Year’s best quotes offered drama and not much else

It’s time to start closing out 2012, beginning with a "flASHback" on my favorite quotes from the year’s news:

» From Mitt Romney, on President Barack Obama’s Hawaii vacation while GOP rivals campaigned in Iowa: "He’s in Hawaii right now. We’re out in the cold and the rain and the wind because we care about America." If standing in the cold is their measure of political virtue, no wonder Republicans are dead in Hawaii.

» From Mayor Peter Carlisle, on rail: "You deserve the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." And until we get it, we’ll make do with the spin.

» From Alvin Kuo Wong of Manoa, named America’s happiest man, on meeting state senators: "These are our elected officials rubbing my head, rubbing my shoulders and rubbing my stomach like a Buddha. … I thought, ‘What is going on with this?’" Most likely, they were looking for his wallet.

» From John Martinez of Mililani, after multiple sniffs of the "corpse flower" at Foster Gardens: "It’s one of those things. You’ve got to keep sticking your nose in there, it smells so bad." He was in power training for the 2012 elections.

» From state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, on a Democratic move to sanction him for pro-development bills: "I didn’t realize that every time an elected official had an opinion we had to run it past the party." Only if they hadn’t already run it past the HGEA.

» From Kirk Caldwell, on mayoral rival Ben Caye­tano’s bus plan: "I don’t call it a plan. I don’t call it a half-baked plan. I call it an unbaked plan. It’s really no plan at all." How can he decide on a transit plan if he can’t decide on an insult?

» From Gov. Neil Abercrombie, on the breakdown in teacher contract talks: "It’s impossible to negotiate with people who refuse to talk." True, but it’s also impossible to negotiate with people who talk too much.

» From UH President M.R.C. Greenwood to state senators investigating the Stevie Wonder concert fiasco: "I am perfectly capable of putting my foot in my mouth." And for a $2 million buyout, she’ll put it on an airplane.

» From "Zombies Apocalypse" actor Scott Ok: "I’ve seen a lot of people get Jell-O legs because they get so scared, or scream so high-pitched that you can’t even hear the sound coming out of their mouths." Much like viewers of the U.S. Senate debates between Mazie Hirono and Linda Lingle.

» From Dr. Sarah Park, state epidemiologist, on MIT’s ranking of Hono­lulu Airport as one of the world’s most likely to spread dangerous diseases: "This is not a panic thing; this is not, ‘Oh, my God, Hawaii is doomed.’" That sentiment was reserved for election night.

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Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.