“The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.”

“It doesn’t have to prove out, we just gotta distract ’em. We just gotta distract ’em. We got less than two weeks to the election.”

“Don’t be a fembot.”

“See, I told you. Tell me about the lonely plight of a dedicated journalist, I tell you to stuff it. You tell me about a meaningful relationship, I tell you to stuff it. You tell me you’re in trouble, you’re out on bail, you just got fired, I tell you I’ll be right over. You look awful.”

“It was still possible in 1941 to walk through the White House gate and into the grounds without showing a pass or answering any questions, since the White House was not yet considered much different from any other public building in the city. Until a few years before there had been no gates at all, and on summer days government employees had lounged on the White House lawns eating picnic lunches out of paper sacks.”

“Daley’s election board members looked innocent throughout the limited recheck and blamed it all on human error, brought on by the fatigue of a long day and evening in the polling place. They didn’t explain why the human errors consistently benefited Democrats.”

“Stork also sought advice from Jimmy Breslin, who told her, “Ask for more money. Take one word out of every sentence you write. Only write about money, murder, and cats. Don’t drink booze until you finish.”

“The chemicals of evil were beginning to resist and push back the chemicals of goodness; I was still prepared to devote my life to charitable acts, but no longer without hesitation. Of course I would have felt more secure to have been a thorough scoundrel, if only for a while.”