America is the only country in the world that classifies as Negro any person who has one drop of African blood in his or her veins.

My parents taught me that racial prejudice is a sin, one that robs the world of great minds and talents.

My entire life has been devoted to breaking down barriers, to finding common ground.

Labels applied to people of any race are inherently offensive.

I spent many years working for voting rights, but we still see sophisticated efforts, led by white officials, to disenfranchise black voters in local and national elections.

Election victories are a harvest. You plant the seed. For months or years, you water and tend them. In the election season, you reap the harvest.

Politics is not a tea party. When it is time to act, you have to move fast and decisively.

You can't say the negro left the Republican party; the negro feels he was evicted from the Republican party.

In elective politics, it's up or out. You go up the ladder, or you get out of the game.

To stand still is to regress.

Historically we have rejected extremism on the left and the right. Centrism is the right course for America.

The Universe, is a woman - and she lives forever. 27.03.13

It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're a winner, when you're number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you're not a winner.

Let's face it: It's difficult enough to be funny without worrying about what is going to offend whom.

O gentle vision in the dawn: My spirit over faint cool water glides, Child of the day, To thee; And thou art drawn By kindred impulse over silver tides The dreamy way To me.

If you want to know who your friends are, have a major failure.

A dead end street is a good place to turn around.

Though I am a Catholic, a professing one, I have serious doubts about the survival of the human personality after death.

Nothing is gained by debate on non-debatable subjects.

I think Hillary Clinton is a good and effective secretary of state.