I have never seen a good organization where the standards weren't high.

I served 40 years in government, and I'm not looking forward to a position or an assignment. Of course, I have always said if a president asks you to do something, you have to consider it. But I am in no way interested in returning to government. But I, of course, would sit and talk to any president who wishes to talk to me.

I think the American people are sophisticated enough and wise enough to make judgments about the candidates and wade through the charges and countercharges that come with the [election 2004] campaign.

Even the greatest of all strategists must occasionally take into account the presence of an enemy.

I would sit and talk to any president who wishes to talk to me, but I'm not anxious to rule it in.

The troops may whine and moan, but when they meet the standard, there's a sense of pride.

I think the American people want to see what we want to see, and that is for the Iraqi people to have a free, open, fair election, for their forces to be built up, for our reconstruction money to be used well, and for Iraqi security forces to take over so we can start bringing our troops home.