Most of the 50 or so invitations you receive each week come from people inviting the President's Chief of Staff, not you. If you doubt that, ask your predecessor how many he received last week.

Reduce the number of lawyers. They are like beavers - they get in the middle of the stream and dam it up.

It is easier to get into something than to get out of it.

Listening to both sides does not necessarily bring about a correct judgment.

Our task, your task... is to try to connect the dots before something happens. People say, 'Well, where's the smoking gun?' Well, we don't want to see a smoking gun from a weapon of mass destruction.

Never assume the other fellow will not do something you wouldn't do.

I cannot give any assurances. I'm not in that business. I haven't been, and I don't intend to get into it. People who try to make predictions about things or assurances often find they're wrong.