There were bribes; there were kickbacks; there was lax oversight from the secretariat; and some member states turned a blind eye toward this corruption, ... We need to reform the U.N. in a manner that will prevent another oil-for-food scandal.

There were bribes; there were kickbacks; there was lax oversight from the Secretariat; and some member states turned a blind eye toward this corruption.

Everybody pursues their national interests. The only one who gets blamed for it is the United States.

In the United States, there is a broadly shared view that the U.N. is one of many potential instruments to advance U.S. issues, and we have to decide whether a particular issue is best done through the U.N. or best done through some other mechanism.

[A different member of the group, a candy wholesaler, said he vaguely remembered the] licenses-for-bribes ... I don't remember any details or anything about it.

To be President of the United States, sir, is to act as advocate for a blind, venomous, and ungrateful client.