Quoteworthy

* “European governments have a very low regard for Trump anyway. They know that they need to work with the United States, but it confirms to them that Trump is incapable of thinking strategically, handing victory to the Russians in Syria.”–Charles Grant, director of the Center for European Reform.

* ” The most significant long-term, geopolitical threat facing America.”–How Sen. Ted Cruz characterized China.

* “This action will prevent the Castro regime from profiting from U.S. air travel and using the revenues to repress the Cuban people.”–Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on the Trump Administration’s banning of U.S. flights to all Cuban cities except Havana.

* “With Nancy Pelosi’s dressing-down of Trump at that White House meeting, her weekend trip abroad (to Jordan and Afghanistan) and her highly visible oversight of the impeachment process in the House, a first-time visitor to the capital might conclude that she is shaping events while Trump just thrashes around.”–Eugene Robinson, Washington Post.

* “You don’t hold up foreign aid that we had previously appropriated for a political initiative. Period.”–Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

* “I really try very hard to be super ethical and always legal. But I can’t publicly defend everything I do because I’m presumed guilty. If I did, my business and firm would be unable to have any clients.”–Rudy Giuliani, President Trump’s personal lawyer.

* “If we are not the champions of the good and the right, then who will follow us? And if no one follows us–where will the world end up?”–Retired Navy Admiral William H. McRaven, former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command.

* “The only person in the military Mr. Trump does not feel is ‘overrated’: That’s Colonel Sanders.”–Former Defense Secretary–and retired four-star Marine general–Jim Mattis.

* “Today’s Republican leaders, with the vehement support of their base, have threatened the autonomy of the federal and state judiciary, treated intelligence and law-enforcement agencies as instruments of the ‘deep state,’ attacked the press and pulled down the empire of science, reason and fact into the mire of ‘fake news.'”–James Traub, author of “What Was Liberalism? The Past, Present and Promise of a Nobel Ideal.”

* “We’ve had enough of Adam Schiff running this Soviet-style star chamber, because only in the Soviet Union would you have a process where they are trying to impeach a duly elected president in secret, behind closed doors.”–House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La.

* “Next year’s election should be about Trump’s betrayal of his oath of office. Realistically, however, it also matters that the economy probably won’t be his friend.”–Paul Krugman, New York Times.

* “Take a colossally ignorant and incurious man in decline, have him divide his working hours between Fox News and golf, and then give him the nuke codes.”–Willamette University American History Professor Seth Cotlar.

* “(Facebook’s) algorithms favor the echo chamber, backing a user’s bias.”–Timothy Egan, New York Times.

* “This is positive news for both sides of Tampa Bay. … Reconstructing this interchange will be a boon to commerce and make life easier for residents and visitors. The future of St. Pete and Tampa has never been brighter.”–St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, on announced state plans for a $1.4 billion rebuild of the West Shore interchange.

* “This (Hillsborough) is no longer the county we turned red in 2000.”–Republican donor and political adviser Sam Rashid.

* “The most Democratic of Republicans.”–How Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister describes his politics.

* “This is just the first year of the 30-year tax. If you can imagine 30 years from now, it’s going to be like the Jetsons. It’s going to be wonderful.”–Jean Duncan, Tampa’s director of transportation, on Hillsborough County’s new transportation tax–provided the Florida Supreme Court permits it.

* “We’re much more aware of how we police.”–Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, on the steep decline in racially-skewed stops and citations for bicycle violations.

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