Verbatim

'I intend to start anew.' LEE MYUNG BAK, President of South Korea, on replacing nine of 10 senior aides after dissent over his agreement to import beef from the U.S. triggered antigovernment demonstrations

'This is not about mismanagement of a hedge fund. It is about premeditated lies to investors and lenders.' MARK MERSHON, head of the New York City FBI office, following the arrests of two former Bear Stearns managers on conspiracy and fraud charges

'Certainly it would be a big advantage to him.' CHARLIE BLACK, chief strategist for John McCain, saying a terrorist attack on U.S. soil would benefit the Republican candidate's presidential campaign; Black later apologized

'We're not all about eating hummus, killing Arabs and fornicating.' AMIR KAMINER, movie critic for the Yediot Aharonot daily, blasting Adam Sandler's You Don't Mess with the Zohan, right, as an inaccurate portrayal of Israel, despite its widespread popularity there

'Her opponents are emboldened because she is a woman.' PATRICIA VACA NARVAJA, Argentine legislator, on President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, right, whose export-tax increase has sparked outrage and protests among the nation's farmers

'The proposed fisa deal is not a compromise; it is a capitulation.' RUSS FEINGOLD, Wisconsin Senator, after the House passed a bill retroactively shielding telecommunications companies from lawsuits arising from warrantless eavesdropping

'I'm a victim of sexism myself all the time.' NANCY PELOSI, Speaker of the House, on whether Senator Hillary Clinton's gender played a role in her defeat in her campaign for President

Back & Forth Offshore Oil Drilling

Nearly 30 years after his father signed an Executive Order banning offshore oil drilling, President George W. Bush is seeking to lift the federal moratorium in an effort to ease record-high fuel prices

JUNE 18

'Americans will rightly ask how high oil, how high gas prices have to rise before the Democratically controlled Congress will do something about it.'

George W. Bush, endorsing a plan to lift the ban before the Fourth of July recess

JUNE 18

'California's coastline is an international treasure.'

Arnold Schwarzenegger, California governor, breaking party ranks to oppose Bush's plan

JUNE 18

'We have to be sympathetic to the pocketbooks of the people of Florida.'

Charlie Crist, Florida's governor, on coastal drilling's potential to ease prices at the pump

JUNE 20

'We can't drill our way out of the problems we're facing.'

Barack Obama, saying offshore drilling would take 10 years to produce a minimal effect

JUNE 20

'The American people cannot afford Barack Obama's do-nothing, out-of-touch energy policy.'

Tucker Bounds, John McCain spokesman, on the need for immediate action

JUNE 23

'Energy is actually a huge opportunity for Republicans.'

John Ensign, chair of the Senate Republicans' re-election campaign, saying the issue will sway voters

JUNE 23

'I don't want to override the state of California.'

John McCain, who had previously opposed offshore drilling, arguing that states should decide the issue

Sources: International Herald Tribune; New York Times; Fortune; AP; Chicago Tribune; Fox News; New York Times

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