When John Murtha, for example, said the Marines are killing innocent civilians in cold blood.

Perceptions change with time and you can't rush it, in my judgment.

Americans understand we fight not a religion; ours is not a campaign against the Muslim faith. Ours is a campaign against evil.

It would send an unbelievably terrible signal to reformers across the region. It would say we've abandoned our desire to change the conditions that create terror. It would give the terrorists a safe haven from which to launch attacks. It would embolden Iran. It would embolden extremists. That's why we're not leaving Iraq.

I hope I'm as graceful and gracious as [my parents] are. It's hard for me to project how I'm gonna be if I make it to 86.

History will prove me right. This is an exercise in folly.

I feel a special kinship for our military. Because, unfortunately, I became a wartime president. And committed our military in the defense of our country to difficult assignments. I tell people all the time, I don't miss much about being president; I do miss looking in the eyes of people who volunteered to serve. And so not only do I feel a kinship, I feel an obligation and a duty to help.