For me, America is really, truly the indispensable nation.

Life is grim, and we don't have to be grim all the time.

It takes more than one dove to make peace in the Middle East.

And frankly, I don't understand - I mean, I'm obviously a card-carrying Democrat - but I can't understand why any woman would want to vote for Mitt Romney, except maybe Mrs. Romney.

I think we all are people that are the product of our backgrounds. It's wrong to think that you're not.

The main thing is to remain oneself, under any circumstances; that was and is our common purpose.

One of my trips was to meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council with all the Saudi foreign ministers, and when we started the meeting I said 'Perhaps you've noticed that I'm not dressed the same as my predecessors", but no-one had a problem and I was never treated with anything other than respect...So I did not have problems with that, interestingly enough.