From Las Vegas’ Penn Jillette and CNN’s Tucker Carlson, from Republicans Sen. Rick Santorum and Alexander Haig to local Democrat heroes like Cyril Wecht and Dan Onorato, 2003 was good year for questioning 50 of the country’s smartest authors, pundits, pollsters, political activists, think-tank fellows, mayors and TV talking heads. Some highlights: Economics 101 “Economists, unfortunately, are handicapped because they know there is no such thing as a free lunch.” — Thomas Sowell, author of “Applied Economics” War on Terror “Bush talks about the war on terrorism as if it were a holy crusade, a question of good versus evil, us versus them. But there are lots of very brutal governments on our side and there are lots of groups that we have no need to fight with on the other side.” — James Bovard, author of “Terrorism and Tyranny” Bill Clinton “I think Clinton did a magnificent job on a range of domestic policy issues. I think his record on terrorism was terrible.” — Dick Morris, political-consultant-for-hire and author of “Off With Their Heads: Traitors, Crooks & Obstructionists in American Politics, Media & Business” “If you want to read damning things about Bill Clinton and you don’t trust me, read George Stephanopoulos’ memoir about the constant lies and the shamelessness.” — Rich Lowry, National Review editor and author of “Legacy: Paying the Price for the Clinton Years” “I think his greatest strength was his intelligence. He is by far and away the smartest, the most intelligent, president in American history.” — Nigel Hamilton, author of “Bill Clinton: An American Journey” Crystal-balling 2004 “If I had to guess right now whether what happens in Iraq makes or breaks Bush, I’d guess that the economy is more important.” — Charlie Cook, editor/publisher of “The Cook Political Report” (Jan. 18, 2003) “The Democrats are going to be very disappointed if they think they are going to beat the president on the state of the economy.” — Steve Forbes, Forbes magazine publisher/editor “The Democrats are in the midst of an all-bash-Bush-all-the-time mode, which is how primaries work…. Their analysis is that Howard Dean surged ahead because he’s the biggest Bush-basher. I think Dean surged ahead because he feels and sounds more authentic, and since 9/11 people want authenticity in their public officials.” — Mary Matalin, White House adviser “We now live in an era and under a president — who I like in many ways — who is presiding over the fastest growing government that we’ve had since the New Deal.” — David Keene, American Conservative Union president Ronald Reagan “One of the main things we learned about Reagan was that at every turn in his life, he was in charge. He was in charge of himself, he was in charge of whatever job he had, and he was always running the show.” — Kiron Skinner, co-author of “Reagan: A Life in Letters” The Republicans “I don’t care one bit for the Republican Party. I vote for it most of the time. I’m an ideologue, not a partisan.” — Tucker Carlson, TV talking head and author of “Politicians, Partisans and Parasites” The Kennedy Assassination “X-ray studies by some very experienced, highly competent radiologists, correlated with the findings of myself and other physicians, lean very heavily toward the president having been struck in the head twice in a synchronized fashion. Simultaneous shots: one from the rear and one from the right front side.” — Dr. Cyril Wecht, JFK assassination researcher and Allegheny County Coroner The Patriot Act, pros & cons “It may promote security, but it doesn’t promote civil liberties.” — Vic Walczak, Pittsburgh chapter of the ACLU “The worst thing about the Patriot Act is that the administration has let it become a caricature for everybody’s fears.” — Paul Rosenzweig, Heritage Foundation legal fellow Pittsburgh plights “I’ve said this to Mayor Tom Murphy: What you have to do is get your regulatory process (simplified). You don’t need subsidies. You don’t need this big Pittsburgh development authority — the URA. What you need to do is create a situation where the small contractor and the small developer, the small architect can operate.” — John Norquist, mayor of Milwaukee “We don’t have the luxury of not considering every option. When Ed Rendell was elected mayor of Philadelphia, he outsourced, competitively bid or privatized dozens of Philadelphia’s operations.” — Bill Peduto, Pittsburgh city councilman “City government does not exist for the benefit of employees. It exists for the benefit of the people who live in the city.” — Jake Haulk, president of the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy “Pittsburgh, given the size of its region, is one of the most over-extended with regard to sports that you’ll find in this country. My projection would be that it can’t afford three franchises.” — Mark Rosentraub, author of “Major League Losers: The Real Cost of Sports and Who’s Paying for It” “As far as I’m concerned, there’s no excuse why Southwest Airlines is not here. We should have them at our airport and this (US Airways bankruptcy) might be a golden opportunity to try to court Southwest into the area.” — Dan Onorato, then Allegheny County Controller “There is a significant potential, if you get aggressive world-class airport management, of really attracting significant low-fare service into Pittsburgh.” — Robert Poole, airport privatization expert Ben Franklin “He had basic middle-class virtues — honesty, frugality, industry. He had a simple creed, which is that the best way to serve God is to do good by your fellow man. He was deeply generous, deeply philanthropic, and he did more to help his community and fellow citizens than any other person of his time.” — Walter Isaacson, author of “Benjamin Franklin: An American Life” School stuff “I think people who’re 14, 15, 16 should be given more power and more freedom — and not try to keep them a child till 25, which is some of what college does…. The whole idea of a liberal arts education seems foolish to me.” — Penn Jillette, libertarian comedian/magician Adventures in Iraq “The best way to spread democracy is by example — not by bayonets or pressures or blackmail or economic embargoes, but by example. And that’s how we Americans are going to be successful.” — Alexander Haig, presidential adviser and former Secretary of State Toomey v. Specter “But that’s really what it is: It’s letting Republican primary voters know that there is a viable alternative who is a commonsense conservative. Because that’s what Republican voters are looking for and that’s what Arlen Specter is not. He’s a liberal.” — Pat Toomey, Republican congressman and 2004 primary opponent of Sen. Arlen Specter

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