Goldwater had never even considered a non-Arizonan. Like a man on his deathbed, he wanted to be surrounded only by friends.

Almost alone among successful politicians, he took slights personally.

A candidate with no experience they would package as a citizen politician, a lifetime hack as an elder statesman.

Violent crimes had increased from 120 per 100, 000 in 1962 180 per 100, 000 by 1964.

For the first time on Planet Earth (in 1964 America), a nation was made up of more college students than farmers. An unheard-of 42% of high school graduates sought higher education.

Rebelling against the status quo was one of the definitions of conservatism.

(President) Lyndon Johnson still snapped between exultation and insecurity.

A confused and weak man hides his weakness and uncertainty with fiery speeches.

Goldwater hardly ever mentioned a statistic. He hardly ever used it EXAMPLE. He presumed you already knew what he meant. Reagan SHOWED you.

Goldwater's approach to any political problem invariably derived from the evidence of his own eyes.

Ronald Reagan was just as angry. But he made you want to stand right alongside him and shake your fist at the same things he was shaking his fist at.

Sadly, there are writers who wouldn't know an umlaut from an omelet.

There were no guarantees that country music, whose roots were in the South, were ready for Charley Pride.

Just take them rascals [rapists, killers, child abusers] out in the swamp / Put 'em on their knees and tie 'em to a stump / Let the rattlers and the bugs and the alligators do the rest.

Don't look for things to be easier, look for you to be better

Like bees creating a beehive or ants creating an anthill we're all moving along creating something and we're not sure what it is.

With fear of stating the obvious: Freedom belongs to 'We the People,' not 'They the Politicians.'

I had studied piano since I was 13, but I was surrounded by students who'd been playing since they were 5. I realized I was never going to be anything but mediocre.

I sing and play the guitar, and I'm a walking, talking bacterial infection.

There are three things, to my account, that I need each day. One of them is something to look up to, another is something to look forward to, and another is someone to chase.