[Bush] has got strong players on international issues and on terrorism. He doesn't have strong players on the economy. You could say there's a congenital Bush family problem in this area.

Won the war, lost the economy, lost the election. That's the mantra that haunts these people.

The majority of Republicans on [Capitol] Hill want him out. They feel he's undercut them [and] made comments that have been very undiplomatic.

It's amazing to say, and this is not an exaggeration, that Bob Rubin has more influence today on Capitol Hill than the current Treasury Secretary.

If you talk to people at the White House privately over a drink, off the record, they will tell you they made a mistake [by not going] to Wall Street.

For a few years now, [the nation's] main concerns have been protecting ourselves from terrorism. Now, the question is, what are we willing to do for a major American city that has some warts and has some challenges.