America needs to get over it. We can't control everything. We can't control the storms.

You were born free by accident. You live free by choice. To die free is your responsibility.

Before Katrina, it was a longstanding tradition in our country for political officials to wait until the last minute to warn, to take action, to evacuate. No more. With Irene, you had mass evacuations - mandatory ones - issued days ahead of time. That was the right thing to do.

Leadership means forming a team and working toward common objectives that are tied to time, metrics, and resources.

The preparations are what they are. We're here. The storm is coming. We are as best prepared as we can be as the eye of the storm approaches.

When you form a team, why do you try to form a team? Because teamwork builds trust and trust builds speed.

People need to be cautious because anything built by man can be destroyed by Mother Nature.