On Logic, Congressional: "A species goes out of existence every twenty seconds. Surely a new species must come into existence every twenty seconds."
~~Idaho representative Helen Chenoweth in a House Resources Committee hearing on proposed drastic changes to the Endangered Species Act.
On Life, Interesting Ways to Sanctify: "Capital punishment is our society's recognition of the sanctity of human life."
~~Senator Orrin Hatch (R, Utah)
On Foreign Affairs Advisers, Twangy: "When I need a little advice about Saddam Hussein, I turn to country music."
~~President George Bush
On Foreign Affairs Knowledge, Prepubescent Prepresidents: "I grew up in a little town in Arkansas that had a substantial Lithuanian population so I grew up knowing a lot about the problems of Baltic nations."
~~President Bill Clinton
On Excuses, Convenient: "I had thought very carefully about committing hari-kari [ritual suicide] over this, but I overslept this morning."
~~Former Japanese labor minister Toshio Yamaguchi after being arrested on charges of breach of trust in connection with two failed financial institutions - explaining how upset he was over being only the second member of the Japanese parliament arrested in more than two decades.
