Verbatim

Campaign '08

'Change has come to America.' BARACK OBAMA, addressing supporters in Chicago after defeating John McCain to become the first African-American President in U.S. history

'If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago.' JOHN MCCAIN, responding to Obama's claims during the final presidential debate that his policies mirrored those of George W. Bush

'I just don't want to see us fall backwards, you know?' HILLARY CLINTON, getting choked up while answering a question about campaign exhaustion in January. She won the New Hampshire primary the next day

'It's Alaska. It's just right over the border.' SARAH PALIN, explaining to cbs anchor Katie Couric why the state's proximity to Russia boosted her foreign policy credentials as John McCain's running mate

'They get bitter. They cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them.' BARACK OBAMA, on rural working-class voters. A blogger recorded the comment during a San Francisco fund raiser that excluded the press

'The fundamentals of the economy are strong.' JOHN MCCAIN, speaking on Sept. 15, just hours before Lehman Brothers filed for the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history

'This is the campaign period. Anyone can say anything. So we disregard that.' MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, Iranian President, on his reaction to the U.S. presidential race and which candidate he preferred

Back & Forth:

Patriotism

'For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country.' MICHELLE OBAMA, on voter enthusiasm, prompting critics to label her unpatriotic

'I have always been proud of my country.' CINDY MCCAIN, who later denied that she was alluding to her Democratic counterpart

Race

'Not God bless America. God damn America!' THE REV. JEREMIAH WRIGHT, Barack Obama's longtime pastor, preaching in 2003 about the nation's racist past. Critics later cited footage of the sermon as evidence of Obama's radical beliefs

'I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community.' BARACK OBAMA, defending Wright in a landmark Philadelphia speech on U.S. race relations

Economy

'We have sort of become a nation of whiners.' PHIL GRAMM, economic adviser to John McCain, describing the country's "mental recession"

'America already has one Dr. Phil.' BARACK OBAMA, saying the U.S. doesn't need psychological relief

Celebrity

'He's the biggest celebrity in the world. But is he ready to lead?' MCCAIN CAMPAIGN Internet ad likening Barack Obama to tabloid queen Paris Hilton

'That wrinkly, white-haired guy used me in his campaign ad, which I guess means I'm running for President.' PARIS HILTON, mocking McCain in a campaign ad of her own

For daily sound bites, visit time.com/quotes

Sources: ABC News; MSNBC; New York Times; CBS Evening News; Huffington Post; Washington Times; CNN