As citizens, we understand that it is not about what America may do for us. It's about what can be done by us, together.

So how do Latinos feel if there's a big investment just in the African American community, and they're looking around and saying, "We're poor as well. What kind of help are we getting?" Or Asian Americans who say, "Look, I'm a first-generation immigrant, and clearly I didn't have anything to do with what was taking place."

I face the world as it is and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake, evil does exist in the world.

One of the interesting things about being in public life is there are constantly these pressures being placed on you from different sides. To be effective, you have to be able to listen to a variety of points of view, synthesize viewpoints.

The world is less violent than it has ever been.

If war explodes in Sudan, it could have a destabilizing effect that creates more space for terrorist activity that could eventually be directed at our homeland.

Many of our ideas of democracy, so much of our literature and philosophy and science can be traced back to roots right here in Athens.