I think they put some lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.

Subjecting prisoners to abuse leads to bad intelligence, because under torture a detainee will tell his interrogator anything to make the pain stop. Second, mistreatment of our prisoners endangers U.S. troops who might be captured by the enemy – if not in this war, then in the next. And third, prisoner abuses exact on us a terrible toll in the war of ideas, because inevitably these abuses become public.

On my honor, I swear to you, that from my first day in office to the last breath I draw, I will do everything in my power to make you proud of your government.

I will conduct a respectful debate. Now, it will be dispirited -- it will be spirited -- because there are stark differences. I am a proud conservative, liberal Republica-- conservative Republican...Hello? Easy there.

Remember the words of Chairman Mao: 'It's always darkest before it's totally black.'.

But we have a war of ideals and ideas, and that is to sell democracy.

Thanks to General Petraeus, our leadership and the sacrifice of brave young Americans. To deny that their sacrifice didn't make possible the success of the surge in Iraq, I think does a great disservice...the progress has been immense.