When you're a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you're not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will ever see it. You'll know it's there, so you're going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back.

High trees catch a lot of wind.

We need a new spirit of community, a sense that we are all in this together, or the American Dream will continue to wither. Our destiny is bound up with the destiny of every other American.

I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an "Honest Man".

Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader.

Pardon one offense, and you encourage the commission of many.

It is a bad plan that admits of no modification.

My music will go on forever. Maybe it's a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever.

I always believe that ultimately, if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And when we get lazy, as a democracy and civically start taking shortcuts, then it results in bad government and politics.

My job is not to represent Washington to you, but to represent you to Washington.

It's not just enough to change the players. We've gotta change the game.

I always believe that ultimately, if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And when we get lazy, as a democracy and civically start taking shortcuts, then it results in bad government and politics.

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives.

Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their player and motivate.

Leaders are responsible not for running public opinion polls but for the consequences of their actions.

Leaders must invoke an alchemy of great vision.

A good leader inspires others with confidence in him; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves.

A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless.

A real leader faces the music, even when he doesn't like the tune.

Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.

Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves.