Barack Obama

We had a wonderful exchange of ideas. And I continue to be optimistic about our ability to get this recovery package done.

What I told him is start by listening because all too often, the United States starts by dictating.

I do think it is impossible for us to think only in terms of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and not think in terms of what's happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon.

I cannot respect terrorist organizations that would kill innocent civilians and we will hunt them down. But to the broader Muslim world, what we're going to be offering is a hand of friendship.

My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy.

The very fact that this crisis is largely of our own making means that it is not beyond our ability to solve. Our problems are rooted in past mistakes, not our capacity for future greatness. It will take time and perhaps many years, but we…

I don't expect 100 percent agreement from my Republican colleagues, but I do hope that we can all put politics aside and do the American people's business right now.

We had a wonderful exchange of ideas and I continue to be optimistic about our ability to get this recovery package done.

But the key right now is to make sure that we keep politics to a minimum. There are some legitimate philosophical differences with parts of my plan that the Republicans have and I respect that.

My job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world; that the language we use has to be a language of respect.

The key right now is to make sure that we keep politics to a minimum. There's some legitimate philosophical differences with parts of my plan that the Republicans have and I respect that.

Feel free to whack me over the head because I probably will not compromise on that part.

But ultimately, people are going to judge me not by my words but by my actions and my administration's actions.

If we are looking at the region as a whole, and communicating a message to the Arab world and the Muslim world that we are ready to initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interests, then I think that we can make…

I think that when you look at the rhetoric that they've been using against me, before I even took office... what that tells me is that their ideas are bankrupt.

I think, if we do that, then there's a possibility, at least, of achieving some breakthroughs.

Congratulations, Tim. You have got your work cut out for you, as I think everybody knows. But you also have my full confidence, my deepest trust, my unyielding belief that we can rise to achieve what is required of us at this moment.

But ultimately people are going to judge me not by my words but by my actions and my administration's actions.

In my inauguration speech, I spoke about, you will be judged on what you build, not what you destroy.

That's why we've got George Mitchell going there. This is somebody with extraordinary patience as well as extraordinary skill.

I think it is possible for us to see a Palestinian state -- I'm not going to put a time frame on it -- that is contiguous, that allows freedom of movement for its people.

I do think that it is impossible for us to think only in terms of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict and not think in terms of what's happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon or Afghanistan and Pakistan. These things are interrelated.

Ultimately, we cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them. They're going to have to make some decisions.

I think the most important thing is for the United States to get engaged right away.

My job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives. My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the…