America is the most powerful economy in the world. We're an $18-trillion-dollar economy.

War on terror is far less of a military operation and far more of an intelligence-gathering, law-enforcement operation.

Those who try to stifle the vibrancy of our democracy and shield policies from scrutiny behind a false cloak of patriotism miss the real value of what our troops defend and how we best defend our troops. We will ask questions and we will defend our democracy.

You cannot bring peace in Syria as long as [Bashar] Assad is, in fact, there.

I don't think losing 3 million jobs, having deficits as far as the eye can go, having 2 million people lose their health insurance, turning your back on kids in schools and not funding No Child Left Behind represents a vision.

When President Bush sees America, he sees only a military superpower. I see a moral and idealistic beacon. Mr. Bush may talk about democracy all he wants, but it is not democracy to wilfully disdain and heap scorn on world opinion. We do not command moral leadership by starting pre-emptive wars.

That is what Americans do. We face a challenge - no matter how great - because we know that on the other side there is always hope.