Notable Quotables - 05/14/1990
Can't Cut Enough from Defense
"Secretary Cheney
enhanced his image as a cold warrior today, trimming only two and a half
billion dollars from a defense budget that many critics say ignores the
prospect of peace with the Soviets."
- NBC Pentagon correspondent Fred Francis, April 26 Nightly News.
Live From the DNC, I Mean ABC
"Remember,
Republicans have been very successful blaming Democrats for raising taxes
without getting blamed for the higher budget deficit. So the problem for
Democrats is how to cooperate with the President without being blamed once
again."
- ABC anchor Peter Jennings on World News Tonight, May 8.
Our Lithuania Prediction Comes True
"Mikhail Gorbachev
He dazzled the West. Now, Lithuanian response impresses Chinese leaders."
- fake Newsweek "Conventional Wisdom" item in the April Fool's
edition of Notable Quotables.
"George Bush Sure, he sold 'em down the river. But he had no choice."
"Tom Foley Too bipartisan, responsible. You're supposed to bellyache on this."
Mikhail Gorbachev Iron teeth sharpened. Wins new freedom to strangle independence bids."
V. Landsbergis Pity the Lithuanian prez. His Munich analogy just didn't play."
Jesse Helms Louder, Jesse, louder. Go ahead. Lithuania doesn't export tobacco."
"Right Wing Face
it, your ammo's spent. Nobody cares 'who lost Lithuania.'"
- actual Newsweek
"Conventional Wisdom" on Lithuania, May 7.
Time's Inspirational Leader
"The choice facing
Lenin is stark: cede large territories that seem naturally part of his
country, or face all-out war without being sure his army is able or willing to
fight. At first he is alone at seeking peace; at the end the ballot is almost
unanimous...For Americans it is a sorrowful reminder that any leader, however
inspirational, runs into the greatest trouble when he tries to spur people to
think."
- Time Senior Writer William A. Henry III reviewing Mikhail
Shatrov's play The Peace of Brest-Litovsk, May 7.
Stahl's Balanced Questioning
"Let me ask you
both how concerned you are, in terms of public opinion, that the polls show
the overwhelming majority of Americans favor the other side, the choice side,
and that you keep losing all the political battles in state after state?...You
can't deny that politicians who have been on your side are jumping ship left
and right."
- Lesley Stahl questioning Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and the National Right to
Life Committee's John Willke on CBS This Morning, April 27.
Forced To Use Force
"While a week or so
ago it appeared dialogue with Moscow might be possible, with Latvia's move it
now appears Mikhail Gorbachev may be forced to pursue an even harder
line."
- ABC's Jim Laurie on World News Sunday, May 6.
Oh No, The People Speak
"As seen from
Moscow, every silver lining has a cloud. There was something distinctly sour,
even ominous, about last week's May Day demonstrations in Red Square."
- Time Editor-At-Large Strobe Talbott, May 14.
Quayle Hunting
"Can anyone be
taken seriously who takes Dan Quayle seriously?....Quayle was born not only
roughly a quarter-century after any preceding President; he spent another
quarter-century blissfully AWOL from history....That is why, for all the
jokes, we must take Dan Quayle seriously. We must do so, because Bush did
not."
- Time essayist Garry Wills in his April 23 cover story.
Michael Milken, Getting Off Easy?
"Fallen Master of
the Universe: The junk-bond king pleads guilty, but he's getting off
light"
- Time headline, May 7.
"He will pay fines
of $600 million, the most ever assessed against an individual, and he faces a
potential 28 years behind bars...The Securities and Exchange Commission is
setting up a fund for investor claims, using $400 million of Milken's fine.
When the money runs out, investors will be free to try to collect directly
from Milken, a process that is likely to dog him for years to come."
- From story that follows, by Time New York correspondent Thomas
McCarroll.
Sandinistas: Democrats and Capitalists
"The inauguration
of Violeta Chamorro marked the first time in Nicaraguan history that one
elected government turned over power to another."
- CNN reporter Ronnie Lovler on the April 25 PrimeNews.
"The Sandinistas,
with international help, built needed schools and medical clinics. And
official records show that large state-owned monopolies operating mines,
coffee, and sugar refineries are profitable."
- Unbylined news story in USA Today, April 25.
Destroying Nicaragua and Angola
"When will the USA
take its hands off Nicaragua? The USA wrecked its economy with an embargo and
armed the Contras, fueling a war that claimed 30,000 lives, in order to
achieve democratic elections. Now, must the USA tell Chamorro how to
govern?...Even worse, the most money the USA spends in Southern Africa is the
$80 million annually to help Jonas Savimbi's rebels wage war against Angola.
That is creating gross human rights abuses, one of the largest amputee
populations in the world and mass starvation of refugees."
- USA Today Inquiry Editor Barbara Reynolds, April 27.
Fidel's So Popular He's Target Practice
"On the whole, he
is well-liked and respected in Cuba. If a national election were held there
today, he no doubt would win, even if opposition were allowed. He's admired by
Hispanics, albeit grudgingly in some cases, as the only Latin American jefe
(chief) in modern times to have defeated a U.S.-backed invasion of his
country...To avoid assassination, he reportedly sleeps in various residences
with various females or alone every few nights."
- Walter Scott in the Sunday newspaper supplement Parade, May 6.
- L. Brent
Bozell III; Publisher
- Brent H. Baker, Tim Graham; Editors
- Jim Heiser, Marian Kelley, Gerard Scimeca, Stewart Verdery; Media Analysts
- Kristin Kelly; Administrative Assistant
