RA sound bytes

Presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.): “I am tired of the excess of rhetoric in the American political process ... that talks about education but sells it short.”

Presidential hopeful Gov. Howard Dean (D-Vermont): “How many middle-class kids will not be able to go to the state university because of (the impact of) a tuition increase?”

U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton: “I have concluded that the real agenda in this administration and on the other side of the aisle is to destroy the public school base in this country.”

Albert Shanker Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Eunice Kennedy Shriver: “We are supporting changes in the Higher Ed Reauthorization Act to get low-interest loans for students in the special ed field.”

National AFL-CIO President John Sweeney: “Any tax cut for a fortunate few is shameful and disgraceful (and) ... it is potentially dangerous.”

State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes: “It is important to us as trade unionists not to lose ... focus that we are the people who preserve the way of life our troops are fighting for.”

AFT President Sandra Feldman: “At the same time that America’s attention is riveted on the battlefield, what we’re fighting for is strengthening us on the home front.”

AFT Secretary-Treasurer Edward McElroy: “Unions are built for the tough times. In tough times, we work together to figure out our issues and to get the work done.”

NYSUT President Thomas Hobart: “Our kids are all dressed up in higher standards with no place to go (because) SUNY, CUNY and the community colleges have not received their fair share.”