Category: Media Watch

* “It is futile to be bitter.”–Nelson Mandela.

* “It’s nothing more than the minority’s attempt to dominate the majority. We will not allow it.”–Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the government’s crackdown on protestors.

* “I’ve never been an extremist. I support moderation.”–Iranian President-elect Hasan Rowhani.

* “Our desire is to have credible negotiations with the North Koreans, but those talks must involve North Korea living up to its obligations to the world.”–National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.

* “Climate change has quite frankly slipped to the backburner of policy priorities. But the problem is not going away–quite the opposite.”–Maria van der Hoeven, executive director of the International Energy Agency.

* “They were both idealists, but they have both become practical idealists. Time in government does that to you.”–Edward C. Luck, dean of the School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego, on the nomination of Samantha Power as American ambassador to the United Nations and the appointment of Susan E. Rice as national security adviser.

* “Traditional conservatism recognizes the balance of principles–in this case, security and privacy–rather than elevating a single ideal into an absolute.”–Michael Gerson, Washington Post.

* “That’s the most optimistic thing that is happening–the radicalization of the Internet-educated youth, people who are receiving their values from the Internet. This is the political education of apolitical technical people. It is extraordinary.”–WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

* “I responded in what I thought was the most truthful–or least untruthful–manner, by saying ‘no.'”–Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, explaining why he told Congress that the National Security Agency does not intentionally collect data on millions of Americans.

* “Immigrants created far more businesses than native-born Americans over the last 20 years. Immigrants are more fertile, and they love families, and they have more intact families, and they bring a younger population. Immigrants create an engine of economic prosperity.”–Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

* “I urge President Obama to remove Eric Holder from his position as attorney general.”–U. S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland.

* “I haven’t had a near-death experience. I’ve had a death experience.”–Florida Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson on return to Congress after reapportionment.

* “Edward Snowden is not a whistleblower. What Edward Snowden did amounts to an act of treason. And the Department of Justice should bring charges against him for deliberately taking classified information and leaking it in such a way that our enemies can use it against us.”–Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.

* “Florida has the largest population of Holocaust survivors and relatives on the entire planet with the exception of the state of Israel.”–Florida CFO Jeff Atwater.

* “We’re test crazy. We are over-testing our kids.”–Author Alan Sitomer, keynote speaker at the Teacher Leadership Institute at USF St. Petersburg.

* “The state has been ridiculously gerrymandered. Recovering from that will take several election cycles, but this governor’s race will be a significant step forward.”–Tampa’s Alan Clendenin, vice chairman of the Democratic state party.

* “Selling Tampa Bay to entrepreneurs is only part of the equation. We must do a better job of selling the region to venture capitalists. When you have a great idea, you have to have funding to move forward.”–Moez Limayem, dean of the USF College of Business.

* “The objective is to give the ones we’re funding now two years to learn how to operate more business-like and be able to measure what they do in outcomes.”–Hillsborough County Administrator Mike Merrill on putting nonprofits on notice that grants will be tied to performance.

* “It’s less reliable than it used to be. It’s something we’re paying attention to.”–Tampa CFO Sonya Little on the loss of taxable (landline) phone services.

I’m still old school enough that when it comes to games, I want the media to know its role. It’s not as important as that which it covers. With that in mind, I wasn’t pleased to hear that Keith Olbermann will be back–this time with TBS as the host of a Major League Baseball postseason radio show. Olbermann, the avatar of look-at-me, listen-to-me arrogance, personifies all that is wrong with over-the-top, show-biz sorts who treat the games they cover and comment on as almost incidental to their personality-driven forums. Plus, in Olbermann’s case, his less-than-subliminal message is: “You and I both know I’m too smart to be doing sports. Deal with it.”

But these media hucksters wouldn’t have these gigs, of course, if the ratings weren’t there. And that’s what makes such rants as this one, alas, “old school” and out of touch. And for the record, no, I don’t wax nostalgic over Howard Cosell, who was way ahead of his time. Different era, but same objection.

* “The euro is driving a massive process of change. We therefore need to reform the European Union and reform our relationship with it.”–British Prime Minister David Cameron.

* “We agreed today … that we would like to see our countries find a new way forward.”–Secretary of State John Kerry after meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua.

* “(Cybertheft) really now is at the center of the relationship. It is not an adjunct issue.”–National Security Adviser Tom Donilon on a contentious issue between the U.S. and China.

