“The hardest part for me is we are sending these kids over there — emotionally, it’s hard. I don’t want to see a face on the news or in the paper and say ‘I fed that kid!’.”

Jolene Hubbard, who helped make Thanksgiving dinner for 4,300 soldiers in the Idaho National Guard’s 116th Brigade Combat Team just before they headed over to Iraq.

“You don’t think about it. You don’t have time to think about it.”

Spc. Rebecca L. Finnick of the Stryker Brigade based in Tacoma, who received a Bronze Star for firing upon attackers trying to blow up a U.S. convoy in Iraq.

“Every vote should be counted. The race continues. A 42-vote margin, my friends, that is a tied race.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Christine Gregoire after the statewide recount was completed on Wednesday.

“It’s time for our state to move forward.”

Republican candidate Dino Rossi, in a statement urging Gregoire to concede.

“We are not going to get through this unless the citizens of Spokane help us.”

Spokane Police Chief Roger Bragdon on the city’s budget problems and the possible loss of 17 police officers.

“The pat-down practices of TSA inspectors reported by constituents in my district are degrading and violating, and many Idahoans feel that they must surrender their right to personal security at the airport entrance.”

U.S. Rep. Butch Otter, R-Idaho, in a letter to the Transportation Security Administration.

“How do you deal with people who have to know about 9/11 and, even inadvertently, are still trying to get knives onto planes?”

Billie Vincent, former security chief for the Federal Aviation Administration.