I campaigned on a theme of economic hope and creating jobs and increasing income.

I don't believe in the gag rule and I think it should be repealed.

My concern here is to do it in a way that is most appropriate for the management of the whole national security and military interests of the country.

I think the American people understand that these problems are of long duration, and there won't be any overnight miracles, but I think they expect aggressive and prompt action, and I'm going to give it to them.

If I catch anybody using the State Department like that when I'm President, you won't have to wait till after the election to see them gone.

I think that the clear mandate of this election, by the way, from the American people was an end of politics as usual, an end to the gridlock in Washington, an end to finger-pointing and blame.

I want a secretary of state who understands that we have obligations of continuity and obligations of change.

I'm going to do better if we have the courage to change.

I disagree with Mr. Perot that the answer is to put a 50-cent gas tax on the middle class and raise more taxes on the middle class and the working poor than on the wealthy.

I think we can bring it down by 50 percent in 4 years and grow the economy.

We need more police on the street.

I favor strict controls on how much you can spend running for Congress.

Mr. Bush, for 12 years you've had it your way. You've had your chance, and it didn't work.

I want to bring that change to the American people, but we must all decide first we have the courage to change for hope and a better tomorrow.

I believe experience counts, but it's not everything.

In the end, my fellow Americans, this New Covenant simply asks us all to be Americans again—old-fashioned Americans for a new time. Opportunity, responsibility, community.

Our country has fallen so far so fast that just a few months ago the Japanese prime minister actually said he felt sympathy for the United States.

But this is America. There is no them. There is only us.