With all our differences, whenever we are confronted with a threat to our security we are not then Republicans or Democrats but Americans; we are not then the fifty states but the United States.

Idealism without pragmatism is impotent. Pragmatism without idealism is meaningless. The key to effective leadership is pragmatic idealism.

Tell them to send everything that can fly.

No failure is final unless you ratify it.

I don't think a woman should be in any government job whatever. I mean, I really don't. The reason why I do is mainly because they are erratic and emotional.

Only if you have been in the deepest valley, can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.

Those few days after Kent State were among the darkest of my presidency.