2005, a Perspectives in Quotes

File these under:

KATRINA
"What I'm hearing which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."
Former First Lady Barbara Bush, on hurricane refugees in the Houston Astrodome.

JUST WRONG
"I got it at Nordsstroms [sic] ... Are you proud of me? Can I quit now? Can I go home?"
Former FEMA Director, Michael Brown, in an Aug. 29 2005, email to an aid about his TV appearance and wardrobe.

"It's got everything. Fame. Race. Homosexuality. A Peter Pan love story."
British paparazzo Jeff Rayner, explaining the media's interest in the Michael Jackson child molestation story.

JUST RIGHT
"This is killing us around the world."
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to VP Dick Cheney, after asking the GOP senators to reconsider the anti-torture amendment.

IRAQ
"It is true that much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong. As president, I'm responsible for the decision to go into Iraq."
President Bush, offering a mea culpa but strongly defending his decision to go to war, on the eve of Iraq's first national election.

"I chose to do what my friends wanted me to."
Pfc. Lynndie England, pleading guilty at her court-martial on charges of prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib.

"He's said that my son - and other children we've lost - died for a noble cause. I want to find out what the noble cause is."
Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey died in Iraq, on why she was keeping a vigil outside Geroge Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas.

TERRORISIM
"If London can survive the Blitz, it can survive four miserable events like this."
Sir Ian Blair, London Metropolitan Police commissioner on London transit bombings.

CORP. AMERICA
"You did not notice $25 million was missing from your W-2?"
Prosecutor, Ann Donnelly, to former Tyco CEO, Dennis Kozlowski at his trial for securities fraud.

FINAL WORD
"Courage."
TV anchor, Dan Rather, final word as he signed off from the CBS Evening News" for the last time after 24 years of reporting. Rather was mocked for using the signoff when he experimented with it briefly in 1986.

source: Newsweek

Ramin Talaie
December 31, 2005
Brooklyn, New York