Perry, the Federal Reserve, Hartnett, Craddick, Harris, and Patrick

Gov. Rick Perry, after his first breakfast meeting with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus: "The day before yesterday, we got a pretty sobering wakeup call from a budgetary standpoint. I'm not sure anyone had estimated that it was going to be quite as severe."

The Dallas Branch of the Federal Reserve, in its latest Beige Book report on the Texas economy: "Most respondents don't expect conditions to improve until the second half of 2009 with a growing number of respondents now looking at early 2010."

Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas, quoted in The Dallas Morning News on the change in House leadership: "There is a new day at the Capitol. We're in the process of having to rearrange our working relationships. The winning team has more input into the process."

Former House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, telling the Austin American-Statesman he might run for another term in 2010: "Yeah, I well might. I love the House. It's fun."

Former Sen. O.H. "Ike" Harris, quoted in the Austin American-Statesman about the musical chairs that will result if U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison quits to run for governor: "If she'll really make the decision to run, that's the big thing. If she doesn't, that backs up the other stuff, like a commode."

Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, on his push to change the Senate's two-thirds rule, in The Dallas Morning News: "I understand and respect tradition. But even Wrigley Field put in lights."