In their words
“The real crime is that person has stolen this woman’s security for the remaining years of her life. That’s the real shame.”
– Spokane police Sgt. Joe Peterson, after 81-year-old Alvena E. Eales, of Olympia, suffered a broken nose and other injuries when she was mugged Wednesday at Riverfront Park.
“I’m just glad that he’s around for the anniversary.”
– Swedish traveler Jeanette Lindstrom, speaking about her husband, Yngve, whose heart acted up as he was flying from Frankfurt to celebrate their anniversary with her in San Francisco, forcing an emergency stop in Spokane where he had surgery to correct an arterial blockage.
“You know, it’s interesting, like trying to do a tap dance on his political grave, aren’t you?”
– President Bush, at a joint White House appearance with his ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, chiding British reporters over their coverage of Blair’s political fortunes.
“One guy was driving 80 in the 45mph zone and didn’t have insurance. It cost him $1,400.”
– Washington State Trooper Mark Baker, talking about traffic enforcement experiences during the first week of renewed construction work on Interstate 90 through downtown Spokane.
“You find yourself in a situation where the entire campaign is defined by a series of special interest groups, on the left and right. The candidates themselves lost any ability to deliver their own message.”
– Justice at Stake Campaign spokesman Jesse Rutledge, reflecting on last fall’s Washington state Supreme Court elections in which third-party groups accounted for more spending than in any other state.
“The committee intends to get the truth.”
– A letter signed by U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter, the chairman and ranking minority member, respectively, of the Senate Judiciary Committee, telling Attorney General Alberto Gonzales they expect him to deliver documents they have subpoenaed in an investigation into the dismissal of U.S. attorneys.
“The community has to rise up and say, ‘What happened to Summer, it wasn’t right.’ And first and foremost, we have to do that in a court of law.”
– Mary Ann Murphy, executive director of Partners with Families and Children, saying a delay in the investigation of alleged child-abuse victim Summer Phelps’ death is tolerable if it eventually assures justice.
“The conciliatory effort is totally negated by the coercive steps, which is why it’s not working”
– Ray Takeyh of the Council on Foreign Relations, saying U.S. attempts to engage in diplomacy with Iran are hampered by conflicting strategies.
“It’s like you’re trying to scratch yourself during the sermon, and that’s not very appealing.”
– Episcopal priest Bill Wiseman, of Owasso, Okla., describing the complications of trying to reach inconspicuously under layers of vestments to turn off an e-mail device that is making the church loudspeaker buzz.
“None of this makes any sense to me. It feels like we’re moving backward.”
– Former Idaho first lady Patricia Kempthorne, commenting on cutbacks in early childhood education proposed by her husband, Dirk’s, successor, Gov. Butch Otter.