Finally, the president added, 'The American people are idealists, but they also want their leaders to be realistic...'

I have found people don't want to be told. That they can figure it out.

We need to police ourselves in the media.

I don't think voters give a hoot about the character of their political advisors, except to the extent that character reflects on the candidates.

When you practice reporting for as long as I have, you keep yourself at a distance from True Believers. Either conservatives or liberals or Democrats or Republicans.

I think people are smart enough to sort it out. They know when they're watching one of these food fight shows where journalists sit around and yell and scream at each other, versus serious issue reporting.

Reporters may believe they control the story, but the story always controls the reporters.