In their words
A selection of quotations from people in recent news stories, big and small
“They’re putting him in a nice little rest home for the rest of his life. People his age pay good money for living in luxury like that.”
— Retired Spokane police detective Roy Allen, who led the South Hill rapist investigation in 1981 and would rather see Kevin Coe in prison on previous rape convictions, which were overturned, rather than sent to McNeil Island as a civil commitment for being judged a dangerous sexual offender.
“Events are moving fast in my campaign, and yes, it’s true that this morning I’ve dismissed my entire team of senior advisers. All of their positions will now be held by a man named Joe the Plumber.”
— Republican presidential nominee John McCain, joking at a charitable fund-raiser, attended by both him and Democratic nominee Barack Obama, about the attention generated after he mentioned a Toledo, Ohio, man, Joe Wurzelbacher, in the final presidential debate for 2008.
“People who have never had to access energy assistance before may have to access it now.”
— Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs spokeswoman Robin Waller, anticipating greater than usual demand this winter from low-income households struggling to pay rising heating bills with shaky incomes.
“Here’s this island of native forest, and they’re going to go in and mow it down.”
— Lands Council of Spokane director Mike Petersen, expressing concern over the number of large trees designated for cutting in a timber sale in North Idaho’s Blue Alder Resource Area.
“It’s too close to call, basically, and it’s legal right now, so why wait? Why take the chance and say, ‘Let’s get married on November 5?’ ”
— San Francisco Clerk-Recorder Karen Hong Lee, explaining the reasoning of gay and lesbian couples in California, where their right to marry could be removed by a measure on the Nov. 4 ballot.
“I was blind. I never had a job in my life. I did the wrong thing.”
— Former Olympic sprinter Tim Montgomery, whose medals in the 2000 and 2004 games were forfeited because of doping, speaking to the court before being sentenced to five years in prison for dealing heroin.
“I don’t think I’ve ever addressed that issue in my 28 years on the bench, but it’s never too late to learn.”
— Senior U.S. District Court Judge Justin Quackenbush, regarding the admissability of testimony from the spouse and two ex-wives of James M. Sebero, whose sexual abilities were at issue in a disability fraud case against him.