Verbatim

"I've reached the conclusion, retrospectively, now that the inadequate intelligence and faulty conclusions are being revealed, that all things being considered, it was a mistake to launch that military action." DOUG BEREUTER, retiring Republican Congressman from Nebraska, who had supported launching an attack on Iraq

"We need to be both more patient with people who are making these early steps, less critical of every twist and turn ... and more humble about how long it has taken us to get to a multiethnic democracy that works." CONDOLEEZZA RICE, National Security Adviser, on the doubts being raised about the Iraq war

"She's very good. She's good because she has a Russian coach." SVETLANA KHORKINA, Russian gymnast and defending world champion, on Carly Patterson, the American who beat her for the gold medal in the women's all-around competition

"Why didn't Dumbledore kill, or try to kill, Voldemort?" J.K. ROWLING, posing one of two questions she says no one has yet asked about her Harry Potter book series but should have. The other is, Why didn't Voldemort die?

"I've been getting on this plane, you know, for 42 years. Why can't I get on the plane?" TED KENNEDY, Senator from Massachusetts, recounting his pleas to airline agents who had blocked him from boarding flights because his name resembled an alias of a suspected terrorist

"We want the very, very best and the very, very worst." NIGEL LITHGOE, American Idol executive producer, on recent auditions for the show in Washington

"Run away from office is more like it." KRISTIN GORE, daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, asked if she has any plans to run for office one day

Sources: AP; Federal News Service; New York Times; Guardian Unlimited; New York Times; Washington Post; Elle