"This is a generation weaned on Watergate, and there is no presumption of innocence and no presumption of good intentions. Instead, there is a presumption that, without relentless scrutiny, the government will misbehave."

"A lot of people over time have had this kind of pattern in their relationship with Bill Clinton. You first meet him and you're overwhelmed by his talent. He's so energetic and articulate and full of ideas and he calls himself a congenital optimist and that optimism is contagious."

"No doubt, the White House thinks the American people know Obama's story. But since the Inauguration, we've seen only the president's present: his perfect family, his Ivy League elegance, his effortless mastery of complex issues. We never see him sweat. And we forget that he ever had to struggle."

"Women have a lot of power in private life. There are many men who would say, 'Hey, women already rule my life.' But with women, more is more. The more there are, the more the world gets used to seeing them. We change the culture. We begin to expand options and lead and manage."

"Experience is the stern teacher that gives the examination before the lesson. This remains the cornerstone of personal mastery."

"I've made movies that we're very successful that we're a complete surprise, and I've made movies that I thought we're going to be very successful that, you know."

"The pursuit of excellence requires knowing that the most profound truths are found in silence."

"In our society, daily experience teaches the individual to want and need a never-ending supply of new toys and drugs."