Colin Powell

“In terms of the legal matter of creating a contract between two people that's called marriage, and allowing them to live together with the protection of law, it seems to me is the way we should be moving in this country.”

“I respect the fact that many denominations have different points of view with respect to gay marriage and they can hold that in the sanctity in the place of their religion and not bless them or solemnize them.”

“It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.”

“The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and security will be met - or action will be unavoidable. And a regime that has lost its legitimacy will also lose its power.”

“War should be the politics of last resort. And when we go to war, we should have a purpose that our people understand and support.”

“Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.”

“You should see what our Founding Fathers used to say to each other and in the early part of our nation. But what they were able to do, especially in Philadelphia in 1787, four months, they argued about what a House should be, what a Senate should be, the power of the president, the Congress, the Supreme Court. And they had to deal with slavery.”

“What you're seeing with Occupy Wall Street and the others are people who are unhappy and they're directing their unhappiness now toward Wall Street and toward those they think are doing too well in our society.”

“Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.”

“I don't know that there is much the United States can do except work with the international community.”