"I'd probably call Gustav, instead of the mother of all storms, maybe the mother-in-law or the ugly sister of all storms."
Rudy Giuliani, mayor of New York during the Sept. 11 attacks, criticizing presidential candidate Barack Obama.
"That's for professional athletes."
Lee Cronk, 44, of Pelham, N.H., recalling what she thought when she started training four months ago with nine other area women for a sprint triathlon.
"It was advertise or raise fees."
North Andover School Committee member Chris Nobile, on the department seeking corporate sponsors to eliminate a $39,000 deficit in the high school athletic budget.
"This isn't the chicken nuggets and french fries we remember as kids. ... It's fresh veggies and salads. ... All this costs money."
Methuen schools food services director Wayne Vespa, on why the cost of school lunches in Methuen and most other area communities are increasing.
"It was a pain in the butt, and I don't want it to happen to anybody else."
Joan Bamford of Methuen, advocating for a change in a policy that makes private property owners pay for water main breaks in front of their homes, even though the pipe is on public property.
"We've seen people we've never seen before and they are hurting, and it's because of the economy."
Bill LaPierre, parish outreach coordinator for Sacred Hearts Church, sponsor of the Angelo Petrozzelli Food Pantry in Haverhill.
"We are fellow Americans, an association that means more to me than any other."
Arizona Sen. John McCain striking a nonpartisan stance as he accepted the GOP presidential nomination.
"My name is the butt of a joke, the source of a laugh and the title of a scandal."
Lobbyist Jack Abramoff before being sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a corruption scandal that involved influence-peddling in Washington.
"Our intent is to change people's behaviors."
Lawrence police Chief John Romero, on a more aggressive crackdown on violations of the local noise ordinance.
"The American presidency is not supposed to be a journey of 'personal discovery.' This world of threats and dangers is not just a community, and it doesn't just need an organizer."
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican candidate for vice president, making a reference to Democrat Barack Obama's time as a community organizer in Chicago.
"If you've got George Bush's track record, and John McCain voting 90 percent of the time in agreement with George Bush, then you probably don't want to talk about issues either. If you don't have any issues to run on, I guess you want it to be about personalities."
Presidential candidate Barack Obama criticizing Republican opponent John McCain.
"He's the least experienced candidate for president of the United States in at least the last 100 years ... it's a statement of fact. Barack Obama has never led anything. Nothing, Nada. "
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin after Hurricane Gustav failed to deliver the punch to the city that many had expected.
"Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents."
Statement from Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her husband Todd Palin.
