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Year in Review: 13 Most Memorable Political Quotes of 2010

1 year ago
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Carl M. Cannon
Carl M. Cannon
Executive Editor
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The year now coming to a close was a rewarding one for collectors of political quotations. This is not the same thing as saying that most memorable lines of 2010 were uplifting. Many of the utterances that entered the lexicon were unrefined, simplistic or just plain mean. Women in the political arena were insulted and put upon, often by other women -- and sometimes by themselves. And the most inspiring campaign speech was given by a cable television comedian. It was that kind of year.

Typically, many of the quotes we think we remember – "don't touch my junk," for example – were immediately mangled in the retelling, usually to make them more pithy. The great quote-meister Ralph Keyes calls this process "bumper-stickering." Misremembered quotes, Keyes observes in his book "The Quote Verifier," often improve on the real one. "Memory can be a terrible librarian," he writes, "but it's a great editor."

Perhaps so; but at Politics Daily we are old school. The quotes that follow are the genuine article, rendered without editorial comment as they were originally articulated, and they tend to speak for themselves:

"If you touch my junk, I'm going to have you arrested."
-- Airline passenger John Charles Tyner of Oceanside, Calif., who tape-recorded Transportation Security Administration agents during his Nov. 13 pre-boarding screening at San Diego's airport.

"By buying your ticket you gave up a lot of rights."
-- TSA supervisor taped by Tyner.

"I am not a witch. I'm nothing you've heard. I'm you."
-- Christine O'Donnell of Delaware, candidate for the U.S. Senate, in her own October television ad, for which she later expressed regret.

"Christine O'Donnell is making a mockery of running for public office. ... It just turns people off because she's seen as a nut job."
-- Meghan McCain, Oct. 17 on ABC's "This Week."

"We're going to attack whenever we can, but I'd rather have you attack. I'd rather be the nice guy in this race."
-- Jerry Brown, candidate for California governor, to labor supporters on March 16.

"What about saying she's a whore?"
-- Unidentified campaign aide talking to Jerry Brown in mid-September about potential strategies to use against Brown's gubernatorial opponent Meg Whitman.

"Dr. Laura: don't retreat...reload!"
-- Tweeted message from Sarah Palin in defense of radio talker Laura Schlessinger who took heat for a racially charged rant at a female African-American caller in which Schlessinger repeatedly used the word "nigger."

"If this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies and saying, 'My goodness, what can we do to turn this country around?' I'll tell you the first thing we need to do is take Harry Reid out."
-- Nevada Republican senatorial nominee Sharron Angle seeming to call for the shooting of the Senate majority leader.

"But we have to pass the bill so you can find out what's in it, away from the fog of controversy."
-- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking March 9 to the 2010 Legislative Conference for the National Association of Counties.

"The buck stops with us. It actually stops with the president, he's the guy that makes the final decision, God love him."
-- Vice President Joe Biden to Larry King on Nov. 18.

"You are trying to impose the values of Fire Island on Parris Island."
-- Pat Buchanan, the Sunday before Christmas, discussing the U.S. government's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy regarding gays in the military.

"We are not a nation that says, 'Don't ask, don't tell,' we are a nation that says, 'Out of many, we are one.'"
-- President Barack Obama, signing the legislation repealing the ban.

"Look on the screen ... (which was showing traffic merging into the Holland tunnel). This is who we are. These cars -- that's a schoolteacher who probably thinks his taxes are too high. He's going to work. There's another car -- a woman with two small kids who can't really think about anything else right now. The lady's in the NRA and she loves Oprah. There's another car -- an investment banker, gay, also likes Oprah. Another car's a Latino carpenter. Another car -- a fundamentalist vacuum salesman. Atheist obstetrician. Mormon Jay-Z fan. But this is us.

"Every one of the cars that you see is filled with individuals of strong belief and principles they hold dear -- often principles and beliefs in direct opposition to their fellow travelers.

"And yet these millions of cars must somehow find a way to squeeze one by one into a mile-long 30-foot wide tunnel carved underneath a mighty river. ... And they do it. Concession by concession. You go. Then I'll go. You go. Then I'll go. You go, then I'll go. Oh my God, is that an NRA sticker on your car? Is that an Obama sticker on your car? Well, that's OK -- you go and then I'll go."
-- Jon Stewart, on the National Mall, Oct. 30 (quote starts in video at 8:45 mark).
Tagged: Barack Obama, Christine ODonnell, Jerry Brown, Joe Biden, John Charles Tyner, jon stewart, Laura Schlessinger, Meg Whitman, Meghan McCain, Nancy Pelosi, Pat Buchanan, Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle, Transportation Security Administration, tsa
More articles from Carl M. Cannon »

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mark

I think Obama supporting our Troops then supporting Foreign Invaders was a slap in the face to all Americans and the Troops.Not to mention the Fallen Hero's

December 29 2010 at 12:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tnickerson08

How could Dan Rather's comment on the Chris Mathews show not make the list? "Obama couldn't sell watermelon's on the side of the road, with state troopers directing traffic".

