2007's Most Memorable Quotes

Envelope please...

The Yale Book of Quotations is an annual list of memorable quotes that is compiled by editor Fred Shapiro, who relies on suggestions from quote-watchers, along with his own choices, and then searches databases and the 'Net to determine the popularity of the quotes. 

The ten most memorable quotes of 2007 according to Shapiro are, in order, and the #1 Memorable Quote of the Year is: 

1. Don't tase me, bro!
   ~ Andrew Meyer, a senior at the University of Florida, while being hauled away by campus police during a speech by Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. It was the plea heard round the world as officers removed him from a speech by Senator Kerry. 
    
   Yale Book of Quotations editor Fred Shapiro said that the quote by Meyer just before he got zapped by campus police while protesting at Senator Kerry's speech was "a symbol of pop culture success," thanks to how many times it was searched for on Google and how many T-shirts it showed up on.
    
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, South Carolina contestant in the Miss Teen USA contest, when asked why one-fifth of Americans cannot find the United States on a map. 
    
3. In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country. 
   ~ Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking at Columbia University in New York.  
    
4. That's some nappy-headed hos there. 
   ~ CBS radio personality Don Imus, referring to the Rutgers University women's basketball team. 
    
5. I don't recall. 
   ~ Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' repeated response to congressional questions about the firing of U.S. attorneys. 
    
6. There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11. 
   ~ Senator Joseph Biden, referring to Republican presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani, speaking during a Democratic presidential debate.  
    
7. I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody who has a nine percent approval rating. 
   ~ Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, referring to Vice President Dick Cheney. 
    
8. (I have) a wide stance when going to the bathroom. 
   ~ Senator Larry Craig, explaining why his foot touched the foot of an undercover police officer in the men's rest room of an airport. 
    
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. 
   ~ Senator Joseph Biden, referring to Senator Barack Obama, a rival Democratic presidential candidate. 
    
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. 

Bonus 'Perfected' Quote:

There was one truly memorable quote that was made in 2007 that I was disappointed to find had not been included in this year's edition of the book. This one came from the October 8th television broadcast of The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch on CNBC, and included a lively dialogue between the host and his guest, a well-known conservative commentator, columnist and best-selling author: 

We just want Jews to be 'perfected,' as they say.
~ Ann Coulter, who went on to explain her viewpoint that Jews ought to become Christians. 

Deutsch, a practicing Jew, said he was personally offended by Coulter's remark, and she tried to defend herself. 

"I don't want you being offended by this. This is what Christians consider themselves, because our testament is the continuation of your testament. You know that. So we think Jews go to heaven. I mean, [Rev. Jerry] Falwell himself said that, but you have to follow laws. Ours is 'Christ died for our sins,'" Coulter said. "We consider ourselves perfected Christians. For me to say that for you to become a Christian is to become a perfected Christian is not offensive at all." 

Ahh... her hero, the late Jerry Falwell, perfected as you can see here...

See the YouTube video of Ann Coulter's interview here.  After seeing that, you might enjoy this video where Philadelphia's own Leah Kauffman, the voice behind "I Got a Crush on Obama", performs in the music video "Perfected" on Buzznet, which is probably the best jab in Ann Coulter's ribs that I've yet seen. 

So there you have it, the Most Memorable Quotes of 2007, plus a bonus.

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