No crap
“Let's not waste time with a lot of propaganda crap about the national interest. The bottom line is he's running for president to protect his own private interests.” -- Gabby Villareal, lawyer for Philippines presidential candidate Eduardo Cojuangco, key figure in the group of rich cronies that surrounded the government of former president Ferdinand Marcos, explaining that Cojaungco's interests and those of the Philippines are one and the same.
Cross my heart
“The accusations that I was a crony have no basis. I never stole a cent and I have never bought a vote.” -- Eduardo Cojuangco, not convicted in 38 government prosecutions against him for corruption.
Who, us?
“It signals encouragement to the leaders of the republics of the Commonwealth of Independent States to continue to seize the opportunity given by this turning point in history to reduce sharply their holdings of nuclear weapons.” -- Foreign affairs minister Gareth Evans welcoming the recent nuclear arms cuts announced by Boris Yeltsin and George Bush, while dodging any comment on the possibilities for international conventional arms cuts, already announced by Russia.
Colourful
“... the egomaniacal self-image of a profoundly insecure, troubled personality ... [who] needs adulation and admiration as the rest of us need oxygen.” -- A reviewer on a 1200-page self-published book of speeches by former Irish prime minister Charles Haughey, forced to resign recently amid a telephone tapping scandal. The Irish Press described the authoritarian Haughey as “a tireless leader, a doughty and tenacious fighter and one of the most colourful political figures to emerge here this century.”
Soup kitchen dept.
“Steven Ross, joint executive of Time Warner, in 1990 got $78.2m for doing his job. Stephen Wolf, boss of United Airlines, received $18.3m, Apple Computer's John Sculley $16.7m.” -- The Economist, February 1.
Worthwhile mate
“I'd like to think I was [a friend], to the extent that I'd see him three times a year. And I think anybody that's been as successful as he is, is worth talking to ... so I look forward to continuing that association and seeing him occasionally.” -- Transport and communications minister Graham Richardson explaining that Kerry Packer is just a friend, and he is not “minister for mates”.
Rationalist triumph
“The Tasmanian branch of the ALP is deep in debt -- it can no longer afford a full-time state secretary -- and its membership has dwindled to less than 1000 in a state with a population of 470,000.” -- The Australian, February 3, on the state of the Tasmanian ALP following the defeat of the Field government, mourned by commentators as probably the best economic rationalist state government.
Exaggerated deaths
“All the deaths since the coup, they've been exaggerated by these people.” -- Leslie Alexander, US charge d'affaires in Haiti, on the return of 162 boat people aboard a US naval vessel and plans to forcibly repatriate another 10,000 held at the Guantánamo Bay naval base in Cuba.
Yes and no
“The law has made it clear that if the undercover agent commits a crime he cannot expect to be immune from criminal prosecution and punishment ... However, the law realistically recognises there may be extenuating circumstances peculiar to the undercover agent.” -- Lord Justice Kelly sentencing army agent Brian Nelson to 10 years' jail over his part in conspiracies to murder five Catholics while he was an undercover agent in the loyalist Ulster Defence Association. Nelson could be free in as little as three years.
