Principles only mean something when you stick to them when its inconvenient.

[closing remarks at Congressional confirmation hearing] ... And, Mr. Chairman, I stand for the separation of Church and State, and the reason that I stand for that is the same reason that I believe our forefathers did. It is not there to protect religion from the grasp of government but to protect our government from the grasp of religious fanaticism. Now, I may be an atheist, but that does not mean I do not go to church. I do go to church. The church I go to is the one that emancipated the slaves, that gave women the right to vote, that gave us every freedom that we hold dear. My church is this very Chapel of Democracy that we sit in together, and I do not need God to tell me what are my moral absolutes. I need my heart, my brain, and this church.

[after missing a shot while bowling] Well, that's what I get for my Leftist tendencies.

[to Gov. Hathaway] You're the future of the Democratic party. And you always will be.

I'll die before Shelly Runyon checkmates me.

[to Gov. Hathaway] Who doesn't want a shortcut to greatness?

[about Rep. Reginald Webster] Well, he may not know his right from his left, but he does know the difference between right and wrong.

[addressing the Congress] Napoleon once said when asked to explain the lack of great statesmen in the world, that "to get power you need to display absolute pettiness; to exercise power, you need to show true greatness." Such pettiness and greatness are rarely found in one person... Laine Hanson has asked that I allow her to step aside. She asked me to do this because she wants my presidency to end on a note of triumph and not controversy. Understand, those of you who worked to bring Laine Hanson down, that she asked to have her name withdrawn from consideration, NOT because she isn't great, but because she isn't petty. Because those two forms of leadership traits could not live in her body or her soul. Greatness. It comes in many forms, sometimes it comes in the form of sacrifice - that's the loneliest form.

I should have come down here and pointed my finger your way... [points at Rep. Shelley Runyon] ... pointed my finger YOUR way, and asked "Have you no decency, sir?"

[to Laine Hanson] We're both sticking to our guns. The difference is, mine are loaded.

There's a reason they call me honest Shell.

Take a magic marker, cross out the word "objectivity". Your constituents want you for your opinions, your philosophy, for you subjectivity.

The people of this nation can stomach quite a bit. But the one thing they can't stomach is the image of a vice president with a mouthful of cock.

[Trying to dig up dirt on Shelly Runyon] I want something EMBARRASSING! Something sexual! Little boys, midgets, that sort of thing! Cows! I don't give a goddamn!

Shelly Runyon: So, how are Will and the boy?
Laine Hanson: Let's forego the small talk today Shelly, I'm not in the mood.
Shelly Runyon: Let the big talk begin.