The press always wants to know how many people will be killed or how much it will cost, but the answers to those questions are not knowable.

Your performance depends on your people. Select the best, train them and back them. When errors occur, give sharper guidance. If errors persist or if the fit feels wrong, help them move on. The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.

A few. . . critics are the only people I ever heard use the phrase 'imminent threat.' I didn't, the president didn't.

Keep your sense of humor. As General Joe Stillwell said, 'The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind'.

There are people who in large measure have information that we need . . . so that we can track down the weapons of mass destruction in that country.

Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually.

Don't do or say things you would not like to see on the front page of The Washington Post.