I believe strongly that we should have nominees to the United States Supreme Court based on their qualifications rather than any litmus test.

Right now there’s kind of a generational change. Young Americans do not trust this government. Without trusting government you can't do a lot of things.

There is always an element of realpolitik that has to be present in the conduct of any nation's national security affairs. At the same time, we have to also have a balance between realpolitik and Wilsonian principles of freedom and democracy and human rights. And maintaining that balance is the greatest challenge that we in the West, including the Federal Republic of Germany, have to face because it's many times a very difficult decision-making process.

Russia is a gas station masquerading as a country.

It's pretty clear we have enough Guard people in the United States, but are they capable of handling our oversees commitments as well? We need to figure out how that impacts our ability in Iraq.

Rogue states are the main threat to peace and freedom, and they require a strong, comprehensive policy response - a policy that I call 'rogue state rollback,' in which our goal is not simply to contain rogue regimes, but to drive them from power.

Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid.