Most worrying for me in China is the stoking up of nationalist sentiment as an alternative to, I think, moral fervor that used to accompany Communism. I hope that the Chinese authorities will be careful about that.

There's a lot of protectionist sentiment out there, a lot of anti-China sentiment, which I think is unfortunate, and I think if we were to pass some of the less thoughtful legislation that's floating around in Washington, precipitating a trade conflict between the US and China, that's about the fastest way I can imagine to get to global recession.

I think that if politics is just about getting your backside on important seats, then it's a pretty worthless endeavor.

I think that what most surprises anybody who goes into politics from even a modestly cerebral background is the vulgarity of much of the cut and thrust of politics.

The political situation is as hot as the temperature. I think frankly we are on a knife edge. There has to be some movement, I think, above all on the question of terrorism in order for us to see people pulling back from the brink. And that has to come soon.

There is no moral to my life - I have none - except: 'Stand up and take it'. The rest is sentiment.