"Shock, confusion, fear, anger, grief, and defiance. On Sept. 11, 2001, and for the three days following the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil, President George W. Bush led with raw emotion that reflected the public's whipsawing stages of acceptance."

"Hollywood has a history of raising expectations beyond Washington's reach, of appealing to the very American desire to mythologize political leaders, particularly the president."

"Climate change was a point of division between Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney. The president declared climate change a global threat, acknowledged that the actions of humanity were deepening the crisis, and pledged to do something about it if elected."

"Part of the problem is voters know relatively little about Romney. And some of what they know about him complicates his task: Romney has a history of flip-flopping on issues, he's extraordinarily wealthy, and he can be tone-deaf about what moves voters. He just doesn't seem comfortable in his skin."

"Ethics is not a doctrine written in marble, but a daily standard lived in conscience. In this truth lies the bedrock of all virtue — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"Wisdom principle 14 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 57."

"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions. This remains the cornerstone of personal mastery — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"It is a profound truth that the seeds of triumph are sown in the quiet mornings when no one is watching — an essential principle for the reflective life."