Quotes by Juan Williams

“The news comes at you just so quickly. Its incredible in this day and age. Given that tremendous rate of news, sometimes I think its easy for us to lose touch with the broader picture — the pattern of change.”

“Today, in terms of news, we have a fractured picture . . . more of a niche. Whether it be in terms of the Web or talk radio or cable television, everybody has their particular site on the news dial instead of having that broader picture. In the last year, weve seen Jennings, Brokaw and Rather all go away — a tremendous rate of change.”

“So much focus in the country is the impoverished minority community. But while 25 percent of the black community lives in poverty, 75 percent is outside of that. It doesnt always get in the news.”

“This is really a campus where Dr. King can live.”

“I fear the distortions occur because its been 38 years [since Kings death]. Its been a long time since the real, living Dr. King came into this room.”

“The black farmer, working hard for his own, became the living symbol of the strong, independent black man. Farming also allowed black families to move into other businesses, from funeral homes to preaching to construction, and thus served as the bedrock of all black wealth in America.”

The critical importance of honest journalism and a free flowing, respectful national conversation needs to be had in our country. But it is being buried as collateral damage in a war whose battles include political correctness and ideological orthodoxy.

Every American president must be held to the highest standard. No president of any color should be given a free pass for screw-ups, lies or failure to keep a promise.

President Obama and Secretary Duncan have made stronger teacher evaluation a key part of their education reform efforts. Under their signature plan, called Race to the Top, states can win federal support for schools by improving teacher evaluations.

In the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore got more votes than George W. Bush, but still lost the election. The Supreme Courts ruling in Florida gave Bush that pivotal state, and doomed Gore to lose the Electoral College. That odd scenario - where the candidate with the most votes loses - has happened three times in U.S. history.

When it comes to serious cuts to major programs like Medicaid, the American people are not calling for leadership but magic. They want cuts with no pain.

NPR editors and journalists found themselves caught in a game of trying to please a leadership team who did not want to hear stories on the air about conservatives, the poor, or anyone who didnt fit their profitable design of NPR as the official voice of college-educated, white, liberal-leaning, upper-income America.

The Republicans want to turn Medicare into a voucher plan that will end guaranteed coverage of medical bills for the elderly.

If his presidency is to represent the full power of the idea that black Americans are just like everyone else - fully human and fully capable of intellect, courage and patriotism - then Barack Obama has to be subject to the same rough and tumble of political criticism experienced by his predecessors.

The 2012 presidential campaigns turn away from the classic, straight-up, American election - where the candidate who gets the most votes nationwide wins - is another sad reminder of the extreme political polarization distorting todays politics. No one talks about a 50-state strategy for winning the presidency these days.

The factual reality is that the vast majority of immigrants - legal and illegal - contribute more to this country than they take out in social services.