My family helped start [this country], we've been in political life ... since the 1690s, and I have a very possessive sense about this country.

I assume that the point of American democracy is you can express any point of view you want.

All children alarm their parents, if only because you are forever expecting to encounter yourself.

Vitriolic really is personal. I am vitriolic. I am savage.

Now you have people in Washington who have no interest in the country at all. They're interested in their companies, their corporations grabbing Caspian oil.

I have never been particularly impressed by the self centered musings of my fellow writers.

Every four years the naive half who vote are encouraged to believe that if we can elect a really nice man or woman President everything will be all right. But it won't be.