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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In their words …

The Spokesman-Review

“It is my opinion that John Bolton is the poster child for what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be.”

— U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s consideration of John Bolton, President Bush’s nominee to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

“Jurors can be expected to be swayed by emotional factors, but you like to think that judges are more sober.”

— University of Washington Law School torts expert Louis E. Wolcher, commenting on the $45,480.12 verdict awarded by Seattle District Court Judge Barbara L. Linde to a woman whose pet cat was mauled to death by a neighbor’s dog.

“What the public expects, fundamentally, from government is safety.”

— Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire, signing an $8.5 billion transportation plan that relies on a 9.5-cent gas tax hike over the next four years and will upgrade King County’s Alaska Way Viaduct and Highway 520 floating bridge.

“I don’t necessarily believe in the outing of closeted individuals. But when they are so vocal against gays and lesbians, I am torn.”

Eric Ishino, partner of the late state Sen. Cal Anderson, who died of AIDS, reacting to news that Spokane Mayor Jim West, an opponent of gay-rights legislation, sought young men in a gay online chat room.

“I’m inclined to say let’s jump off a cliff and ask our community to agree to 75 cents per thousand.”

— Central Valley School Board member Cindy McMullen, talking about a $55.2 million bond issue that will go before voters in the rapidly growing school district this fall.

“Today five rockets fell in front of my house. … We are mentally exhausted.”

Abu Omar al-Ani, describing the chaos of war that goes on daily near his home in Qaim, Iraq.

“Do we have to wait until they have another notch in their belt, until they ruin another water system?”

— Kootenai County Commissioner Gus Johnson, after hearing news that Idaho state Judge Charles Hosack signed an order allowing BNSF Railway Co. to reopen its controversial diesel refueling depot at Hauser, Idaho.

“I argued from a scientific perspective, and God took that information, and he used it through this minority report to influence the decision.”

W. David Hager, whose minority report influenced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reject a recommendation by an advisory panel, on which Hager sat, to make emergency contraception drugs available over the counter.

“I have no alibi; he’s right.”

Bryan Montez James, acting as his own attorney and delivering his closing argument to the jury that found him guilty of two counts of attempted first-degree murder and one of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.