VERBATIM

"He failed to tell you the truth. You deserve better. The Commander in Chief has to level with the troops and the nation."

JOHN KERRY, speaking about President Bush's record on the Iraq war, at a National Guard conference in Las Vegas

"Senator Kerry said today that leadership starts with telling the truth. But the American people also know that true leadership requires the ability to make a decision."

VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY, responding to Kerry's comments, at a campaign stop in Reno, Nev.

"It's beyond pitiful, it's beyond embarrassing. It's now in the zone of dangerous."

SENATOR CHUCK HAGEL, referring to numbers showing that less than 6% of the money allocated by Congress last year for the reconstruction of Iraq has been spent

"Look what they tried to do to Richard Clarke. Look what they did to Paul O'Neill ... If they don't like the message, beat up on the messenger."

KITTY KELLEY, whose sensational new book on the Bush family has been widely attacked by the Republicans

"History indicates that indiscriminately copying Western political systems is a blind alley for China."

HU JINTAO, China's President, on the 50th anniversary of China's legislature, referring to Western-style democracy

"Should the league be satisfied to lose $150 million instead of almost $300 million? I think not."

GARY BETTMAN, National Hockey League commissioner, rejecting a contract offer from the players' union and instituting a lockout that could force the cancellation of the upcoming season

"Everybody gets a car! Everybody gets a car! Everybody gets a car!"

OPRAH WINFREY, to members of the studio audience at the season premiere of her talk show, each of whom received a new Pontiac G6

Sources: New York Times; Associated Press (2); NBC; New York Times; NHL.com Associated Press