The unique perspective and provocative opinions of Joe O’Neill
Quoteworthy
“We know how to win these (arms) races, and we know how to spend the adversary into oblivion.”—Marshall Billingslea, U.S. special envoy for arms control.
“Russia is likely to continue amplifying criticisms of vote-by-mail and shifting voting processes amidst the COVI-19 pandemic to undermine public trust in the electoral process.”—Memo of warning from the Department of Homeland Security to election officials.
“As a system designed to bolster the power of rural whites at the expense of black Americans, the Electoral College continues to work exactly as designed.”—Christopher Ingraham,Washington Post.
“Our Constitution does not secure the peaceful transition of power, but rather presupposes it.”—Lawrence Douglas, Amherst College law professor and author of “Will He Go?”
“He is who he is. I think what we know now is that Donald Trump cannot rise to the occasion, he cannot grow into the job. He is someone who stokes controversy and conflict and outrage. It’s who he was in his reality TV days, and who he is as president of the United States.”—Carly Fiorina, the former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard who ran in the Republican presidential primary in 2016.
“Biden keeps everyone on board for two reasons. First, he does not sound like a ranting left-winger out to destroy capitalism. … Second, when Trump threatens democracy, tries to incite racial violence, lies constantly and runs a kleptocratic administration that would make Russian oligarchs blush, voters will put aside a whole lot of issues that simply are not as important as preserving representative democracy.”—Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post.
“Too much of the evidence points to the Trump administration pressuring the FDA to approve a vaccine by Election Day to boost the president’s re-election campaign.”—Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
“A lot of people that voted for President Trump did so because they did not like Hillary Clinton. I don’t see that happening with Joe Biden—how can you not like Joe Biden?”—Florida Republican Congressman Francis Rooney.
“President Trump represents the last primal shriek of retrograde white men afraid to lose their power. He’s a dinosaur who evokes a world of beauty pageants, ‘suburban housewives,’ molestation, cheating on your wife when she’s pregnant, paying off porn stars, preferring women to be seen and not heard, dismissing women who challenge you as nasty, angry and crazy.”—Maureen Dowd,New York Times.
“(I’ll) take my wheelchair and my titanium legs over Donald Trump’s supposed bone spurs any day.”—Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a double-amputee Army vet.
“Surely, many of Trump’s supporters know they’re getting played. And they don’t mind, so long as they can ‘own the libs.’”—Timothy Egan,New York Times.
“Vice President Biden has an excellent chance to beat this guy. And I think Biden has the qualities and values to clean up this mess that President Trump has gotten us into.”—Former New York Republican Congressman Jim Walsh.
“We have just been through a colossal test case in how you corrupt and incapacitate a great democracy. And failing to learn these lessons is a disservice to that democracy.”—Democratic Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.
“Each and every time (Trump) has violated a law or a norm and received no pushback from his party, he has made further violations of law and custom more likely.”—Mona Charen,The Bulwark.
“There is a deep belief by not just Obama, but many people who have worked for him, that we can recover from four years of Trump, but the damage from eight would be irreversible.”—Jen Psaki, former White House communications director under President Barack Obama.
“Hillary Clinton would be running for re-election right now if African-American turnout in 2016 had been higher in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Milwaukee.”—Eugene Robinson,Washington Post.
“Inflation that is persistently too low can pose serious risks to the economy.”—Jerome H.Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve, saying the central bank will focus on fostering a strong labor market while tolerating higher inflation.
“Social media is like the wall on Plato’s Cave. Selective facts cast shadows we mistake for reality.”—Jonah Goldberg, The Dispatch.
“In-state travel is an important first step in our long-term recovery plan.”—Visit Florida president and CEO Dana Young, on the launch of a $13 million ad campaign that will encourage Floridians to first explore the state before making other travel plans.
“Clearly, people aren’t happy. We can’t continue to do the same things and expect the same results.”—Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, on his department adapting to a changed policing climate.
“The City Council apologizes for any and all past participation in sanctioning segregation and systemic discrimination of African Americans.”—The non-binding resolution–passed unanimously by Tampa City Council–that officially apologizes for the city’s racist history.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to transform Tampa’s most desirable undeveloped block.”—Justin Weintraub, executive vice president of the Daniel Corp., which announced plans for a 19-story residential tower at the corner of E Twiggs Street and Channelside Drive—near Water Street.
“My motto through this whole thing has been, I need to be a better listener, and police in general need to be better listeners.”—Police Chief Brian Dugan.
“You can never over-communicate.”—Mayor Jane Castor.