Perspectives

"The election is over, and it's time for a change."

New Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, after Democrats won control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 1994

"If you look at it race by race, it was close. The cumulative effect, however, was not close. It was a thumping."

President George W. Bush, on the elections

"Many of them haven't had exposure to some of the things that lead to success, like how to open a bottle of wine or cook for someone at their home or host a dinner."

Caltech professor Thomas Mannion, on a new Cooking Basics class that teaches bright but socially lacking students how to entertain "This is the day where you see the dictator ... facing the penalty he deserves. Iraqis have the right to smile and rejoice a little for the death sentence issued against this criminal and his minions."

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, after a court sentenced former dictator Saddam Hussein to death by hanging. Some Iraqis rejoiced, while others said it would inflame the conflict there.

"Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?"

New House Ways and Means Committee chairman Charles Rangel, Democrat of New York , on which states should get federal funds. He later apologized.

"This is a resignation that should have come before the election. The good news is it shows the administration's listening."

Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, on Donald Rumsfeld's being ousted as secretary of Defense. President Bush has nominated former CIA director Robert Gates to replace him.

"I can't say I understand it all, but it's going to be quite a ballpark."

Fremont, Calif., Mayor Bob Wasserman, on high-tech plans for a new Oakland A's stadium that would let fans store e-tickets on cell phones, buy pictures of themselves and view instant replays at their seats

"She went from being a pop icon to an emblem of white trash in a matter of two years."

Publicist Michael Levine, on Britney Spears's marriage to Kevin Federline. She has filed for divorce.

"I'll play it all through the weekend. No time for meals."

Tokyo gamer Tomoaki Nakamura, on the release of the PlayStation 3 there

Reader Lynn Hughes of Rochester, N.Y., submitted this quote: "Of course we are concerned about people voting if they are dead."

George Stanton, an official with the New York Board of Elections, on a report that the state's database of registered voters could contain the names of as many as 77,000 dead people--2,600 of which may have voted from "beyond the grave"