"I believe the American people have a genuine and justifiable fear of government intrusion in what they instinctively know is going to be an ever more intrusive world."

"There's one advantage in having been around as long as I have. Everybody in the Senate knows me, and - I'm going to say something presumptuous, to repeat myself - I think most respect me."

"The White House isn't the place to learn how to deal with international crisis, the balance of power, war and peace, and the economic future of the next generation."

"Well, I thought the deal was, when you went to work for the government you weren't supposed to make money!"

"The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other."

"I would like to be remembered as a guy who had a set of priorities, and was willing to live by those priorities. In terms of accomplishments, my biggest accomplishment is that I kept the country safe amidst a real danger."

"I think the country's getting disgusted with Washington partly because of the decline of civility in government."

"Politics is not about power."