What if [Saddam] fails to comply and we fail to act, or we take some ambiguous third route, which gives him yet more opportunities to develop this program of weapons of mass destruction? ... Well, he will conclude that the international community has lost its will. He will then conclude that he can go right on and do more to rebuild an arsenal of devastating destruction. And some day, some way, I guarantee you he'll use the arsenal.

The era of big government is over.

Citizenship in the 21st century requires more than paying your taxes and voting and occasionally running for office. That even if you're never in political office, you have political responsibilities. You can make your society stronger and better.

I think you have you to give people the facts [about global warming], and then you have to tell them, this is not like drinking Castor Oil. There is a, an economically exciting way for us to create a whole new generation of American jobs without costing them an enormous amount of money or forcing them to change their lifestyle.

Torture must only be hypothetical exception, not US policy.

Only a fool does not look to explain his mistakes.

True Excellence requires a worthy dream, a good Idea of how to realize it and the courage to risk failure to achieve it.