But the ability to articulate what you are doing, to be clear about it, and to stick to it is, I think, the essence of political leadership.

Those of us who had a perfectly happy childhood should be able to sue for deprivation of literary royalties.

I think that what most surprises anybody who goes into politics from even a modestly cerebral background is the vulgarity of much of the cut and thrust of politics.

It is curious that atheists have proved to be so intolerant of those who have a faith.

I believe in trying to get a balance between individual freedom on the one hand and social responsibility on the other.

We have our own system, ... and journalists in our system are not put in prison for embarrassing the government by revealing things the government might not wish to have revealed. The important thing is that our system, under which journalists can write without fear or favor, should continue.

Multilateralism is not an easy option. We're going to find that the world is very difficult. And relationships between America and the rest of the world are very difficult.