* “If we can figure out a way to lead North Korea’s leaders to a place where they don’t feel so threatened, we could move away from the cusp of a cataclysmic war. All of this would benefit us, whether we eliminated their nuclear capacity or not.”–James Clapper, former director of national intelligence.
* “It’s smart to engage China on trade abuses, and it would also be smart to get them more involved in trying to help us with North Korea.”–Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
* “If I can use the metaphor that some raised around the table, we all have a relative in intensive care and we all want to get him or her out of intensive care as soon as possible.”–European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, on the approach of the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany to keep working to save the Iran nuclear deal despite President Donald Trump’s determination to kill it off.
* “Well-structured alliances strengthen the United States. Maintaining these alliances requires a degree of mutual trust and reciprocal loyalty. Unless President Trump can summon and project these sentiments, America First will turn into America Alone.”–William Galston, senior fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Governance Studies Program.
* “For all the fatalism on both sides, the Middle East is in greater flux than ever before. Fear of an imperial Iran is drawing together Israel and the Sunni Arab world.”–Yossi Klein Halevi, senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and author of “Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor.”
* “Nations don’t reach bottom. There is always further to fall. But it does seem like life as we know it in Venezuela will be impossible unless there is a radical change.”–Crisis Group analyst Phil Gunson.
* “There is no hierarchy of values in Trump’s mind beyond himself.”–Mona Charen, senior fellow at the conservative Ethics & Public Policy Center.
* “We were held in low regard by many Americans BEFORE Trump came down that escalator. And Trump, has been trying with all his might to yank that regard lower ever since.”–Frank Bruni, New York Times.
* “Our citizens deserve a full and detailed explanation. I welcome Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to appear in person. It is a step in the right direction toward restoring confidence.”–European Parliament President Antonio Tajani.
* “Americans must, at some point, decide on which truths we still find self evident.”–Kevin Baker, New Republic.
* “We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.”–Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis.
* “Ruth was so far ahead of her time that she was alone for decades.”–Gloria Steinem, on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
* “It’s time the defendants pay for the pain and the destruction that they have caused. … I wish I could send someone to jail, but I can’t. So we’re going after them financially.”–Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, in announcing that she has filed a lawsuit against the largest manufacturers and distributors of opioids.
* “My focus is going to be how to make Washington work the same way we make Florida work.”–Florida governor and U.S. Senate candidate Rick Scott.
* “The next governor of Florida needs to have the courage to enact bold, progressive reforms to our broken criminal justice system–like ending the death penalty.”–Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King.
* “I’ve heard from many of you on the board and many people out in our community that we should look into a referendum to generate the revenue we need to fund our schools. … We have some clear needs.”–Hillsborough County school superintendent Jeff Eakins.
* “The case for new air service between Tampa Bay and Brazil is growing stronger.”–Kenneth Strickland, TIA’s director of air service development.
* “I’m asking staff to turn over every rock they can to make it happen.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller, in his proposal for an African-American art museum in downtown.