michael December 10th, 2008
“On November 5, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke with Deputy Governor A regarding positions that ROD BLAGOJEVICH might be able to obtain in exchange for the soon-to-be-vacated seat. Among the potential positions discussed were Secretary of Health and Human Services and various ambassadorships. Deputy Governor A noted that the cabinet position of Secretary of Energy is ‘the one that makes the most money.’”
– Criminal complaint filed against Gov. Rod Blagojevich and chief of staff John Harris
“I look at percentage of GDP when I’m trying to determine affordability.”
– Lt. General (Ret.) Michael Dunn, Air Force Association President and CEO, overheard at the Center for American Progress
michael December 4th, 2008
“We need a czar. And we need czars on top of czars. Then you need a super czar. And a czarina.”
– Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security, on the impulse in Washington to constantly expand bureacuracies
michael November 21st, 2008
“Here in America we are descended in spirit from revolutionaries and rebels - men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine.”
– President Dwight Eisenhower, 1954
(Hat tip to Sam Smith at the Progressive Review for sending this our way).
michael November 17th, 2008
“I am basically going back to my corporate roots.”
- Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), who is retiring after 14 years in Congress, announcing that he has accepted a job at Deloitte Consulting
michael September 19th, 2008
“We are an ‘insight’ organization. If DoD customers ask us for information, we will provide that information as requested.”
- Richard Cole, spokesman for the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), in response to allegations that the DCMA improperly assisted Lockheed Martin and the Air Force in their efforts to undermine then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s decision to terminate the C-130J program
michael September 11th, 2008
“Sexual relationships with prohibited sources cannot, by definition, be arms’ length.”
- Department of Interior Inspector General report on a wide-ranging ethics scandal involving inappropriate relations between government officials in charge of oil royalties and employees of energy companies
“America is more communist than China right now.”
- Commodities investor Jim Rogers, chief executive of New York-based Rogers Holdings, on the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae bailouts
– Michael Smallberg
michael July 23rd, 2008
In what will hopefully become an ongoing series on the Watercooler, we’d like to share some of our favorite quotes from recent news articles:
“Too much money, no adult supervision”
– Winslow Wheeler, Center for Defense Information, on the defense procurement system
“To be really good at oversight, you have to be very comfortable making people uncomfortable. I don’t think he’s cut from that cloth.”
– POGO’s Danielle Brian on Senator Joseph Lieberman’s (I-CT) personality
Have you seen or heard a quote lately that made you chuckle or wince in pain? Please send it our way: watercooler@pogo.org.
– Michael Smallberg
