Quotable & Notable

“A sigh of relief”

-- Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, describing his reaction to the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, published Dec. 3, which concluded that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003

“Bad understanding of religions can lead to bad public policy, and that to me can be very destructive.”

-- Emilie Townes, new president of the American Academy of Religion and a Yale Divinity School professor

“Hot Chicks Dig Obama”

-- Campaign buttons worn by young women at a San Francisco rally for presidential candidate Barack Obama

“A headline last Sunday about a Muslim man and an Orthodox woman who are [business] partners ... described their religions incorrectly. The two faiths worship the same God.”

-- A correction in The New York Times referring to a Nov. 18 story with the headline, “Worshipping Different Gods (but United on the Issue of Pork)”

“I need no lectures from those whose idea of helping the poor is opening a can of soup for them.”

-- Bill Donohue of the New York-based Catholic League responding to a call by the progressive group Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good for more civility during the Christmas season

National Catholic Reporter, December 14, 2007