"AP promoted me to the White House beat because I knew Clinton, his family, friends, and staff better than anybody in the national press corps. Those contacts helped me break a few stories and get my career in Washington jump-started."

"Although we were never pals and occasionally butted heads, my relationship with Clinton and his wife, Hillary, made me a better journalist."

"If acknowledging that racial misgivings and misunderstandings are still a part of politics and life in America, I plead guilty."

"A dose of humility goes a long way in life and in politics."

"I don't believe in auditioning. I'm a bad auditioner. I don't like it."

"I have believed the best of every man. And find that to believe is enough to make a bad man show him at his best, or even a good man swings his lantern higher."

"The things that people do now in sports, you can't even believe. These are complete total athletes. To see what human beings can do in the highest level is amazing."

"I believe in discipline, so I'm not the right person to cry about weakness and things like this, but maybe I'm not human."