* “So far, the striking thing about the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, both in Europe and the United States, is how successfully the center has held. Power has passed back and forth between left and right, but truly radical movements have found little traction, and political violence has been mercifully rare.”–Ross Douthat, New York Times.

* “The U.S. is the only rich country in the world whose population is growing. We add 3 million people to our number every year, thanks largely to (legal) immigration.”–Fareed Zakaria, Time magazine.

* “States rejecting the (Medicaid) expansion will spend much more, get much, much less, and leave millions of their residents uninsured. That’s a lot of self-inflicted pain to make a political point.”–Ezra Klein, Washington Post.

* “As the debate continues, I urge those who esteem Ronald Reagan to consider the principled, big-picture perspective at the core of his decisions. When we consider what Reagan would do, let’s also remember what he did do–expand Medicaid.”–John Kasich, Republican governor of Ohio.

* “After getting the input from all these different constituents, I realized there was not across-the-board support that would serve us well in moving forward.”–John  Pistole, administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, which is abandoning its plan to allow passengers to carry small knives onto planes.

* “In a country where we expect free WiFi with our coffee, why shouldn’t we have it in our schools?”–President Barack Obama.

* “Something happens when a crime is reported in the military. Service members close ranks. The victim often has to continue to salute her assailant.”–Margaret Carlson, Bloomberg View.

* “Poaching is not an economic development strategy.”–Sandra Jones, director of communications for the Illinois Department of Commerce, on Gov. Rick Scott’s letter-writing campaign that targets out-of-state businesses.

* “Simply unconscionable. It’s a political anti-Hispanic move.”–Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, on Gov. Rick Scott’s veto of a bill that would have allowed children of illegal immigrants to get temporary driver’s licenses.

* “Somebody in Florida who is not yet a citizen can get a doctor’s license but not a driver’s license. How absurd can we be?”–Attorney Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte.

* “They want a true Democrat. They want someone who has consistent core values and principles. They don’t see that in Charlie Crist.”–Gubernatorial candidate Nan Rich, a former Democratic leader in the state Senate, on her appeal to her party’s grass roots.

* “I teach my kids that when you make a mistake, you correct it yourself.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe, who reversed his (2005) vote and voted to repeal a ban on county government recognition of gay pride.

* “We’re upping the game. It’s important for the Channel District. It’s important for downtown.”–Thom Stork, president and CEO of The Florida Aquarium, on the opening of Stingray Beach, the first phase of the aquarium’s $15-million expansion project.

* “It’s like the O.K. Corral. It’s like ’06 and ’07 all over again. People are just paying crazy money.”–Keller Williams agent Scott Samuels on the Tampa Bay area’s rebounding housing market.

* “It means the worst of the recession is over.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn on increases in Tampa property values that reduce the projected deficit.

* “I was fortunate enough to go to high school here, and there’s a reason why I chose to go to USF and stay in my home town. I wanted to be here forever. I really don’t envision myself doing anything else.”–Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.

They’re back.

Fleetwood Mac–intact–plays the Forum tomorrow (Saturday) night. One thing’s for certain: ample selections from 1977’s “Rumours,” the greatest album ever–repeat, the greatest album ever–will be highlighted. FM fans will recall that “Rumours” spun off four hit singles that same year. Many Democrats will nostalgically recall one of them, “Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow),” the theme song for the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign.

* “President Obama is to be commended for resisting neo-con and liberal interventionist clamors to get us into yet another open-ended war. For we have no interest in (Syrian President Bashar) Assad’s overthrow.”–Pat Buchanan, Creator’s Syndicate.

* “You don’t impose democracy. You develop it.”–Salman Shaikh, director of The Brookings Doha Center in Qatar.

* “The Chinese are the biggest beneficiary of this post-Saddam oil boom in Iraq. They need energy and they want to get into the market.”–Denise Natali, Middle East expert at the National Defense University in Washington.

* “China is every bit as exceptionalist as America, and has been for centuries. It is a country prepared to make rather than accept new rules, and one that will compete with the United States for Asian and global hegemony.”–Jon M. Huntsman, former ambassador to China, and Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group.

* “Unfortunately, the tax code has not kept up with the digital age.”–Tim Cook, Apple CEO.

* “There is a technical term economists like to use for behavior like this. Unbelievable chutzpah.”–Edward Kleinbard, law professor at the University of Southern California, on how Apple has managed to avoid billions in taxes through a global web of subsidiaries.

