We live in a time of transition, an uneasy era which is likely to endure for the rest of this century. During the period we may be tempted to abandon some of the time-honored principles and commitments which have been proven during the difficult times of past generations. We must never yield to this temptation. Our American values are not luxuries, but necessities- not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself.

For the first time in the history of our country the majority of our people believe that the next five years will be worse than the past five years.

Iraq is an unjust war. (spoken on the Diane Rehm Show; stated in articles written for NY Times; printed in USA Today)

Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy, because human rights is the very soul of our sense of nationhood.

The Democrats were in the majority in the U.S. Senate when we voted for the Iraq war and passed the U.S. Patriot Act. It's not enough to be in the majority, yo…

It is not true that people of high principles are ill-suited for politics. High principles have only to be accompanied by patience, consideration, a sense of m…

It is difficult to be king when the gods are changing.