Condoleezza Rice

Power is nothing unless you can turn it into influence.

The people of the Middle East share the desire for freedom. We have an opportunity - and an obligation - to help them turn this desire into reality.

When you're doing collaborative music, the relationship that forms is a very bonding kind of experience.

I would even say that my parents, and their friends in our community, thought of education as a kind of armor against racism.

One thing that education can do is it can provide us with an opportunity to understand one another better, and so while I've spent a lot of my time in the world of politics, I've always felt that it is really not politics that will solve this for us.

I didn't run for student council president. I don't see myself in any way in elected office. I love policy. I'm not particularly fond of politics.

We needed to go back on the offense and offer clear leadership on Iraq.

I talked about the need for American leadership, I talked about the importance of the United States to a more peaceful world, a world that has been quite turbulent in recent years, and needs a strong American anchor.

I got the chance to be the secretary of state I'm an international relations specialist. It doesn't get better than that.

Success is not assured, but America is resolute: this is the best chance for peace we are likely to see for some years to come - and we are acting to help Israelis and Palestinians seize this chance.

There are those who would draw a sharp line between power politics and a principled foreign policy based on values. This polarized view - you are either a realist or devoted to norms and values - may be just fine in academic debate, but it is a disaster for American foreign policy. American values are universal.

After all, when the world looks to America, they look to us because we are the most successful political and economic experiment in human history.

The essence of America - that which really unites us - is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion - it is an idea - and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things.

We know that there are unaccounted-for Scud and other ballistic missiles in Iraq. And part of the problem is that, since 1998, there has been no way to even get minimal information about those programs except through intelligence means.

Some governments choose to cooperate with the United States in intelligence, law enforcement, or military matters. The co-operation is a two-way street. We share intelligence that has helped protect European countries from attack, helping save European lives.

My mom was a teacher - I have the greatest respect for the profession - we need great teachers - not poor or mediocre ones.

Foreign policy simply cannot be judged by today's headlines that chalk up victories and defeats like so many box scores in the sports sections.

The essence of America _ that which really unites us _ is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion _ it is an idea _ and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things. That it doesn__ matter where you came from but where you are going.