In the course of American history, great steps are taken by ordinary people, and ordinary people are not perfect.

Americans are not a perfect people, but we are called to a perfect mission.

Cormac McCarthy's language is perfect. He is in my view the greatest living American prose stylist.

The surveillance of ordinary people is far greater than I would have imagined and far greater than the American public has been able to debate.

Black history is American history.

We're not perfect; we all have things that people might not like to see, and I like to show my faults.