Quoteworthy

* “I think the infighting between the Taliban and Islamic State and other groups just highlights the complexities of the environment in which we are dealing. And it really highlights why it is important to stay with Afghanistan and help them through this very difficult period.”–Army Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of CentCom, after President Barack Obama announced his decision to keep 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan through the end of his term.

* “This is a great opportunity for us.”–Niamh Bushnell, Dublin’s commissioner for start-ups, on the business opportunities for Ireland after Britain leaves the European Union.

* “Thank you, Bernie, for your endorsement. And thank you for your lifetime of fighting injustice.”–Hillary Clinton.

* “I don’t know. We’ll see.”–House Speaker Paul Ryan’s response when asked if Donald Trump will cost Republicans congressional seats.

* “We don’t want to put people in jail unless we prove that they knew they were doing something they shouldn’t do. That is the characteristic of all the prosecutions involving mishandling of classified information.”–FBI Director James Comey.

* “I think (FBI Director James) Comey cut the legs out from under the only narrative that could have hurt (Hillary Clinton). I assume that Trump will continue to try to make hay out of this, and I think it will go about as well as the Republicans did on Whitewater or Benghazi or anything else.”–Democratic strategist Robert Shrum.

* “It’s likely that the next president, whoever she will be, will have a few appointments to make.”–U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

* “It is in the interest of police officers that their communities trust them.”–President Barack Obama.

* “All I know is that this must stop, this divisiveness between our police and our citizens. … We’re hurting.”–Dallas Police Chief David Brown.

* “We have broken into tribes. … It becomes more important who your parents are, what the color of your skin is, than whether you are American.”–Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck.

* “The solution is not more guns. The solution is to end the undervaluing of lives, both black and blue.”–Eugene Robinson, Washington Post.

* “Deny it if you can. I sure can’t. Something is wrong with us. And I don’t mind telling you that I fear for my country.”–Leonard Pitts, Miami Herald.

* “There’s a lot at stake here for a lot of people. Part of what we want to do in this (Florida) campaign is bring in those independents and Republican voters who didn’t think twice about voting for Mitt Romney or John McCain but understand the enormous threat that Donald Trump poses to our security and to our economy. … We have a big opportunity and you’re going to see us engaging those voters.”–Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook.

* “Clinton might be a particularly good fit for Florida. She won the Florida Democratic primary decisively in both 2008 and again in 2016. It’s the rare state where Clinton has often done better than Bernie Sanders in pre-election head-to-head polls versus Trump.”–Nate Cohn, New York Times.

* “Rape is caused by rapists who are empowered by a culture that muddies the concept of consent and uses shame and silence to fuel its punishing fire.”–Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan.

* “We’re still the bigger party in Florida and the bigger party nationally. But it naturally eats into our numbers as more people register as NPA (no party affiliation).”–Max Steele, Florida Democratic Party spokesman.

* “Not to air your state’s dirty laundry, but what’s up with Attorney General Pam Bondi?”–Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Grandholm, in a speech to the Pinellas County Democratic Party.

* “The attitude of law enforcement has been dismissive, as if we are making it all up.”–Donna Davis, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Tampa.

* “Honest to God, I don’t know what the answer is. But we’ve got to come together and find a solution before this gets any worse. And I’m not sure how it could get any worse, and I don’t want to find out.”–Former Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor.

* “This is a major proof point of the international potential of our city.”–TIA CEO Joe Lopano, on the U.S DOT designating Tampa for likely Southwest Airlines commercial flights to Havana.

* “We have had (nonstop flights to) San Francisco as our top priority for a long time. San Francisco is at once our most promising route and the most challenging to win.”–TIA vice president Chris Minner.

* “Over the recent events that have happened, we’ve seen more people enrolling in classes to get concealed weapons permits. People are worried about their safety and protecting themselves.”–Fred Flesche, owner of Shooting Sports of Tampa.

* “Theater is as important to Ybor City’s history as cigars.”–Retired Judge E.J. Salcines.

* “We have to film here; it’s an incredible location.”–Director Brad Furman, on filming parts of The Infiltrator in Ybor City.

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