By Trying To Do Too Much, You

We Must Try Again To Be Alive To What The People Of Our Country Really Long For In Our National Life: Forgiveness And Grace, Maturity And Wisdom. ...our Political Leaders Will Know Our Priorities Only If We Tell Them, Again And Again, And If Those Priorities Begin To Show Up In The Polls.

[on President Clinton's Address:] It Was The Worst Inaugural Address Of Our Lifetime, And I Think The Only Controversy Will Be Between Those Who Say It Was Completely And Utterly Banal And Those Who Say, 'well, Not Completely And Utterly.

This Is The Democratic Paradox: You Want So Much To Run America And Yet You Seem Not So Fond Of Americans.

The Irish Are Often Nervous About Having The Appropriate Face For The Occasion. They Have To Be Happy At Weddings, Which Is A Strain, So They Get Depressed; They Have To Be Sad At Funerals, Which Is Easy, So They Get Happy.

What We Need Most Right Now, At This Moment, Is A Kind Of Patriotic Grace - A Grace That Takes The Long View, Apprehends The Moment We're In, Comes Up With Ways Of Dealing With It, And Eschews The Politically Cheap And Manipulative. That Admits Affection And Respect. That Encourages Them. That Acknowledges That The Small Things That Divide Us Are Not Worthy Of The Moment; That Agrees That The Things That Can Be Done To Ease The Stresses We Feel As A Nation Should Be Encouraged, While Those That Encourage Our Cohesion As A Nation Should Be Supported.