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New Haven - The use of the term "alternative facts" by Kellyanne Conway, an adviser to US President Donald Trump, tops a Yale Law School librarian's list of the most notable quotes of 2017.
The statement Conway made when asked why Trump's then-press secretary Sean Spicer mischaracterised the size of inauguration crowds is one of many Trump-related quotations on the list, assembled by Fred Shapiro, an associate director at the library.
"I actually had to limit the amount of Trump-related quotations on the list so as not to have the list overwhelmed by him," Shapiro said.
The yearly list is an update to "The Yale Book of Quotations", which was first published in 2006. Shapiro chooses quotes that are famous or revealing of the spirit of the times, and not necessarily eloquent or admirable.
The list
1. "Sean Spicer, our press secretary, gave alternative facts." – Kellyanne Conway, interview on NBC "Meet the Press", on January 22.
2. "Alternative facts are not facts, they're falsehoods." – Chuck Todd, interview of Kellyanne Conway on "Meet the Press", on January 22.
3. "I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job. I faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off." – Trump, as reported by The New York Times, explaining the firing of James Comey to visiting Russian officials, May 10.
4. "With respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual." – Sallie Hofmeister, spokesperson for Harvey Weinstein, October 10.
5. "Make our planet great again." – Emmanuel Macron, statement on the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate agreement, June 1.
6. "We can't have the inmates running the prison." – Robert McNair, owner of the Houston Texans football team, describing players protesting the national anthem, as quoted in ESPN The Magazine, October 27.
7. "Yes." – Elizabeth Warren, responding to Jake Tapper's question on whether the 2016 Democratic primaries were rigged in favour of Hillary Clinton, in an interview on CNN's "The Lead", on November 2.
8. "And the Academy Award ... for Best Picture ... La La Land." – Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, mistakenly reading the wrong winner for Best Picture in an envelope mix-up, Academy Awards ceremony, February 27.
9. "It's a shame the White House has become an adult day care centre." – Bob Corker, Republican senator from Tennessee, in a tweet, October 8.
10. "There is too much money in the world." – Lawrence Luhring, art dealer, reacting to the sale of a painting possibly by Leonardo da Vinci for over $450m, as quoted in The New York Times, November 16.
