My parents were of the generation who thought they were the children of a free Czechoslovakia, the only democracy in central Europe.

I think there has to be the sense that once you have climbed the ladder of success, that you don't push it away from the building.

This is pure speculation, but for a period of time, a lot of getting into a party was through fundraising and volunteer work, and Republican women had more time to do that than democratic women, who were out there getting jobs.

The best book, like the best speech, will do it all - make us laugh, think, cry and cheer - preferably in that order.

Iraq is a long way from the U.S., but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face.

We live in an image society. Speeches are not what anybody cares about; what they care about is the picture.

Every new president inherits headaches, but President Obama has inherited an entire emergency room.