* “There is a growing sense that many companies have been flying 35,000 feet over the economic troubles of the countries where they operate–and they should be forced back down to earth. Apple’s tax troubles are just the beginning of a very big fight between the world’s richest companies and its governments.”–Rana Foroohar, Time magazine.

* “The projections in this year’s report for Social Security are essentially unchanged from last year, and those for Medicare have improved modestly.”–Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew.

* “I’ve gotten concerned by the seeming impotence of federal regulatory agencies.”–Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul A. Volcker.

* “Young drivers have a far greater risk differential in the 0.08 to 0.05 range. Lowering the legal limit can make people more thoughtful about having the second, third or fourth drink–because every drink raises a driver’s crash risk level exponentially.”–Deborah A.P. Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

* “There’s an underlying fear that if we don’t add interactive elements to lower school curriculums, children won’t be able to handle fractions or develop scientific hypotheses–concepts children learned quite well in school before television.”–Pamela Paul, New York Times.

* “Virtually the entire world has ended state executions, either formally abolishing the death penalty or ceasing executions–except Iran, China, Saudi Arabia and, of course, part of the United States (most notably Texas and Florida).”–Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.

* “The car has become a place where we’re multitasking all the time instead of concentrating on our primary responsibility.”–Florida state Senator Tom Lee, R-Brandon.

* “I served with Sen. (Bill) Nelson for years, and I think he’d be a very strong, effective governor. I think Charlie’s (Crist) going to run, but I assume if Sen. Nelson runs, he would be the nominee, and I think he would win.”–Former Congressman Jim Davis.

* “He was one of the few white guys who dared to venture into the ‘hood for games–even Little League games.”–Former Major League Baseball pitcher Dwight Gooden referring to the late Tom McEwen, sports editor of the Tampa Tribune, in his book “Doc: A Memoir.”

This may be a reach–but so be it. It’s no secret that a key issue among teachers continues to be respect. As in, do they get enough for what they’re increasingly challenged by–as society’s issues accompany students through the classroom portals each day? The pay, arguably, is insufficient, the hours long, standardized tests overemphasized, autonomy lacking and professionalism unacknowledged.

Then I see a TV kicker or a newspaper photo of an educator kissing a pig or being “slimed” with green goo as some sort of motivational payoff for student accomplishment. And I think: This can’t help. Surely there’s a more appropriate–and certainly less undignified–way of motivating students to read more books or achieve better attendance than this. Surely.

Only one question was raised by the announcement by Fox News that it had hired former Florida Congressman Allen West as a contributor. What took it so long?

* “The denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and lasting peace on the peninsula is what the people want and also the trend of the times.”–Chinese President Xi Jinping.

* “We act, talk and walk like an American company. In the end, it’s all about making money.”–Pin Ni, president of the American unit of Wanxiang, a Chinese automaker that has put down roots in Detroit.

* “Far more than peoples who’ve weathered revolutions and counterrevolutions, Americans too often assume that once a tyranny has collapsed and elections follow–whether in the Soviet Union, Iraq or Egypt–whatever comes next will be far better.”–Adam Hochschild, author of “The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin.”

* “We would like to say, ‘Good night, Lee.’ Rest in peace, our fallen soldier.”–Ian Rigby, stepfather of slain British soldier Lee Rigby, who was brutally murdered by Islamist extremists in Woolwich, England.

* “As commander in chief, I believe we must keep information secret that protects our operations and our people in the field. To do so, we must enforce consequences for those who break the law and breach their commitment to protect classified information.”–President Barack Obama.

* “There have been some legitimate criticisms about how we’re handling this. And I say ‘legitimate’ because I mean it.”–White House spokesman Jay Carney on the Obama Administration’s responses about the IRS targeting of conservative groups.

* “The deep irony of the IRS scandal is that people on the political right are being subjected to exactly the kind of profiling that they’ve long advocated in fighting terrorism and crime–and they don’t seem to appreciate it.”–Farhad Manjoo, author of “True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society.”

* “Let me be clear, I don’t trust the Republicans, and I don’t trust the Democrats. I think a whole lot of Americans likewise don’t trust the Republicans and the Democrats, because it is leadership in both parties that has gotten us in this mess.”–Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

* “Closed for repairs.”–What the status of the Republican Party should be according to former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole.

* “Certainly Obama is getting a clearer understanding that the biggest downside of having the other party control a branch of Congress is its ability to use investigations and subpoenas as anvils.”–Maureen Dowd, New York Times.

