Top 10 Quotes of the Week

1) "She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar. We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. But Coretta knew, and we knew, that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war, billions more, but no more for the poor."

– The Rev. Joseph Lowery, at the memorial service for Coretta Scott King (Feb. 10 issue)

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2) "Hoy marchamos; mañana votamos." ("Today we march; tomorrow we vote.")

– Rallying cry of pro-immigration protesters (April 14 issue)

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3) "One of the things that money can buy can be lies. As a former educator, it causes me great concern that children growing up think that you may lie and slander and libel another person so that you can be victorious in a campaign."

– State Rep. Carter Casteel, speaking for campaign finance reform (May 5 issue)

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4) "In effect, Republicans in the Senate have said there will be funding for our schools when pigs fly. It's clear now that Tom Craddick and House Republicans believe that's too soon."

– State Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, on the Senate version of House Bill 2, mandating that any new revenue for education will come only after property taxes are reduced (May 12 issue)

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5) "Congratulations to all of you on a job well done defeating Props. 1 and 2. Simply stated they were bad public policy. Maybe this time, the Pendejo Kirk Mitchell learns that his $$$s cannot buy Austin. I think he should be deported to The Woodlands."

– Former Austin Mayor Gus Garcia, in an e-mail sent out to several prominent political and media types (May 19 issue)

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6) "She can call herself Carole Cougar Mellencamp if she wants, but when it comes to the ballot, she should have to follow the law."

– Kinky Friedman, challenging his fellow independent gubernatorial candidate's request to be listed as Carole Keeton "Grandma" Strayhorn on the November ballot (June 16 issue)

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7) "Black Americans were not only the founders but also the backbone and strength of the Texas Republican Party. … Texas Republicans have a rich heritage of diversity, and that diversity continues today."

– A Juneteenth statement from the Texas GOP, showing mastery of the party's Reconstruction-era history but some fuzziness on more recent events (June 23 issue)

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8) "Why should you hold up a several-hundred-million-dollar investment because of a small little restaurant?"

– J. Willard Marriott, CEO of Marriott International Inc., who wants to build a hotel where Las Manitas now sits; quoted in the Statesman (Sept. 29 issue)

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9) "There is no term limit for Texas governor, and that's why people should be horrified."

– Democrat Chris Bell, responding to an election trivia question thrown at him during the gubernatorial candidates debate (Oct. 13 issue)

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10) "That big plan for a permanent Republican majority? It crawled out into the Iraqi desert, rolled onto its bristly back, and died."

– Salon.com's Andrew O'Hehir (Nov. 10 issue)