Every American ought to have the right to be treated as he would wish to be treated, as one would wish his children to be treated. This is not the case.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days . . .nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

When I was growing up I had three wishes. I wanted to be a Lindbergh-type hero, learn Chinese, and become a member of The Algonquin Round Table.

Neither smiles nor frowns, neither good intentions nor harsh words, are a substitute for strength.

Self-government requires qualities of self-denial and restraint.

There are only two realities in life: death and laughter. We can do nothing to change the former, so we might as well do all we can to save the latter.

Bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations. Weapons of war must be abolished before they abolish us...No longer is the quest for disarmament a sign of weakness, (nor) the destruction of arms a dream - it is a practical matter of life or death. The risks inherent in disarmament pale in comparison to the risks inherent in an unlimited arms race.