The ties that bind us are stronger than the occasional stresses that separate us.

Terrorism threat is serious, and not just to American interests. The assaults in Russia against two airliners, bringing them out of the sky, and against a subway station, and then that horrible scene at the school in Beslan. This kind of terrorist activity no one is immune from it. And so it suggests that we have to do even more together to make sure the civilized worlds join together in the war against terrorism.

Luck tends to come to people who are prepared.

I'm an American, first and foremost, and I'm very proud - I said, I've said to my beloved friend and colleague John McCain, a friend of 25 years, "John, I love you, but I'm not just going to vote for you on the basis of our affection or friendship." And I've said to Barack Obama, "I admire you. I'll give you all the advice I can. But I'm not going to vote for you just because you're black." We have to move beyond this.

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

The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort.

I think you can improve on that natural ability with training and exposure to great leaders of the past and to management theories.