Things they say–economic crisis special

“If money isn’t loosened up, this sucker could go down”

George W. Bush on the US financial system during the market crisis negotiations

“It’s not based on any particular data point. We just wanted to choose a really large number.”

US treasury spokesperson on being asked how the treasury came up with a $700 billion price tag for its Wall Street bailout plan

“I hate the fact that we have to do it, but it’s better than the alternative. This is a humbling, humbling time for the United States of America”

Henry Paulson, Treasury Secretary of the United States

“It’s a once-in-a-half-century, probably once-in-a-century type of event”

Alan Greenspan, former Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States

“It was fucking carnage. We got absolutely smoked. My head is mashed. I need a drink”

A young JPMorgan broker on the day that the ASX lost $60 billion

“We really can’t talk right now. As you can see, this is really not the best time for us.”

An investment banker to the Sydney Morning Herald on “black Tuesday”

“One of the most chilling moments was when Cameron Thompson, the member for Blair, claimed the opinion polls had been spooked and were falsely reporting public opinion. We had reached a new stage of unreality.”

Peter Costello in The Costello Memoirs on talk in the party meeting after APEC, when John Howard said he would be staying on

“Howard decided that we wouldn’t do it, so I thought, ‘Oh well’.”

Costello explaining why he didn’t march in the Sydney reconciliation bridge walk in 2000

“A slow-acting dope”

Paul Keating’s description of Peter Costello

“On the economy, he was not just a regular simian but a howler monkey for the Liberals.”

Fairfax’s Peter Hartcher describes the role of sacked Liberal leader Brendan Nelson

“I know what it is like to be very short of money. I know that Australians are doing it tough”

Malcolm Turnbull after winning the Liberal Party leadership

“I see the United States as being a force for good in the world. And as Ronald Reagan used to talk about, America being the beacon of light and hope for those who are seeking democratic values and tolerance and freedom. I see our country being able to represent those things that can be looked to … as that leadership, that light needed across the world.”

Sarah Palin in her interview with CBS news anchor Katie Couric

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