Loose cannons

Genuine

"He is the duly elected president of Russia and a genuine democrat." — US President Bill Clinton, explaining why he will support Boris Yeltsin if the latter dissolves the Russian parliament and institutes emergency rule.

In all modesty

"It's as significant as my appointment of Elizabeth Evatt [as chief judge of the family court]. They're showing the same perspicacity as I did." — Ex-PM Gough Whitlam on the appointment of Michelle Grattan as editor of the Canberra Times — the first woman editor of a metropolitan daily in Australia.

Needed

"Surrealism is something we need now more than at any other time in our history ... Anyone who watched television last night would realise how important it is for surrealism to take over." — Barry Humphries on the second Keating-Hewson debate.

Up in smoke

"[Queensland] Premier Wayne Goss would have been particularly tickled, after trumpeting that economic growth in the state was outstripping the rest of the country, that the [Criminal Justice Commission] pointed to cannabis as the state's second biggest cash crop. The haul is worth an estimated $630 million at street prices, second only to sugar cane." — Bulletin, March 16.

Can't remember where I left it ...

"We had a great campaign." — John Hewson.

Familiarity

"It's very difficult when you've been in government for 10 years. [The public] know who you are and what you are." — ALP president Bob Hogg.

From GLW issue 92