In their words
“You are the first high official in this administration to come before this Congress and offer us a glimpse into the truth.”
– Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler, of Florida, speaking to President Bush’s former press secretary, Scott McClellan, whose recently published memoir led to his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee about the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.
“I don’t believe that there’s any enlightening information to be gained from your testimony here today. … Many of the statements that you have made in your book directly contradict statements that you made during your tenure in the White House.”
– Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte, of Virginia, to McClellan.
“It’s a very positive outcome for the dogs. It sets a good example for other shelters that it’s appropriate to help the victims instead of killing them.”
– Carmel Travis, of Pullman, who played a key role in arranging placement in Missouri for eight pit bulls that had been seized as evidence in a dogfighting case in Spokane last winter.
“It was not made for high mileage, and the people who would want the car wouldn’t have it any other way.”
– Kellogg auto dealer Ken Smith, talking about the 425-horsepower Dodge Challenger, the second of that model produced by Chrysler in 37 years, for which he paid $175,000 in a charity auction.
“The president wants to encourage them to turn their key, then he’ll turn his key.”
– Keith Hennessey, director of the National Economic Council, responding to President Bush’s statement that he’ll lift the executive order banning offshore oil drilling if Congress will make the first move.
“I think we are on the edge of what would be considered ethical when the timing allows them to have used state resources to get where they need to be.”
– Idaho state Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, questioning the scheduling of a legislative committee meeting in Sandpoint one day before the state Republican convention was held there, thus allowing GOP committee members to travel to their convention at public expense while Democrats had to pay their own way to their party’s convention in Boise.
“This just doesn’t happen every day. This was an incredible demonstration of heroism and citizenship that I appreciate from a personal as well as an organizational level.”
– Spokane Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer, crediting citizens Ross Boarsman and Greg Mechals with saving the life of a 52-year-old man they removed from a burning house.
“Why would you give someone a monopoly without taking a cut?”
– Washington state Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, questioning Gov. Chris Gregoire’s rejection in 2005 of a gambling compact that would have given the state about $140 million a year in revenue from Indian casinos in the state.