Perspectives

"This isn't some disaster movie about a virus from Mars. It's a recession, a downturn … it doesn't mean we have to line our rooms with newspaper, get in the fetal position and live on tins."
London Mayor Boris Johnson, railing against Britain ' s funereal credit-crunch atmosphere and encouraging wealthy consumers to resume spending in order to jump-start the economy

"We are also human beings, and sometimes we catch a cold."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as quoted by state television, after the leader required physical support from his guards during a public speech, fueling speculation of a serious illness

"I'm not ready to celebrate anything ... the state of Florida in the past has had a lot of crooked things going on."
Jacksonville resident James Jones, who is among the many early voters casting ballots for Barack Obama, commenting on local fears that black votes will somehow be lost or not counted

"I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attack from the [media]."
GOP veep candidate Sarah Palin, opining that when reporters say she ' s gone negative, they violate her free-speech rights, which are guaranteed by the First Amendment along with freedom of the press

Quotation sources: Daily Telegraph (U.K.), The Washington Post, The New York Times, ABC News

© 2008