One of your tasks is to separate the 'personal' from the 'substantive.' The two can become confused, especially if someone rubs the President wrong.

We have an orientation that tends to make us think that everything is our responsibility and that we should be doing this. It is the Iraqis' country, 28 million of them. They are perfectly capable of running that country.

In our system leadership is by consent, not command. To lead a President must persuade. Personal contacts and experiences help shape his thinking. They can be critical to his persuasiveness and thus to his leadership.

The United States isn't going to do anything that it's not capable of doing. And if we do something, we'll be capable of doing it.

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

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

Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning.