"They are not reasonable people disagreeing; they are fundamental disagreements. Our concerns pertain to the quality of your professional judgment and your world-view on critical areas of national security." - Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as Republican senators hammered former GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel at his hearing for defense secretary.

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"The worst kind of predictions about what could happen internally and spilling over the borders of Syria are certainly within the realm of the possible now." - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who issued a parting warning about Syria and accused Iran of playing an increasingly prominent role in directing the violence.

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"I practice until my feet bleed and I did not have time to rehearse with the orchestra. Due to no proper sound check, I did not feel comfortable taking a risk. It was about the president and the inauguration, and I wanted to make him and my country proud, so I decided to sing along with my pre-recorded track, which is very common in the music industry. And I'm very proud of my performance." - Beyonce, answering critics of her Inauguration Day performance.