I do not stand on protocol. If you just call me Excellency, it will be okay.

The public life of every political figure is a continual struggle to rescue an element of choice from the pressure of circumstance.

A leader does not deserve the name unless he is willing occasionally to stand alone.

History is not, of course, a cookbook offering pretested recipes. It teaches by analogy, not by maxims. It can illuminate the consequences of actions in comparable situations, yet each generation must discover for itself what situations are in fact comparable.

The members of the Islamic Staye have cut the throat of an American on television. This is an insult to the United States, which requires that we demonstrate that this is not an act that is free. I would strongly favor a strong attack on ISIS for a period that is related to the murder of the American.

I would have said, before the World Trade Center events, that he would try to get a normal relationship with China - making clear to China what the limits are of what America can accept, but also showing understanding for some of Chinese necessities. I thought he was moving towards the position that I have more or less advocated.

The enemies you make by taking a decided stand generally have more respect for you than the friends you make by being on the fence