This is the cradle of democracy. This is the greatest city, we think, in the country. And we're going to do the best we can to make protesters welcome, just as we will make the delegates welcome, ... This country has a rich tradition in allowing people to say what they have to say.

The most certain test by which we judge whether a country is really free is the amount of security enjoyed by minorities

The successful election in Iraq was an important step toward establishing an independent democracy in that country. Tremendous credit should go to the U.S. Armed Forces, who made voting possible throughout much of the country, and to the millions of Iraqi citizens, who risked their lives to vote.

Efforts to bring about democracy have hit a wall and are going backwards,

Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions--it only guarantees equality of opportunity.

Democracy is essentially anti-authoritarian--that is, it not only demands the right but imposes the responsibility of thinking for ourselves.