Craddick, Pitts, King, Talton, Bolton, and Kinsley

House Speaker Tom Craddick, after winning reelection to a third term in that post: "I want to assure each and every one of you today that I believe my primary responsibility as your elected leader is to fulfill your elected purpose . . . If in some way I fall short of your expectations or needs, please tell me, and I will do my best to correct that shortcoming."

Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, quoted in the San Antonio Express-News on losing the race for Speaker of the House: "This is like a little pimple on your face."

Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, telling the Fort Worth Star-Telegram how Speaker Tom Craddick won reelection: The Democrats were the key. If all the Democrats had voted in lockstep against Tom, we were done."

Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, who dropped his own speaker bid to support another challenger, quoted in the Austin American-Statesman after the race: "It surprised me how many people, their word is not good."

Rep. Valinda Bolton, D-Austin, a freshman lawmaker, on the machinations of the speaker's race, in the Austin American-Statesman: "I was a little surprised, but that's because I'm new here."

Journalist Michael Kinsley, quoted in The New York Times about the startup of The Politico, a national political Internet news site: "I'm thinking, 'God, I can't keep up with it all.' But, then again, I would have thought there was no more room for another Starbucks in Dupont Circle, and there always is."