracy, but the reason that is so daunting a task is because their own politicians wasted two decades looting their own country.”–Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times.
* “China is the second-largest economy on the planet. If growth slows there, it affects everybody.”–Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, on news that China’s growth “slowed” to 7.4 percent in the first quarter.
* “The defining fact of China in our time is its contradictions. … It is home to two of the world’s most highly valued Internet companies (Tencent and Baidu), as well as history’s most sophisticated effort to censor human expression. China is both the world’s newest superpower and its largest authoritarian state.”–Evan Osnos, author of Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth and Faith in the New China.
* “The commitments we’re announcing prove that there are cost-effective ways to tackle climate change and create jobs at the same time.”–President Barack Obama.
* “Oskar Schindler gave me my life, but Steven Spielberg gave me my voice.”–Celina Biniaz, who was one of the Jews saved by Schindler.
* “… I think that we have to rein in what has become an almost article of faith that anybody can have a gun anywhere, any time. … And I think you can say that and still support the right of people to own guns.”–Hillary Clinton.
* “It’s time to burn the beret and bury the blue dress.”–Monica Lewinsky.
* “So obtuse has become the (Republican) Party’s dialogue on climate change that it’s now been reduced to believing or not believing, as if it were a religious mantra.”–Jon M. Huntsman Jr., chairman of the Atlantic Council and former 2012 GOP presidential candidate.
* “Want the military to never go to war? Make it a military that can never lose any war.”–U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.
* “Although the term ‘affirmative action’ is commonly used to describe colleges’ and universities’ use of race in crafting admissions policies, I instead use the term ‘race-sensitive admissions policies.'”–U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
* “I promise tonight will be both amusing and over quickly, just like (Chris) Christie’s presidential bid.”–Comedian Joel McHale, at the White House Correspondents Dinner.
* “Technology is way ahead of the science. We’re creating this stuff, and we don’t understand the implications.”–Dr. Maciej L. Goniewicz, assistant professor of oncology at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, on the growing popularity of e-cigarettes.
* “I couldn’t be consistent with myself and my core beliefs and stay with a party that was so unfriendly toward the African-American president, I’ll just go there.”–Charlie Crist.
* “It’s never more than 10 months until the next session.”–Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville.
* “Demographics are clearly on the side of Democrats in Florida. … Most of the key components of the Republican electorate are in decline; the key components of the Democratic coalition are in ascendancy.”–Darryl Paulson, professor emeritus of government at USF-St. Petersburg.
* “Rick runs our state like a CEO because that’s what he is, and that’s what we need. And that’s why our state is thriving.”–Attorney General Pam Bondi, introducing Gov. Rick Scott at the Hillsborough County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner.
* “We’re working on so many things together. But exports, the international strategy, we felt there was every opportunity for us to do it better if we do it together.”–Rick Homans, Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. CEO, on the formal announcement that Hillsborough and Pinellas counties have formed the Tampa Bay Export Alliance.
* “If we’re going to attract progressive types of corporate businesses, mass transit is an issue.”–Mark Mondello, CEO of Jabil Circuit Inc.
* “We can be really critical, but we should step back and realize we have a lot of good things here. … That’s why we doubled down and invested in Tampa Bay.”–Bob Dutkowsky, CEO of Tech Data Corp., on why Tech Data decided to expand its Tampa Bay headquarters.
* “The PTC (Public Transportation Commission) needs to go away or adapt to the times. They have a horse-and-buggy mentality in an iPhone era.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.