A lack of seriousness has led to all sorts of wonderful insights.

I'm a painter in my dreams, you know.

You have never seen greatness in a Presidency; I have. It was a rich kid who you would think had every reason to be a horse's ass - Franklin Roosevelt. He was humane and wise and resourceful. He was called a traitor to his class. With George Bush, that charge would never stick.

If you would be unloved and forgotten, be reasonable.

Don't be reckless with other peoples hearts. And don't put up with people that are reckless with yours.

Scum of the Earth as some may be in their daily lives, they can all be saints in emergencies.

I just know that there are plenty of people who are in terrible trouble and can't get out. And so I'm impatient with those who think that it's easy for people to get out of trouble.