December 28 2010 at 3:09 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
john&terry

The posts here have gotten way off base , but heres my two cents worth Colbert and Stewart are a sad example of todays so-called comedians , its really pathetic The people adoring alternate fuel are also in la-la land The scientist have been playing with it for years to no avail You want lower fuel prices heres a plan pull our troops out of their country,s and Stop all foriegn aide We give billions to them For what, most cant even feed themselves Harry Truman wanted to take the Perian gulf after WW2 but congres said no

December 28 2010 at 2:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to john&terry's comment
eeledger

I am one of those scientists and I say it is easy scientifically, but impossible politically.

December 29 2010 at 4:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wwj745

My favorite was, "my concern is that if we add too many people the island may tip over and sink". Sais by Hank Johnson addressing a couple of gerenrals talking about adding some military personnell to Guam.

December 28 2010 at 1:13 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
tistolaugh

Whatever Palin is doing, clearly it is working. She has not only become one of the most politically ppowerful women in American political history, the hatred of her has also made her quite wealthy and her every single move drives dems right over the edge. As someone who also does not believe Palin nor Obama are experienced or qualified enough to be presidential, it's quite amusing to observe.

December 28 2010 at 11:26 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to tistolaugh's comment
Rogell

She wasn't "powerful," by any stretch of the imagination, which is exactly what you're doing now - imagining. She's currently a very popular figure, but not powerful. President Obama is an extremely smart man, and while he has made some misteps, they pale against what he has thusfar accomplished, as president I might add. I agree with you, and like the president, Sarah Palin meets the requirements, but she lacks the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to assume the mantle of presidency.

December 30 2010 at 12:06 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
wmanonfire51

We have a Homeland Security Director who thinks there are 355 days in a year, number 1 intelligent man on terrorism who didn't know about Britain's recent bust of 10 suspected terrorists there, a president who thinks there are 57 states,and a veep who said,"Jobs is a 3 letter word", and all the media can report on is this lady saying she isn't a witch ? And you in news media wonder why Fox News is kicking butt .

December 28 2010 at 9:12 AM Report abuse +9 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to wmanonfire51's comment
bassiman

All of your statements are twisted lies and Fox News is not news but right wingnut commentary. The worst thing about America now is how conservatives are trying to slow down social progress just like they did when blacks were slaves, women could not vote, and Asians could not marry whites nor own property. As history has shown, all the things that you try to conserve soon will become obsolete.

December 29 2010 at 1:29 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
wwj745

Social progress? Like Cabrini Green in Chicago? If you want social progress let people be responsible for their actions. If they want to drop out of shool, do drugs and have 5 kids. Let them take responsibility for their actions. Others should not have to support them because of their bad decisions.

December 29 2010 at 1:38 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
wmanonfire51

Didn't McDonald run again a dem who lied about being in Viet Nam WAr ? Hmmm,I wonder if the mostly liberal media would have went after the war liar instead of the so called witch if he was a GOPer and she a dem. Probably not

December 28 2010 at 6:51 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
jmsradamsiii

we are reading all comments before publishing them. Personal attacks (on writers, other readers, Nancy Pelosi, George W. Bush, or anyone at all) and comments that are not productive additions to the conversation will not be published, period, to make room for a discussion among those with ideas to kick around.

Who is to say what is productive? You, the unknown person on the other end of the line? Welcome to censorship at it's best! God knows (can I use that word?) that freedom of speech is forbidden these days. Unless of course some unknown censor approves of what you are saying!

December 28 2010 at 6:02 AM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
Alex Vallas

I had only briefly watched the Colbert - Jon Stewart event in D.C. Jon's comments (above) were fantastic. Too bad some company didn't pick them up and develop a TV spot played often for everyone to view and ponder. These two are very entertaining but also very intelligent individuals. The have an excellent knack for taking the serious and presenting it with humor for everyone to understand.

December 28 2010 at 5:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
artinary

I wasn't able to take O'Donnell seriously. Not because of the witch thing--lots of people have been hookers, pimps, used car salesmen etc., and have moved passed it. She was just too Dorothy-of-Oz for me, mooning over every little thing.Like most in politics, she didn't seem to have enough sincere backbone.

December 28 2010 at 4:53 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply

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