I think the hardest part [is] the priorities. There are an awful lot of things to do [being Secretary of State].

There is plenty of room in the world for mediocre men but there is no room for mediocre women.

I was not only the first woman to become secretary of state, I was the first [U.S.] secretary of state of the 21st century. I was the first secretary of state to own a Web site, to visit Internet cafes, and to make Internet access a part of policy.

The cover-up, more than the initial wrongdoing, is what is most likely to bring you down.

One of the issues I kept saying to my students is you have to learn to interrupt. When you raise your hand at a meeting, by the time they get to you, the point is not germane. So the bottom line is active listening. If you are going to interrupt, you look for opportunities. You have to know what you're talking about.

I have very set and consistent principles, but I am flexible on tactics. I like to get the job done.

Our predecessors understood that the ties that bind America are far stronger than disagreements over any particular policy and far more durable and profound than any party affiliation.