There are certain occupations - probably, most prominently, politics - where there would be a bias against somebody who's agnostic or atheist in running for office.

I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.

Our destiny is not written for us, but by us.

We need not throw away 200 years of American jurisprudence while we fight terrorism. We need not choose between our most deeply held values, and keeping this nation safe.

Peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict.

I found during the course of my political career on the national scene there's a point where the vanity burns away and you've had your fill of your name in the papers, or big adoring crowds, or the exercise of power. And for me that happened fairly quickly. And then you are really focused on: What am I going to get done with this strange privilege that's been granted to me? How do I make myself worthy of it?

It requires enormous energy for us to cut the African American uninsured rate by a third. A lot of scars.