“New York is a different country. Maybe it ought to have a separate government. Everybody thinks differently, acts differently. They just don’t know what the hell the rest of the United States is.”
—Henry Ford

“Sometimes I think this country would be better off if we could just saw off the eastern seaboard and let it float out to sea.”
—Barry Goldwater

“Goddamn New York . . . Jews and Catholics and blacks and Puerto Ricans. Maybe New York shouldn’t survive. Maybe it should go through a cycle of destruction.”
—Richard Nixon

“[Drop dead.]”
—Gerald Ford

“[Moynihan] has to go to the country and defend an extraordinarily expensive government in the State of New York, an extraordinarily expensive government in New York City, absurd union rules, and a culture of waste for which they want us to send a check.”
—Newt Gingrich

“[New York City] is the crown jewel of America.”
—Newt Gingrich

“My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building.”
—Ann Coulter

“Should Homeland Security focus only on Washington and New York City, you can be sure terrorists will strike elsewhere . . . We need to worry about agri-terrorism.”
—Missouri Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond

“Our floating hotel will provide members an opportunity to stay in one place, in a secure fashion.”
—Aide To Representative Tom Delay, Describing Short-Lived Plans To House Delegates On A Cruise Ship

“I love New York City; I’ve got a gun.”
—Charles Barkley

Related:

• Archive: “Intelligencer Features”
• Table of Contents: Sep 6, 2004 issue of New York | Subscribe!