Have a deputy and develop a successor. Don't be consumed by the job or you'll risk losing your balance. Keep your mooring lines to the outside world - family, friends, neighbors, people out of government, and people who may not agree with you.

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

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.

No. That's someone else's business. Quagmire is - I don't do quagmires.

I stand for 8-10 hours a day. Why is standing limited to four hours?

Don't say 'the White House wants.' Buildings can't want.

When starting at the bottom, be willing to learn from those at the top.