* “The deficit is dwindling, and the case for making the deficit a central policy concern, which was never very strong given low borrowing costs and high unemployment, has now completely vanished.”–Paul Krugman, New York Times.

* “Extra spending on Medicaid does affect the wider economy–it pays the salaries of nurses, doctors and everyone else in the health care industry, who then spend that money throughout the region.”–Alan Green, economics professor, Stetson University.

* “The governor never called me one time to ask me to expand Medicaid.”–Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.

* “No other transportation option can do so much for so little so fast with so much private investment that is so incredibly cool.”–Attorney Ed Turanchik on plans to bring high-speed ferry service to the Tampa Bay area.

* “Diversity cannot be promoted in the absence of protections from discrimination and prejudice.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner.

* “I think we are ready to have a candid conversation about transportation.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn on recent transit talks involving Hillsborough County commissioners, the county’s three mayors and the chairman of HART.

* “It’s a big opportunity for our region. We’re going to spend the time necessary to work with people who have the vision, the wherewithal and the commitment to do the deal.”–Tampa Port Authority board chairman William “Hoe” Brown on reviving Channelside Bay Plaza.

* “Before Google, there was Leland Hawes.”–Former Mayor Pam Iorio.

* “We don’t want to lose them. This is our team. This isn’t Charlotte’s team. This is not Las Vegas’ team, and this team deserves the best efforts to find a way to make sure that they stay.” Mayor Bob Buckhorn on the Tampa Bay Rays.

* “Is there really any vital U.S. interest at risk in whether the 40-year-old Assad dictatorship stands or falls?”–Pat Buchanan, Creators Syndicate.

* “In large parts of China, it still looks like the U.S. in the 1950s: most everything is in cash.”–Jeffrey R. Williams, executive director of the Harvard Center Shanghai.

* “Partisanship or even the appearance of partisanship has no place in the I.R.S.”–Steven Miller, recently resigned acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service.

* “There are two I.R.S. scandals. The other is the I.R.S. allowing big shadowy forces to meddle in elections anonymously through front groups that file false statements with the I.R.S.”–Sen. Shelton Whitehouse, D-R.I.

* “I would not dismiss Benghazi. It’s a very serious issue.”–Bob Woodward, Washington Post.

* “It is well past time for political moderates to speak as forcefully as the snake-oil salesmen who are hijacking our democracy.”–Joe Klein, Time magazine.

* “Cynicism is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You have no chance if you assume you have no chance.”–Robert Reich, professor of public policy at the University of California Berkeley and former secretary of labor in the Clinton Administration.

* “Investors deserve to know at long last: Are the companies they trust with their hard-earned cash investing it in research and development (R&D) or wasting it to support the two major political parties (R’s & D’s)?”–Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, assistant professor of law at Stetson University College of Law.

* “We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple. NEVER–you can use caps.”–Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder.

* “Make no mistake, the Cuban government must improve human rights. But it is clear that the policy of the embargo and isolation over 50 years hasn’t improved the human rights situation.”–U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.

* “International trade and foreign investment combined are responsible for creating more than 1 million Florida jobs, or roughly about one in seven jobs in Florida.”–Gov. Rick Scott.

* “If we don’t win (the governor’s race) in 2014, we can hang it up.”–Tampa Democratic strategist Anna Cruz.

* “The cost of campaigns has done nothing but increase tremendously. It’s $1.5 million a week to be on television.”–Alex Sink, former state finance chief who ran unsuccessfully against Rick Scott in 2010.

* “We are watching the growth of the greatest messenger that American exceptionalism has ever known.”–Tom Lee, state senator and Hillsborough County Republican chairman, in reference to Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

* “I’ve always been up front about the type of leader I wanted to be: an inclusive reformer.”–Speaker of the Florida House Will Weatherford.

* “In Washington, everyone’s taking notice of his strong stand on the Medicaid expansion issue. … He’s building a reputation as a solid conservative who you can rely on.”–American Conservative Union chairman Al Cardenas referring to Will Weatherford.

* “We offer Lottery as a service to our customers, but we don’t promote it.”–Publix spokesman Brian West.

* “I think it does up our cool factor.”–MidFlorida Credit Union president and CEO Kevin Jones on MidFlorida buying the naming rights for the outdoor concert venue (Amphitheatre) at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

* “I do think there’s a lot of pent-up demand, and the fact that interest rates are low, that has a lot to do with it.”–Jennifer Doerfel, executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, on the nearly 50 per cent increase in regional home construction in the first quarter.