Verbatim 2003

"These 16 words should never have been included in the text written for the President." GEORGE TENET, CIA director, taking responsibility for the disputed statement in President Bush's 2003 State of the Union address that Iraq had sought to purchase uranium in Africa

"White folks in the South who drive pickup trucks with Confederate-flag decals in the back ought to be voting with us, not them." HOWARD DEAN, Democratic presidential candidate, in a statement pounced on by the other candidates for its embrace of a racially divisive symbol; Dean later apologized

"Congress is not an ATM." ROBERT BYRD, Democratic Senator from West Virginia, arguing against the White House request for $87 billion to help rebuild Iraq

"You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe." DONALD RUMSFELD, Defense Secretary, in response to a question about European efforts to slow the U.S. march against Iraq

"[The state] has failed to identify any constitutionally adequate reason for denying civil marriage to same-sex couples." MARGARET MARSHALL, chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, delivering its landmark ruling that prohibitions against civil marriages of same-sex couples violate the state's constitution

"I want a lot of money." WOODY ALLEN, actor-director, stating the terms under which he would be willing to write his memoirs

"I fooled some of the most brilliant people in journalism." JAYSON BLAIR, former New York Times reporter, who resigned from the newspaper after numerous mistakes and fabrications were discovered in his stories

"Liza, stop it! Stop it!" DAVID GEST, husband of actress Liza Minnelli, describing how he reacted to his wife's alleged drunken and violent attacks on him. He has filed a $10 million civil suit against Minnelli, which she is contesting

"I always say that wherever there is smoke, there is fire ... So I want to say to you, yes, that I have behaved badly sometimes." ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, during his campaign for California Governor, in response to reports of his alleged sexual misconduct

"My father's name was James Strom Thurmond." ESSIE MAE WASHINGTON WILLIAMS, biracial daughter of the former segregationist Senator, who waited until he died and she was 78 years old to reveal that she is the child of Thurmond and a black maid who worked for his family

"I'm embarrassed for the Yankees, the Red Sox, the fans, the umpires and my family." DON ZIMMER, New York Yankees coach, apologizing for brawling with Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez during a play-off game

"The Columbia is lost. There are no survivors." PRESIDENT BUSH, in an address hours after the shuttle Columbia exploded, killing all seven crew members

Sources: Xinhua; UPI; CNN; NBC; New York Post; Washington Post; CNN; UPI; New York Times; Press Association; New York Times; UPI