Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Don't let your ego get too close to your position, so that if your position gets shot down, your ego doesn't go with it.

Baghdad fell on April 9, 2003, Hussein and his regime were brought down, we declared "Mission Accomplished" and celebrated victory . . . and chaos erupted. We did not assert control and authority over the country, especially Baghdad. We did not bring with us the capacity to impose our will. We did not take charge. And Iraq did not in a few weeks magically transform itself into a stable nation with democratic leaders. Instead a raging insurgency engulfed the country.

It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.

Wouldn't it be great if we could look forward to a whole world in which no child will be left behind?

It was not the United States who invaded Kuwait; it was Iraq. It was not the United States that went to war with Iran; it was Iraq. It was not the United States that fired chemical weapons at Iran; it was Iraq. And it was not the United States that murdered innocent Iraqi citizens with chemical weapons; it was Iraq.

The most effective means of ensuring the government's accountability to the people is an aggressive, free, challenging, untrusting press.