Shapiro, Grusendorf, Garrido, Hutchison, Rehnquist, Patterson, Deviney, Chisum & Ritter Sander Shapiro, a tax consultant helping Gov. Rick Perry with his property tax cuts, talking to the House Ways & Means Committee about the loopholes in the state's current franchise tax: "Someone calls and says, 'How much tax do I owe?' I say, 'How good a citizen do you want to be?'" Rep. Kent Grusendorf, R-Arlington, promoting his education bill during the debate in the House: "This will do more to improve education in the state of Texas than literally anything we've done in the last half century." University of Texas baseball coach Augie Garrido, after saying a few words as his national championship team was introduced in the Texas House: "You can't spend enough money on education." U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, quoted by the Austin American-Statesman after bowing out of the governor's race: "Do I think I could have won the race? Yes, I do. The people of Texas know me, and I think they know I'll always try to do what's right." And telling the Associated Press that the prospect of a fight isn't what kept her out of the contest: "If we're going to be the party of power, we can't say a person is anointed for as long as they want to stay." U.S. Chief Justice William Rehnquist, writing for the majority in a decision that allows Texas to keep a stone monument featuring the Decalogue on the grounds of the Capitol: "Of course, the Ten Commandments are religious -- they were so viewed at their inception and so remain. The monument therefore has religious significance. Simply having religious content or promoting a message consistent with a religious doctrine does not run afoul of the Establishment clause." Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, telling The Dallas Morning News that he will accept a pay raise that was included in the state budget though some of his fellow statewide officeholders are running from it: "I think I've earned my keep." Lee Deviney, the chief financial officer for the Texas Lottery, talking to the Austin American-Statesman about being fired after pointing out that lottery sales wouldn't cover the advertised jackpot amounts: "It's entirely possible people at the lottery wanted to get rid of me for other reasons. But the timing is awfully suspicious." Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, in the House Ways & Means Committee: "Mr. Chairman, I don't think we ought to consider press releases from competing governor candidates." Rep. Allan Ritter, D-Beaumont: "Aw, why not?" 

Rob Mosbacher Jr. is George W. Bush's pick to be the new president of the Overseas Private Investment Corp. Mosbacher, who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor against Bob Bullock, and for mayor of Houston a few years later, almost ran against Bush in the 1994 gubernatorial primary. But some of his aides were convinced Ann Richards was too strong, and after a meeting with Bush in his office -- with the press corps sitting outside -- Mosbacher decided not to make that race. He's a former Senate staffer (to Howard Baker, R-Tennessee) and his father was Commerce Secretary under Bush's dad. Kristen Silverberg is Bush's pick for assistant secretary of state over "international organization affairs." She's currently working in the White House after a stint advising Ambassador Paul Bremer in Iraq. She's a Texan, and a graduate of UT's law school. Another Texan, Dina Powell, cleared the Senate and will become assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs. She previously worked in the White House, vetting hires for jobs in the administration.