Daily News Digest

Quote of the day.
“We never would have expected a Democratic president — let alone one seeking to be ‘transformative’ — to open up the Arctic Ocean for drilling.” - Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club on the Obama administration’s decision to allow Shell to drill for oil in the Alaskan Arctic.
(New York Times)

Quote of the day.
“You’ve grown up quickly over the last year. You’ve learned at a younger age than most that we can’t always predict what life has in store for us. No matter how we might try to avoid it, life can bring heartache. Life involves struggle. Life will bring loss. But here in Joplin, you’ve also learned that we have the power to grow from these experiences. We can define our lives not by what happens to us, but by how we respond.” President Barack Obama addresses graduating seniors at Missouri Southern State University, marking the one-year anniversary of a powerful tornado that ripped through Joplin, destroying the local high school and much of the city.
(New York Times)

Quote of the day.
"What is the Republican leadership afraid of? Are they afraid a bipartisan majority of this House will vote to follow the will of the American people and change our Afghanistan policy?" - Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), after the House Rules Committee refused to allow a floor vote on an amendment he co-sponsored with Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) for a faster withdrawal of troops.
(CNN)

Quote of the day.
“The world has changed, but the current arsenal carries the baggage of the cold war. There is the baggage of significant numbers in reserve. There is the baggage of a nuclear stockpile beyond our needs. What is it we’re really trying to deter?” - Gen. James E. Cartwright, retired vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former commander of the United States’ nuclear forces, calling for a drastic reduction in the number of nuclear warheads.
(New York Times)