Notable Quotables - 06/12/1989
Wright Resignation
"And if his moving
speech today does not restore those decencies he so wistfully remembered
today, then perhaps history will remember that at least he tried."
- Reporter Jim Wooten on ABC's World News Tonight, May 31.
"Both Coelho and
Wright stand accused of committing the Republican sin - greed. They have
shown that Democrats should leave that field to the Republicans."
- Washington Post columnist Mary McGrory, May 30.
The Loss of Tony Coelho
"Coelho...is the
most dramatic victim yet of the Age of Accusation that now dominates American
politics."
- Newsweek reporter Howard Fineman in the June 5 issue.
"It seems to be a
personal tragedy as well as, perhaps, one for the country."
- Barbara
Walters hosting ABC's Nightline May 26.
Bush Troop Cut Proposal
"Bush calls for
arms cuts in Europe: Issues challenge to Gorbachev; most NATO allies back
plan"
- Boston Globe, May 30.
"Bush Shift on Arms
Unsettles Some Allies: New Initiative Abandons Key Points in NATO's Compromise
Negotiating Position"
- Washington Post, same day.
Speaker of the House Jimmy Carter
"Perhaps the
Democrat who best personifies this republic of virtue is former President
Jimmy Carter. His reputation burnished by the elevated tone of his retirement,
Carter would actually bring to the task energy, integrity and his legendary
distaste for congressional business as usual. He could even boast a
made-to-order campaign slogan: 'After the Wright stuff, why not the
best?'"
- Time Senior Writer and former Carter Administration official
Margaret Carlson recommending a new House Speaker, June 5 issue.
Affirmative Action
"Court, Ruling 5 to
4, Eases Burden On Employers in Some Bias Suits"
- New York Times, June 6.
"Bias ruling called
a 'disaster'"
- USA Today, same day.
Ethics Accusations
"Politics didn't
just turn ugly. It evolved from a nasty presidential campaign that featured
the GOP's famous Willie Horton ad."
- Reporter Eric Engberg on CBS Evening News, May 29.
Democratic Congressman
Larry Smith: "Almost every historical scholar of the Congress will tell
you, this is one of the most ethical Congresses, it has avowed financial
disclosure, and all of that has occurred."
Pat Buchanan: "You
want to tell that to the camera?"
- exchange on CNN's Crossfire, May 31.
Liberals: Endangered Species
"Rep. David Bonior,
43, now the chief deputy whip, would like to move up to whip. The Vietnam vet
is one of the Hill's last liberals."
- Newsweek's Howard Fineman in the June 5 issue.
Chinese Fascists
Robert Novak: "Ask
the dead people in Beijing about the menace of communism: right through the
head. That's the menace."
Tom Braden: "That's
not communism, that's fascism and it's a dictatorship, and that's all it
is."
- exchange on CNN's Crossfire June 5.
Soviet Democracy
"It would be hard
to find a political spectrum anywhere in the world broader than the Congress
of People's Deputies that opens in Moscow today."
- Christian Science Monitor Staff Writer Paul Quinn-Judge in the May
25 issue.
"Gorbachev is now
seen worldwide as the herald and agent of change. He took the hammer to
communism and smashed it. There is no question about that."
- Washington Post columnist Mary McGrory on May 23.
Reagan's IQ
"They [Reagan and
Thatcher] quickly formed a bond that overcame their differences of age, gender
and - many whisper - IQ scores."
- Washington Post reporter David Broder, May 27.
Bush & Taxes
"But the simple
truth is that, apart from supposedly earmarked social insurance taxes, federal
taxes are too low to pay for the obligations of a major power. Last year
federal spending, excluding Social Security and unemployment insurance,
totaled only $830 billion. Federal revenue - excluding Social Security and
unemployment taxes - totaled only $643 billion. Closing the gap - more than
$200 billion this year - means raising taxes....Try reading your own lips,
Mr. President. Look in the mirror while you're doing it. You won't like what
you see. It's the face of man who lacks the courage to pay the price of
leadership."
- Washington Post Deputy Editor of "Outlook" and former
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Carter, Jodie Allen, May 31
"Business" section.
Death Penalty
"And the death
penalty, if anything, encourages people to commit murders."
- New York Governor Mario Cuomo in an interview with USA Today, May
31.
Inane Quote of the Month
"'These boat
people,' says the government of Hong Kong, 'they all want to go to America.'
Well, I swear I don't know why, do you? I mean take Vietnam. Why would any
Vietnamese come to America after what America did for Vietnam. Don't they
remember My Lai, napalm, Sylvester Stallone? Clearly they have no more sense
over there, than say, Mexicans who keep trying to get into this country even
though this country stole large parts of their country from them in the first
place."
- Linda Ellerbee, CNN's PrimeNews, June 2.
"What's wrong with
network news?....I think we do insult the intelligence of the audience more
than is required, more than we should. That's the one thing I would
change."
- Ellerbee on CBS This Morning, May 8.
- L. Brent
Bozell III; Publisher
- Brent H. Baker, Tim Graham; Editors
- Jim Heiser, Richard Marois, Patrick Swan, Dorothy Warner; Media Analysts
- Cynthia Bulman; Administrative Assistant
