Don't quote me

[Grammargirl]

Some of this nation’s sharpest minds can be found within the ivy-covered walls of Yale University. Its reputation is second to none, and its graduates go on to high-paying jobs in a wide variety of fields.

But today, the biggest news coming out of this prestigious university is the “Yale Book of Quotations." While the tome was released in 2006 after six years of research, its editor, Fred R. Shapiro, associate librarian and lecturer at Yale, was kind enough to supplement his book with an update – a list of the 10 most memorable quotes of 2007.

"I'm not listing the most admirable quotes, the most eloquent quotes,” Shapiro told the Associated Press. “It's the most memorable quotes."

So what made Shapiro’s list? Here they are, in descending order, with a few comments provided by yours truly.
10. "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history."

Former President Jimmy Carter, referring to the Bush administration in an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper.

ST: Have I mentioned how much I love and admire Jimmy Carter. In a country where people refuse to speak out against the government because they don’t want to labeled “unpatriotic,” our old friend Jimmy has the balls to tell it like it is.
9. "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."
Sen. Joseph Biden, referring to rival Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.

ST: Yeah, man, that’s like, a storybook, man. And what does he mean by “clean?” Is he implying that other, non-mainstream African-Americans are unclean? (A formal introduction: Sen. Biden, the 21^st century. 21^st century, meet Sen. Biden.
8. "(I have) a wide stance when going to the bathroom."
Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig, explaining why his foot touched the foot of an undercover police officer in an airport men's room.

ST: His wife looks at him incredulously…
7. "I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody who has a 9 percent approval rating."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, referring to Republican Vice President Dick Cheney.

ST: I’d be careful if I were you, Harry. Dick has no problem shooting his friends in the face. What do you think he has in store for his enemies?

6. "There's only three things he (Republican presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani) mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11."
Sen. Joseph Biden, speaking during a debate for Democratic presidential candidates
ST: Rudy Guiliani’s response – “9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11. Forget the nouns and verbs.”

5. "I don't recall."
Former U.S. Attorney Alberto Gonzales' repeated response to questions from members of Congress about the firing of U.S. attorneys
ST: In all fairness, attorneys are very forgettable. How can Gonzales be expected to remember all those names and details when he is working so hard to reclaim his soul from the devil?

4. "That's some nappy-headed hos there."
Radio personality Don Imus, referring to the Rutgers University women's basketball team
ST: While this was a terrible thing to say, did anyone even hear it? I mean, who listens to Imus? Why don’t they just give my senile Republican grandfather his own talk show?

3. "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during a speaking engagement at Columbia University in New York
ST: Yes they do. They’re called “casualties.”

2. "I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and Iraq and everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. or should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for us."
Lauren Upton, the South Carolina contestant in the Miss Teen America contest, when asked why one-fifth of Americans cannot find the U.S on a map
ST: Ahhh, it’s always refreshing to see our education system in action.

1. "Don't tase me, bro."
Andrew Meyer, a senior at the University of Florida, after being hauled away by campus police during a speech made by Sen. John Kerry

ST: The tase heard ‘round the world. At least Dick Cheney wasn’t one of the campus security guards or who knows what might have happened. “Look, Vice President Cheney, it’s a pheasant!”