The past week was dominated by comments that may or may not have been said by Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It ended with the U.S. military admitting that an airstrike they initially said took out ISIS-K terrorists in response to the Kabul suicide bombing actually killed 10 innocent people, including an aid worker and up to seven children.
These are the quotes of the week.
“I don’t know that young lady that well, I really don’t. I met her one time between sets here, but that’s it. We’ve not had any conversations. She’s speculating and saying things.”
– Sen Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, dismisses Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s criticism of his aim to block a $3.5 trillion spending package.
“Imagine if every time someone referred to someone as “young lady” they were ask [sic] responded to by being addressed with their age and gender? They’d be pretty upset if one responded with ‘the old man,’ right? Why this kind of weird, patronizing behavior is so accepted is beyond me!”
– AOC, a New York Democrat, responds to Manchin calling her “young lady.”
“If it is actually true — which is hard to believe that he would have called China and done these things and was willing to advise them of an attack or in advance of an attack — that’s treason.”
– Former President Donald Trump said Gen. Mark Milley may have committed treason with secret calls to China at the end of his administration. The revelation comes from Peril, written by Watergate sleuth Bob Woodward and fellow Washington Post journalist Robert Costa.
“General Li, you and I have known each other for now five years. If we’re going to attack, I’m going to call you ahead of time. It’s not going to be a surprise.”
– What Milley is alleged to have told his Chinese counterpart. Milley, for his part later in the week, said the calls were “routine” and “perfectly within the duties and responsibilities” of the job.
“I don’t think the president is looking for the guidance of members of Congress who stood by as the leader of their party fomented an insurrection.”
– Press secretary Jen Psaki when asked about calls for Milley to resign.
“I am also a survivor of sexual abuse, and I believe without a doubt that the circumstances that led to my abuse and allowed it to continue are directly the result of the fact that the organizations created by Congress to oversee and protect me as an athlete, USA Gymnastics, and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee failed to do their jobs.”
– Olympic gymnast Simone Biles testifies in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the failure to address sexual abuse allegations committed by former USA coach Larry Nassar.
“What I’m trying to bring to your attention today is something incredibly disturbing and illegal. After telling my entire story of abuse to the FBI in the summer of 2015, not only did the FBI not report my abuse, but when they eventually documented my report 17 months later, they made entirely false claims about what I said.”
– Fellow Olympic athlete McKayla Maroney on the failure of the FBI to address Nassar allegations.
“I was named as ‘Gymnast 2’ in the Office of Inspector General’s report and previously identified as ‘Athlete A’ by USA Gymnastics. I want everyone to know that this did not happen to ‘Gymnast 2 ‘or ‘Athlete A’ — it happened to me.”
– Maggie Nichols, a world championship gold medalist and former top NCAA gymnast.
“It’s not like he doesn’t know what I’m going to say. Listen, how it got to be that if it was a scientific accident, it’s conservative, and if it came from a wet market, it’s liberal, I don’t know — I’m just not sure how that got politicized. But it was an inelegant way to get to a bit that I’ve done for years, which is our good-intentioned brilliance will more than likely be our demise. The bit is about the last words that man ever utters, which are, ‘Hey, it worked.’ I guess I was a little surprised at the pushback.”
– Comedian Jon Stewart admits he was surprised at the reaction to his observation on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert that the coronavirus likely came from a Wuhan virology lab.
“The country has gotten to the point where we’re really good at finding something that separates us. I think the media makes it sound as though you are just always going right to your personal preference. So, if they think you are anti-abortion or something personally, they think that’s the way you always will come out. They think you’re for this or for that. They think you become like a politician.”
– Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas cautions against ‘destroying our institutions.’
“We need all four wheels on the ground, pal. Next thing you know, you’re going to be yelling at a sheriff.”
– Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin referencing a video of opponent Terry McAuliffe on Wednesday lashing out at the county sheriff for asking about an endorsement from an organization that supports defunding the police.
“Two million QAnon finding like-minded thinking people in that um, in that world, in the social media. Thank you, Facebook, for 2 million members of QAnon.”
– House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, referring to a Facebook internal audit that uncovered millions of followers of the conspiracy theory on the social media platform.
“Our investigation now concludes the strike was a tragic mistake.”
– Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, reveals a U.S. military investigation concluded a recent airstrike killed an aid worker and many of his family members as opposed to an ISIS-K terrorist.
