I feel that I have cast upon myself responsibilities that go beyond parties.

Sen. Jim Jeffords, the Vermont former Republican whose defection handed Senate control to the Democrats, on why he plans to participate in campaign activities for Democratic incumbents in the fall elections. Sen. Jeffords is an independent, and when he quit the GOP he pledged to stand apart from the parties; he explained the broken pledge by noting that the prospect of Republicans back in control of the Senate outweighed it.

I don't have religious faith. Yet this does not prevent me from having an interest in religion. I've read the Bible, I've also read the Koran, as well as the scriptures of Buddhism.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin-evading journalists' questions during a press conference with visiting President Bush-about detained Catholic priests in China, and using his reading record to suggest that his Communist regime permits religious freedom.

It was not a blow-off day in any shape or form.

Erie (Pa.) Central High School principal Jerry Mifsud, defending his teachers' use of a scheduled "in-service" day to receive medical checkups, massages, classes in cooking, yoga, scuba, tax tips, and then play pickup basketball games before ending the day at an Erie tavern. Typically such days are set aside for teachers to get organized and discuss school business; teachers in other schools in the district spent the day in administrative meetings and discussed curriculum.

It just touches my heart and makes me feel good that the chief magistrate of our country talks about getting on his knees.

Sen. Robert C. Byrd in The Washington Times on what impresses him most about President Bush. The West Virginia Democrat said the president offers a contrast in "these ... times when few men and women, relatively speaking it seems to me, recognize God in their lives and in the life of the nation."