The middle of September has been dominated by the ongoing sending of immigrants to liberal-run cities. This week saw 50 sent to exclusive liberal Massachusetts enclave of Martha’s Vineyard, while more were dropped off outside Vice President Kamala Harris’s residence. The Democrats fought back, accusing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his Florida counterpart, Ron DeSantis, both Republicans, of cheap stunts. These are the quotes of the week.
“State’s going to s***, but I’m hanging on.”
- Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers tells Bill Maher what he thinks about his home state of California.
“My name is John Fetterwoman.”
- Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman introduces himself at a pro-abortion rights event.
“Where we are now after this Ukraine success in the north is not that point. But it is a lot closer to it than we’ve been before.”
- Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton raises the prospect of President Vladimir Putin using nuclear weapons in wake of recent Ukrainian territorial gains.
“Clearly, up in that northeast region, there’s some momentum here by the Ukrainians, no doubt about it.”
- White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby addresses the Ukrainian successes.
“We are looking at a midterm election in which so much is on the line. Take, for example, the issue of choice. The United States Supreme Court, in the Dobbs decision, just took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the women of America, from the people of America. Well, how does that relate to the midterms? Our president has said he will not let the filibuster get in the way. If the Senate, through a majority vote, votes to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, he will sign it into law. You know what that means in the midterms? We need to hold on to the Senate and get two more. And then we can put into law the protections of Roe v. Wade.”
- Vice President Kamala Harris says Democrats need to gain two Senate seats in the midterm elections so the party is no longer beholden to centrist Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ).
“Nothing’s more of a driving and excitement factor like Donald Trump for Democrats. They love to be opposed to him because they are. Independents, many, don’t want to see another reign of Trump. And the more he engages in the race, the more he puts himself out there, the more it’s a reminder of what’s at stake to people.”
- Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki takes a victory lap on primary night during her first appearance on MSNBC.
“When we get in charge, we’re going to change the rules, and you will have to divulge where you get your royalties from, from what companies, and if anybody on the committee has a conflict of interest, we are going to learn about it. I promise you that.”
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tussles with Dr. Anthony Fauci again.
“I tell you what: Tell the head of my Secret Service detail I’m driving home. Want to come with me?”
- Self-professed car guy President Joe Biden gets behind the wheel of a new Chevrolet Corvette during an auto show in Detroit.
“What they’re doing is simply wrong. It’s un-American, it’s reckless, and we have a process in place to manage migrants at the border.”
- Biden lashes out at Republican Govs. Ron DeSantis (FL) and Greg Abbott (TX) for their immigrant busing stunts.
“It’s cute on the surface. But what worries me is the normalcy of what is happening on the border. There’s nothing normal about it — busing people, flying people — nothing normal about that. We have to be careful about turning politics into policy. And that’s what I see. I see it’s so close to the midterms, and it’s just dangerous.”
- Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) responds to the DeSantis bus stunt.
“It would be totally inappropriate. Mike committed political suicide.”
- What former President Donald Trump told the authors of The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021.
“If anyone gets any kind of idea in their head that I’m taking away from Karine or her work, that’s really regrettable. I’m very sorry that that’s any impression that anybody would have.”
- Kirby apologizes when asked about the perception that he is undermining press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre behind the briefing podium.
“What have they done? They do these political stunts, they vote against our funding requests, they vote against policies to fix this broken system. Stunts aren’t solutions here. Stunts aren’t policies.”
- Jean-Pierre questions what Republicans have done to fix the immigration system.
“I think his hair gel is interfering with his brain function.”
- DeSantis fires back at his California equivalent, Gavin Newsom (D), as their war of words intensifies over the migrant busing stunt.
“Today, I underwent a successful surgery to remove my thyroid and surrounding lymph nodes and by the grace of God I am now cancer-free.”
- Arkansas gubernatorial favorite and former Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reveals she has undergone thyroid cancer surgery.
“You don’t care about the facts. You’re a partisan. That’s OK.”
- Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) dismisses a Beto O’Rourke supporter who confronted him on a plane about the Uvalde school shooting.
