Quotes by Nancy Gibbs

“For the truly faithful, no miracle is necessary. For those who doubt, no miracle is sufficient.”

“In a year when it felt at times as if we had nothing in common anymore, we were united in this hope: that our men and women at arms might soon come safely home, because their job was done. They are the bright, sharp instrument of a blunt policy, and success or failure in a war unlike any in history ultimately rests with them.”

“[Nancy Gibbs put it best when describing the aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster in Time magazine.] On a normal day, ... we value heroism because it is uncommon. On Sept. 11, we valued heroism because it was everywhere.”

“McCain wants to make the GOP move in the direction of his issues, particularly campaign finance reform, ... There are two issues hell squabble with Republican leadership on. First is his bitterness toward Bush for the attack ads from South Carolina on. Second, he can make the issue that he drew new voters into the party, and that the party will have to incorporate his platform if it wants to keep those voters.”

“[Translation: The GOP brass will have to embrace McCains number one issue -- campaign finance reform -- if hes going to throw his weight behind Bush.] There are a bunch of little reform measures percolating in Congress right now, ... At least some of those will need to pass if were going to see the McCain and Bush camps unify.”

“McCain wants to make the GOP move in the direction of his issues, particularly campaign finance reform. There are two issues hell squabble with Republican leadership on. First is his bitterness toward Bush for the attack ads from South Carolina on. Second, he can make the issue that he drew new voters into the party, and that the party will have to incorporate his platform if it wants to keep those voters.”

“There are a bunch of little reform measures percolating in Congress right now. At least some of those will need to pass if were going to see the McCain and Bush camps unify.”

“For being shrewd about doing good, for rewiring politics and re-engineering justice, for making mercy smarter and hope strategic and then daring the rest of us to follow, Bill and Melinda Gates and Bono are Times Persons of the Year.”

If compassion and mercy are not compatible with politics, Ford said, then something is the matter with politics.

Nixon to Clinton: When seeking advice from people who are more experienced than you, tell them what you plan to do first, and then ask for their reaction. Dont ask for their advice, and then ignore it. That way you save on bruised feelings.

Lydon Johnson realized he really was President, that his identity had changed by President Kennedys shocking death, when aides who had been like family to him minutes before, stood in his presence on Air Force One.

Lyndon Johnson realized he really was President, that his identity had changed by President Kennedys shocking death, when aides who had been like family to him minutes before, stood in his presence on Air Force One.

For the truly faithful no miracle is necessary. For those who doubt no miracle is sufficient.

Obama was elected on a slogan of hope and change because both were in short supply: the military exhausted by two wars, the banks failing their public trust, the U.S. Congress a comedy of dysfunction, and a federal government that seemed designed to idle on the sidelines.

Modesty means admitting the possibility of error, subsuming the self for the good of the whole, remaining open to surprise and the gifts that only failure can bring. There are many ways to practice it. Try taking up golf. Or making your own bagels. Or raising a teenager.

A good president needs a big comfort zone. He should be able to treat enemies as opportunities, appear authentic in joy and grief, stay cool under the hot lights.

On the court, Jason Collins is not a huge basketball star, but he has already claimed his place in civil rights history as the first openly gay athlete to play in one of the four major U.S. sports leagues.

Most of us were probably less than immaculately honest as teenagers; its practically encoded into adolescence that you savor your secrets, dress in disguise, carve out some space for experiments and accidents and all the combustible lab work of becoming who you are.

Pour a liquid out of its container, and it changes shape, fills the space you give it. If you give children a lot of space, it may surprise you where theyll go and the shape theyll take.

The crossroads of science and politics is a dodgy place.