Loose cannons

God helps those who help themselves

"Flights to Zaire by the tax-exempt humanitarian organisation of the American evangelist and former Republican presidential candidate, Mr Pat Robertson, were used almost exclusively for his diamond mining business, say two pilots who flew them." — Sydney Morning Herald, April 29.

Or allies

"I've been called the undersecretary for thugs. I guess that's accurate." — Bill Richardson, US diplomat, currently its ambassador to the UN.

Not really opposed

"I take gloves off to real opponents." — Prime Menzies John Howard, explaining his gentle treatment of Pauline Hanson.

Full spectrum lunacy

"We don't want to engage in a fair fight, a contemporary war of attrition. We want to dominate across the full spectrum of conflict ..." — US "defense" secretary William Cohen, in a speech on preparing for an "uncertain future".

Didn't meet many on Reserve Bank board

"A serious push has begun to try to remove Mr Bill Kelty as ACTU secretary after some of his key union supporters have concluded he has lost touch with workers." — Sydney Morning Herald, April 26.

Silver linings

"... the BHP directors who closed down steel-making in Newcastle this week have since seen the value of their BHP shares skyrocket ... [by] $3 million." — Sydney Morning Herald, May 1.

And they did

"Vote Labour, vote chameleon." Now ex-PM John Major, advising British voters several days before the election.

But it pays well

"Politics, thank God, is only a game, after all." — Lord Cranbourne, Tory leader in the House of Lords.

From GLW issue 273