* “I will not allow foreigners to interview, which is tantamount to interrogation, the prominent, beloved scientists and sons of this nation.”–Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, vowing that he won’t allow international inspection of Iran’s military sites or access to Iranian scientists.
* “What apparently happened (in Ramadi) is the Iraqi forces just showed no will to fight. They were not outnumbered; in fact, they vastly outnumbered the opposing (ISIS) force.”–Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
* “It’s not easy to govern in Latin America right now. Many of these governments rode frustration with high levels of inequality and corruption to power. But you can’t rail against the establishment as effectively as you once did when you are the establishment at this point.”–Raul L. Madrid, author and University of Texas government professor.
* “He’s the leader of 1.2 billion Catholics. Anything he says is parsed and taken apart for larger meaning. And yet, he shrugs and laughs, the body language behind the most memorable line by a pope in our time: ‘Who am I to judge?'”–Timothy Egan, New York Times.
* “The only way the world is going to prevent the worst effects of climate change is to slow down the warming of the planet.”–President Barack Obama.
* “I am campaigning on a flat tax that would allow every American to fill out his or her taxes on a postcard that allows us to abolish the I.R.S.”–Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
* “The way to sell the flat tax is as the ultimate Washington-versus-America issue. The only people who benefit from a complicated, barnacle-encrusted 70,000-page tax code are tax attorneys, accountants, lobbyists, I.R.S. agents and politicians who use the tax code as a way to buy and sell favors.”–Stephen Moore, Heritage Foundation senior fellow.
* “To say that Hillary Rodham Clinton is a polarizing figure–as people do all the time–is to suggest that politics was like a big campfire singalong until this pantsuited fomenter showed up and turned us all against one another.”–Mark Leibovich, New York Times Magazine.
* “I think in Washington during my brother’s time, Republicans spent too much money. I think he could have used the veto power. He could have brought budget discipline to Washington, D.C.”–Jeb Bush.
* “Anytime you give power to government, they love it, and they will accumulate more.”–Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
* “Everybody wants to go. People see that this is all going to open up and they want to see Cuba before it becomes Cancun.”–Vivian Mannerud, chief executive of Airline Brokers Company.
* “You want to know what I’m going to do now that I’m retired? By God, I hope to become the new face of Scientology.”–David Letterman.
* “The rules of the road to journalistic success have changed dramatically, as has the definition of journalist. Today, one can self-identify as a journalist without any background or experience. … Today, it appears that if you are blonde, have great legs, or worked in the White House and can read a Teleprompter, bammo, you are a journalist.”–Cal Thomas, Tribune Media Services.
* “We must deal with the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be. … Any other alternative will be the end of us as a national movement.”–Robert M. Gates, president of the Boy Scouts of America–and former secretary of defense–in calling for the end of the Scouts’ blanket ban on gay adult leaders.
* “Apart from getting rid of their base–evangelicals–I don’t see a way for Republicans to make really deep inroads in the Jewish vote.”–University of Florida political science Professor Kenneth Wald.
* “This is worse than shouting ‘fire’ in a crowded theater. There’s not going to be a government shutdown in Florida.”–Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville.
* “I’d be surprised if Rick Scott doesn’t run for another office. He’s keeping his artillery well-oiled.”–Sen. Don Gaetz.
* “I think people expect someone up there to be wearing a black robe, and when you see something different, it lessens the seriousness of the proceedings. The courtroom is a serious place.”–Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, in decreeing that all judges must wear a solid black robe–with no “embellishment”–in court at all times.
* “I’ve admired her work ethic and her desire to do right by kids. … But there’s always room to improve. I know you were not satisfied with the glitches we had in testing.”–State Board of Education chairman Gary Chartrand, in the performance review of Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart.
* “Cuba isn’t the problem. Congress is the problem.”–Tampa Port Authority Vice Chairman Carl Lindell Jr.
* “I think the board was flattered to be asked to consider whether or not they want to be included in that strategy, and clearly the board is interested.”–MOSI board chairman Robert Thomas, after a presentation by Jeff Vinik on the prospect of MOSI relocating to downtown.
* “Our number one priority.”–House Majority Leader Dana Young, R-Tampa, on the importance of funding for the USF College of Medicine and Heart Institute in downtown Tampa.
* “My No. 1 mandate is to protect the natural resources of Hillsborough County, and I will do that.”–Janet Dougherty, the newly appointed director of Hillsborough County’s Environmental Protection Commission.
* “We find ourselves coming full circle for the next chapter of not just this project, but of Ybor City.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, on the announcement that Ashley Furniture will build its e-commerce headquarters in Ybor City.
* “The college football championship (2017) is going to be an amazing event for our community. Being able to host major events like this provides a tremendous opportunity to be in the conversation for another Super Bowl. It’s incredible.”–Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.