* “We are really closer to that doomsday.”–Former Mongolian President Elbegdorj Tsakhia, at the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ annual rating announcement of how close the world is to a nuclear “doomsday.” The Russian-Ukrainian war has moved the “Doomsday Clock” to 90 seconds before midnight. The Atomic Scientists had previously projected in minutes, not seconds.
* “Nothing is off the table.”–UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in reference to military help for Ukraine.
* “China wants to see prolonged war in Ukraine, because it will divert the West from China while China is getting energy at low prices from Russia.”–Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
* Being homosexual isn’t a crime.”–Pope Francis.
* “Former Speaker Tip O’Neill famously said, ‘All politics is local.’ That’s no longer true. All politics is national now because Congress no longer plays its role as the arena where political disputes are settled through a robust legislative process.”–Jonah Goldberg, The Dispatch.
* “How is it possible that I have fewer classified documents in my house than the last few White House Administrations? Edward Snowden.
* “There’s only one way forward here, and it’s for Congress to raise the debt ceiling … Any deviations from that path would be highly risky.”–Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
* “It will be a difficult year, but it won’t won’t be a year of recession.”–Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.
* “You don’t fight crime by becoming criminals yourself.”–Al Sharpton, on the brutal death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police.
* “America is not past our prime. It’s just that our politicians are past theirs.”–Nikki Haley, in calling for mandatory mental competency tests for pols over 75.
* “(I hope his) courage will serve as an example for others.”–U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, in praising Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, who checked himself into a treatment center for clinical depression.
* “Great Caesar’s bust is on the shelf, and I don’t feel so well myself.”–Poet Arthur Guiterman.
* “In Florida, we’ve seen so many people sent to the death penalty that were innocent. It shouldn’t be easy to kill someone.”–Former Democratic state Sen. Randolph Bracy.
* “Nothing says you oppose ideology on college campuses… like pushing your ideology on college campuses.”–State Rep. Ana Eskamani, D-Orlando.
* “This is really the safe bet.”–St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, referring to his choice of the Hines/Rays proposal for the redevelopment of Tropicana Field.
* “Water Street Tampa’s highly sought-after attributes and Tampa’s pro-business climate create an ideal environment for our company to attract and retain talent.”–Kevin Phillips, managing partner of PEI Global Partners, which will open a Water Street Florida headquarters early next year.