Obama really does recognize the threats that are out there; I think he understands the world. He understands the role of America in that troubled world.

When you're smaller and leaner, you're not going to have that large a presence throughout the world.

Rising sea levels, severe draughts, the melting of the polar caps, the more frequent and devastating natural disasters all raise demand for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Go forward, knowing that you are greater than the challenges of your time.

You know, as director of the CIA, I got an awful lot of intelligence about all the horrible things that could go on across the world.

I suddenly realized at the CIA that I had to make life-and-death decisions about people.

Rather than undermining the Palestinian Authority, it is in Israel's interests to strengthen it by... continuing to transfer Palestinian tax revenues and pursuing other avenues of cooperation.

One demonstration of extremists, any more than a Ku Klux Klan demonstration in the United States, is not necessarily reflective of what the rest of the country feels.

The potential for the next Pearl Harbor could very well be a cyber-attack.

The White House was so eager to rid itself of Iraq that it was willing to withdraw rather than lock in arrangements that would preserve our influence and interests.

The United States has to be a leader in the world, because the problem is: If we are not leading, nobody else will.

The wretchedness of ordinary life, endured so gaily when it is part of our normal existence, is made far worse when it comes as something new, and is exaggerated by the working of the imagination.

Just each of us being me, me, me first. The murderer, the victim, the witness each of us thinks our role is the lead. Probably that goes for anybody in the world.

Although there is no substitute for merit in writing, clarity comes closest to being one.

I have something called exercise bulimia, which is where you rid of your calories by over-exercising.

Mortals. Everything is so black and white to you.

I've never been super confident about anything. The work is never as good as it could be.

Well, I always run the risk of falling on my face, which has in fact happened.

The greatest tragedy in life is not death; the greatest tragedy takes place when our talents and capabilities are underutilized and allowed to rust while we are living.

You don't just sit in the car and let some guy drive you through life, wasting your time.

Commitment is what your boss needs you to have. Choice is what you need to have.