The first two days of the Netroots Nation conference have already produced a bumper crop of highlights and sound bite moments. As was widely reported, the DLC's Harold Ford was showered with cries of "Why?" and "Who?" when he told the lunchtime audience, "I have great, great respect and admiration for my former colleagues" at Fox News. And former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman challenged John McCain to "call on Rove to go and obey the law and to show up before the Judiciary Committee."
But away from the glare of the keynotes, the Netroots Nation break-out sessions and panels produced their own fair share of memorable moments and quotable quips.
Over the past two days, I attended sessions on "How to Talk Like a Pundit," the "Next President and the Law," conversations with Don Siegelman and Richard Clarke, and "Iraq Strategy in Context." As the following snippets suggest, the speakers did not disappoint:
"I get why you hate the media."
Jacki Schechner, formerly of CNN and now of Health Care for America Now, on her recent experience with the launch of her group's $40 million ad campaign.
"I have a deep fear of my former tribe."
John Dean, former Nixon White House lawyer.
"Mitt Romney is like Richard Nixon on Prozac."
John Dean
"Rudy Giuliani is Richard Nixon on crystal meth."
John Dean
"Most partisan - Thomas."
Cass Sunstein, on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. A University of Chicago study of 30,000 judicial votes compared how Republican and Democratic appointees ruled in overturning conservative versus liberal decisions made by executive branch agencies. Among the Supreme Court justices, Thomas was the most partisan, voting 46% less frequently to overturn conservative vs. liberal policies of the EPA, NLRB and other agencies.
"Most activist - Antonin Scalia."
Cass Sunstein. Scalia voted 52% of the time to overturn executive branch agency policies.
"Most restrained - Stephen Breyer."
Cass Sunstein. Breyer voted 82% of the time to uphold executive branch agency rules.
"Most neutral - Anthony Kennedy."
Cass Sunstein.
"It's like firing a park ranger for failing to find Sasquatch."
Michael Waldman, on Alberto Gonzales' Department of Justice purging U.S. attorneys for not prosecuting mythical cases of voter fraud.
"If you believe all roads lead to Rove, this is the shortest route to get there."
Governor Don Siegelman, on the need for the House Judiciary Committee to hold Karl Rove in contempt.
"Does that give you confidence?"
Governor Don Siegelman, on the DOJ's Office of Professional Responsibility looking into his prosecution.
"[It's full of] all these people who can't spell 'Homeland Security.'"
Former counter-terrorism czar Richard Clarke, on the ranks of Bush administration political appointees to DHS, the highest ratio of political-to-career personnel in the federal government.
"It was just incompetence."
Richard Clarke, asked if the Bush administration intentionally did not capture Osama Bin Laden in 2001/2 because doing so would have undermined the atmosphere of fear needed to support a war in Iraq.
"Even Condi gets it."
Richard Clarke, asked if the Bush administration understands how counterproductive the policy on limiting student visas is when it comes to winning hearts and minds worldwide.
"A lot of the world wants us back."
Richard Clarke.
"It's f**king stupid."
Spencer Ackerman, on John McCain equating conditions in Iraq with those in Afghanistan in calling for a new surge there.