Morality in government begins with officials using words as honestly as possible to describe the truth.

Leadership is about calling people to do things beyond themselves.

The proudest moment for [a teacher of leaders] is seeing not what students learn but what they do.

It's very, very hard to speak truth to power when the truth is unpleasant. I think it's one of the toughest things especially a young person has to do and the only way you can do it is if you're willing to walk out the door if he doesn't take your advice. Or if you're willing to walk out the door if he goes over the line.

We are making politics a spectator sport in which our only duty is to vote somebody into office and then retire to the grandstands.

If you look at history, every major realignment in our politics is a joining together of a new generation and emerging technologies. Obama has been a pioneer in joining the powers of the Internet with the principles of community organizing. Howard Dean used the Internet for meetups - Obama used it to create a movement.

A leader's role is to raise people's aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there.