* “It’s very sad, but Brexit is a controlled suicide.”–Jan Techau, former director of Carnegie Europe, the European Center of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
* “All responsible nations must join forces to isolate the brutal regime of North Korea. You cannot support, you cannot supply, you cannot accept.”–President Donald Trump.
“I believe we can solve almost all of them, and probably all of them.”–Donald Trump in suggesting what would occur if the U.S. and China jointly took on the world’s problems.
* “I see a change in posture. I am extremely worried that we’ve moved beyond ‘Let’s prevent war’ to ‘It’s acceptable to do a first strike.'”–Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a former military pilot.
* “(Putin) said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they are saying he did. … Having a good relationship with Russia’s a great, great thing. And this artificial Democratic hit job gets in the way.”–Donald Trump.
* “I think he’s giving Putin a pass, and I think it demonstrates to Putin that Donald Trump can be played by foreign leaders who are going to appeal to his ego and play upon his securities.”–Former CIA Director John Brennan.
* “(Putin and Trump) have an interest in casting doubt on whether Russia attacked our elections. Putin wants to be seen as innocent, and Trump wants to be seen as legitimate.”–Charles M. Blow, New York Times.
* “Believe it or not, I do not follow the (president’s) tweets. I find out about them.”–White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
* “As a conservative, I do not seek conflict with the president of the United States. But the experiences of this year … have made me realize that to stand up and speak out is sometimes the most conservative thing a citizen can do. … To have a vital democracy, there can be no bystanders.”–Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake.
* “As Homer Simpson might say, as badly as it’s turning out, 2017 may not be the worst year of our lives–just the worst year of our lives so far.”– Christopher Ingraham, Washington Post.
* “The door is certainly open for us. That means we get fresh recruits, and they get the retirements.”–House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s response to Democratic wins in Virginia and New Jersey.
* “The Democrats had a big night Tuesday, and the president of the United States took it right in the kisser. And it was all about him. … Donald Trump has not built support in the middle; he’s alienated it.”–Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal.
* “We gotta turn this ship around. And I’d much prefer to be helping someone turn it around than being the guy trying to turn it around. … I’m not talking to anybody, but something’s got to happen.”–Former Vice President Joe Biden.
* “We must harness the widespread disapproval of Trump and make it the fuel to get rid of those who enable him–starting with Paul Ryan, who faces the most serious electoral challenge of his career. We cannot be distracted by the fantasy that Trump’s style is the problem.”–John Nichols, the Nation.
* “If (Donald Trump) remains this unpopular or becomes even more unpopular…I would expect Republicans to suffer major losses in the midterm elections.”–Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz.
* “Opposition motivates people more than proposition.”–John Avlon, editor of the Daily Beast.
* “We believe this is a responsible budget and a responsible tax reform. We’re confident that the $1.5 trillion gap would be filled (by economic growth).”–Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in stressing that cutting taxes by $1.5 trillion over the next decade will not add to the national debt.
* “It’s such a depressing idea, that we don’t get (federal appeals court) appointments unless we have unified government, and the appointments we ultimately get are as polarized as the rest of the country. What does that mean for the legitimacy of the courts in the United States? It’s not a pretty world.”–Lee Epstein, law professor and political scientist at Washington University in St. Louis.
* “When Christians cite the Bible to defend child molestation, Jesus should sue for defamation.”–Nicholas Kristof, New York Times, on certain Roy Moore defenders.
* “There’s an old maxim in politics: You either run unopposed, or you run scared. If I were a Republican, I’d be running scared.”–Darryl Paulson, USFSP government professor emeritus.
* “It is heartbreaking.”–Congresswoman Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, on Cubans now cut off from visas to the U.S.
* “I was with him almost every day through the hurricane. I saw the preparation, saw the execution, saw how the troops reacted to him and was impressed. And then the homicides in southeast Seminole Heights–that is where he sealed the deal for me.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, on his “battlefield promotion” of Brian Dugan to Tampa police chief.
* “It took a year and a half just to identify the preferred (Rays stadium) location and get site control. And determining a financial plan is going to get even more challenging.”–County Commissioner Ken Hagan.