"I've had my arms around the bell today. It just reverberates."

— Selectman Harry Christensen on the delivery of the ship's bell from the USS Marblehead, shown in photo at right with Wayne Butler of the Marblehead Historical Commission, to Abbot Hall this week. The artifact was located in a National Park Service warehouse in San Francisco.

"It's not up to me to pass judgment ... But there remain some inconsistencies in the story."

— Congressman John Tierney after hearing pitcher Roger Clemens testify on allegations of steroid use before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee this week.

"My view of the Patriots has not change. They really are on of the greatest teams ... But for one game, we beat them."

— Salem native Peter Giunta, defensive backs coach for the New York Giants, reflecting on Super Bowl XLII.

"I pay $168 per month to travel into Boston from Salem, and I've seen nothing but poor quality."

— Beth Curley of Peabody, who brought her complaints about commuter rail service to MBTA officials at a hearing in Beverly this week.

"I'd rather be outside today than on a 90-degree day."

— Beverly police Officer Ted Goodell on working outdoors when the temperature is near zero degrees.

"If you think that you can defeat me, I can't prevent you from running. But I am going to defeat you."

— Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry, D-Peabody, on speculation that his recent hospitalization may have prompted some to take a look at running against him in November.

"This is what change looks like when it happens from the bottom up."

— Sen. Barack Obama after winning primary victories in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

"At the end of the day, everybody won."

— Leslie Moonves, chief executive officer of CBS Corp., after Hollywood writers voted to end their three-month strike.

"I personally Army-crawled halfway up the aisle. I said I could get up and run or I could die here."

— Lauren Carr, a 20-year-old sophomore, who was sitting in the third row of a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University when a gunman opened fire. Five students died and 16 were wounded.

"How about that Mitt Romney? I'm going to miss him. He's like the archaeologist who ignored the curse of the mummy's tomb. ... He looks like the dull fiance that Julie Roberts dumps for the co-star. ... He looks like the author of the book on seven keys to success. ... He looks like the guy who puts on a dress and wig and sneaks into the lifeboat."

— More "Mitticisms" from David Letterman who's made the former governor and presidential candidate part of a running gag on his late-night show.