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

The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't do it.

I think we ought to have a new rule: You can ask two questions, and then we can pick the one we want to answer.

Success tends to go not to the person who is error-free, because he also tends to be risk-averse. Rather it goes to the person who recognizes that life is pretty much a percentage business. It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task.

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

Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.

The worst thing you can do is allow a coalition to determine what your mission is.