In my sentences I go where no man has gone before.

We will build our defenses beyond challenge, lest weakness invite challenge. We will confront weapons of mass destruction, so that a new century is spared new horrors.

I think by not participating in the current political debate, hopefully I'm sending a signal that will help set a tone.

When a child is in crisis, parents should have a role and a voice. They should be the first to help, not the last to know.

A lot of the reason why the debate is acrimonious is because of the 24/7 news cycles, blogs, and people being able to just throw something out there in order to get attention. And I'm not going be out there doing the same thing, trying to trash my successor or call attention to myself. I hope that's a positive contribution to the dialogue.

This is a decent and honorable country - and resilient, too. We've been through a lot together. We've met challenges and faced dangers, and we know that more lie ahead. Yet we can go forward with confidence - because the State of our Union is strong, our cause in the world is right, and tonight that cause goes on. God bless.

There are a lot of tactical decisions that, if I could have done them over, I would have.