The unique perspective and provocative opinions of Joe O’Neill
Quoteworthy
“The pattern during this pandemic so far certainly suggests that the world could use much more female leadership.”—Andreas Kluth, Bloomberg Opinion.
“Those of us who remember the 1990s know that QAnon-type conspiracy theories have been out there for decades; they’ve just become more visible thanks to social media and a president who attributes all his failures to the machinations of the ‘deep state.’”—Paul Krugman, New York Times.
“(Trump has) devolved into preying upon fears and resentments with narcissism that nurtures only chaos and confusion.”—Michael Steele, former chairman of the RNC and a senior advisor for the anti-Trump Lincoln Project.
“Do you seriously wonder, Mr. President, why this is the first time in decades that America has seen this level of violence? It’s you who have created the hate and the division.”–Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler.
“We have yet to see any activity intended to prevent voting or to change votes, and we continue to think that it would be extraordinarily difficult for foreign adversaries to change vote tallies.”—Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen.
“I’m going to continue to keep Congress informed. But we’ve had a pandemic of information being leaked out of the intelligence community. And I’m going to take the measures to make sure that stops.”—John Ratcliffe, director of National Security.
“What’s unfolding is a political Ponzi scheme. Inflated claims are being made about Trump’s economic “accomplishments” in order to persuade frightened and uncertain Americans to invest their votes in the scandal-plagued businessman’s re-election run.”—John Nichols, The Nation.
“Ft. McHenry is meant to symbolize national unity. It was an act of defilement (for VP Mike Pence) to use this place for partisan political rhetoric intended to provoke division and fear.”—Eugene Robinson, Washington Post.
“The Trump Organization has stalled, withheld documents, and instructed witnesses, including Eric Trump, to refuse to answer questions under oath.”—New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who has stepped up the inquiry into whether President Trump and the Trump Organization committed fraud by overstating assets to get loans and tax benefits.
“In Trump’s perverse, political calculus, division equals addition.”—Democratic analyst David Axelrod.
“When all is said and done, I am confident that the ban on oil drilling off of Florida’s coast will remain in place.”—Sen. Marco Rubio, on the moratorium on oil leasing in most of the eastern Gulf of Mexico that is set to expire in two years.
“Nothing is off the table. We’re going to have to be inventive, innovative and bold.”—David Lechner, USF senior vice president for business and strategy, on proposed budget cuts of $36.7 million.
“We can’t undo our past, but we can educate ourselves on that history so that we don’t make the same mistakes again. And we can use that history and that past to improve our police department and relationship with the community.”—Mayor Jane Castor.