"I started out like a lot of people thinking that Merrill Cook was a nice, sort of bumbling guy (who) wanted to be elected to public office. By the end, I learned that he is truly as unscrupulous a person as I've ever known in my life." — November 1996, a few weeks after losing to Cook in the 2nd Congressional District race.

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"My approach (to the job of mayor) would be entirely different (from Deedee Corradini). I'm going to stay in this city and do the business of the city." — Nov. 24, 1998, announcing his intentions to run for mayor.

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"If I have to, I'll go paint and clean the restrooms in Liberty Park myself." — Nov. 3, 1999, the day after being elected mayor, on maintaining Salt Lake City's infrastructure.

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"Acting together — diligently, cooperatively and in good faith — we can achieve far greater security, far greater dignity and far greater freedom for ourselves, our families and our fellow citizens." — Jan. 3, 2000, at his inauguration.

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"DARE is clearly not the answer, and we need to face up to it." — July 11, 2000, announcing that he has pulled the plug on the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

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"I have no apologies to the Salt Lake City taxpayers for working to find the best people." — March 2001, responding to questions about the termination of 10 key staffers during his first year in office.

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"Gays and lesbians have suffered a tremendous amount of prejudices and biases on account of individuals and communities as a whole and too often have been pushed to the outside. We want to make sure that they, that everybody in this community, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation, knows they are an integral part of this community and will always be welcomed." — June 9, 2001, a day before serving as grand marshal of the Utah Pride Day parade.

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