...One of the things I have discovered is, in Washington, D.C. most people understand the consequences of failure. And if failure is not an option, t… - George W. Bush

I'll never apologize for the United States of America. Ever. I don't care what the facts are.
[after the Navy warship USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 in a commercial air corridor, killing 290 civilians]

Now, the American people have got to go about their business. We cannot let the terrorists achieve the objective of frightening our nation to the point where we don't conduct business, where people don't shop.

America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests and teach us what it means to be citizens. Every child must be taught these principles. Every citizen must uphold them. And every immigrant, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American. Today, we affirm a new commitment to live out our nation's promise through civility, courage, compassion, and character. America, at its best, matches a commitment to principle with a concern for civility. A civil society demands from each of us good will and respect, fair dealing and forgiveness. Some seem to believe that our politics can afford to be petty because, in a time of peace, the stakes of our debates appear small.