We cannot afford to soften these conditions.

You don't have any communication between the Israelis and the Iranians. You have all sorts of local triggers for conflict. Having countries act on a hair trigger - where they can't afford to be second to strike - the potential for a miscalculation or a nuclear war through inadvertence is simply too high.

We can't afford to ignore this issue, this year, ... We, on both sides of the aisle, have held out a promise to America's seniors that we will give them the opportunity to have a prescription drug benefit and a new modern Medicare.

It's a formidable task,

Successful diplomacy is an alignment of objectives and means.

I need to go back to report to the president and secretary of state. The process has to be brought to conclusion at some point soon.