It is easy to get used to the morning news, habituated. But don't. The morning news is yours to alter.

I happen to miss the Constitution; I thought it was a good document.

In the 2000 election, George W. Bush, who had shirked military service, succeeded in presenting himself as more reliable on national security than Al Gore.

My second epiphany came as an intern at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The man I worked for was consumed with what was going on in Bosnia. And the more I knew [about it] the more saddened I was. There were these images of emaciated men behind barbed wire.... It was like, I've got to find a way to do something.

International institutions are composed of governments. Governments control their own military forces and police.

In general, my rule is find out where your heart is, then speak from the heart. People know the difference between that and something scripted.

President Reagan, of course, did more than any other person to entrench the Republican reputation for toughness on national security.