The past week was dominated by Dr. Anthony Fauci’s newly released emails and his role in quietly playing down the Wuhan lab leak hypothesis. Meanwhile, Justice Clarence Thomas has an infectious laugh. Apparently, former President Donald Trump can just be reinstated in August if QAnoners are to be believed, and former Vice President Mike Pence says he and Trump have different characterizations of the Jan. 6 insurrection. Also, former President Barack Obama comments on the existence of aliens.
Here are the quotes of the week:
“Enjoy the long weekend.”
– Vice President Kamala Harris in a tweet, accompanied by a picture of herself. Critics slammed the vice president for not mentioning fallen soldiers in her tweet about Memorial Day Weekend.
“Our troops have fought this battle on fields around the world but also the battle of our time, and the mission falls to each of us each and every day. Democracy itself is in peril. Here at home and around the world.”
– President Joe Biden in his Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery.
“No reason. I mean, it should happen here.”
– Former national security adviser Michael Flynn when asked why a military coup such as the one in Myanmar can not happen in America at the For God and Country Patriot Roundup conference in Texas. He later denied he called for a coup to occur in the United States.
“There are cases where elections have been overturned, but there’s never been one at the presidential level, which everybody will jump to point out, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. It should be that he can simply be reinstated, that a new inauguration date is set.”
– Former Trump attorney Sidney Powell at the same conference where Flynn made his remarks.
“You’re a funny guy. What do you do? Do you just sort of stand around and photobomb people?”
– Associate Justice Clarence Thomas when a TMZ reporter approached him. Thomas also cackled when the reporter said his goal was to “find interesting people” in the video, shot in 2016, that resurfaced this past week.
“I would hope that the knowledge there were aliens out there would solidify people’s sense that what we have in common is a little more important.”
– Former President Barack Obama in an interview with Ezra Klein of the New York Times. Obama does not know what the recently declassified UFO videos actually are, he said.
“Fact: If every single Republican voter magically disappeared tonight – in 10 years the US would have the: best education in the world, most affordable quality Healthcare in the world, most prosperous Middle Class, etc.”
– Mark Judson in a tweet. Judson, who calls himself a “scorched earth Dem,” is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican David Rouzer to represent North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District in the House of Representatives.
“This morning, I want to take a few moments and talk about what I think is the greatest threat to religious liberty in America today. And that’s the increasingly militant and extreme secular-progressive climate in our state-run educational system.”
– Former Attorney General William Barr after receiving the Alliance Defending Freedom’s Edwin Meese III Award for Originalism and Religious Liberty.
“The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See celebrates #PrideMonth with the Pride flag on display during the month of June. The United States respects the dignity and equality of LGBTQI+ people. LGBTQI+ rights are human rights.”
– The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See on Twitter, accompanied by a picture of a rainbow outside its offices. Secretary of State Antony Blinken allowed embassies and consulates worldwide to fly rainbow flags for Pride Month. Critics decried the display as anti-Catholic.
“I would be getting ahead of a report that hasn’t been submitted to Congress yet, and that’s never a good idea for a spokesman in this town.”
– Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby when asked if he could “rule out a science-fiction scenario of any kind of life form” present in the Congressional UFO report that is expected to release soon.
“Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection. The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through material. It might, however, provide some slight benefit in keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you.”
– Dr. Anthony Fauci in a recently released email he sent on Feb. 5, 2020, to Sylvia Burwell, president of American University and former Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Obama administration.
“If you are wondering where the governor lives, it’s in a space rent-free between the sponsor’s head.”
– Michigan state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. on a bill requiring notice when the governor leaves the state that passed in the state Senate.
“The president and the administration feel that Dr. Fauci has played an incredible role in getting the pandemic under control, being a voice to the public throughout the course of this pandemic.”
– White House press secretary Jen Psaki when asked if Biden still has confidence in Fauci despite the recent release of emails from a Freedom of Information Act request.
“You know, President Trump and I have spoken several times since we left office, and I don’t know if we’ll ever see eye to eye on that day.”
– Former Vice President Mike Pence on Trump’s attitude toward the Jan. 6 insurrection.
“Llama selfie w Herb #99countymeetings”
– Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley on Instagram, accompanied by a picture of him with a llama.
“D.C. Republicans, a lot of them are my friends, but they’re like lovable losers.”
– Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in an interview with The Federalist.
“Feels pretty unlikely that the zebra is going to change his stripes over the next two years. We’ll see.”
– White House press secretary Jen Psaki commenting on Facebook’s announcement that Trump will be banned for at least two years.
“COVID cases are down, COVID deaths are up.”
– President Joe Biden in a gaffe during a speech Friday. The White House quickly corrected the mistake in their transcript.
