I was working with a number of African heads of state. And after their initial surprise, I think many of them just treated me as they would anybody else. They had to deal with me as a representative of the United States of America, and the United States of America was too important to be dismissed or ignored on any grounds.

Susan Rice

Categorized in : Thinking America Numbers

Progress is the product of human agency. Things get better because we make them better. Things go wrong when we get too comfortable, when we fail to take risks or seize opportunities.

agency risk opportunity

I would rather be alone and a loud voice for action than be silen... by Susan Rice

I would rather be alone and a loud voice for action than be silent.

silent loud-voices action

I think one of the real issues that we're faced with is how we consume news, how the media is perceived, how fake news is gaining a degree of currency without criticism that is dangerous, in my judgement.

media real thinking

What we have done is when the threat has been directed at the United States, i.e., the terrorist threat from ISIL or Al-Qaeda in Syria, is to go after them.

isil united-states done

If you want change, you have to make it. If we want progress we h... by Susan Rice

If you want change, you have to make it. If we want progress we have to drive it.

progress change want

Focus on something that stirs your soul, it's hard to excel at an... by Susan Rice

Focus on something that stirs your soul, it's hard to excel at anything that you don't love.

your-soul focus soul

Well, Nigeria has played a constructive role in peacekeeping in various parts of West Africa. But unless and until Nigeria itself is democratic and respects human rights, it too may well be a source of much greater instability as political repression limits the ability of the people of Nigeria to achieve their full potential.

political rights people

Change doesn't happen with people sitting on their behinds, getti... by Susan Rice

Change doesn't happen with people sitting on their behinds, getting lazy.

lazy sitting people

Americans understand that our security is enhanced when the United States is trusted and respected in the world.

trusted united-states world

Once you've learned to study in a bathing suit on the grass with muscled men throwing frisbees over your head, you can accomplish almost anything.

suits over-you men

I read a ton of paper every day. I read the newspapers, I read my intelligence materials, I read all the briefing materials. I read the newspaper in hard copy.

briefing copies paper

I don't worry about how folks want to characterize me. by Susan Rice

I don't worry about how folks want to characterize me.

folks want worry

We have some straight journalism, but then we have opinion and perspective. And I think a lot of people, especially young people, don't know how to tell the difference, and aren't motivated to tell the difference.

differences people thinking

We have been very clear that Israel has an undeniable right to self-defense and that the rockets that it has faced coming out of Gaza incessantly, the tunnels that are legion and are being used to infiltrate into Israel are very legitimate security concerns, for which they have an obligation - against which they have an obligation to act.

legion concern obligation

We have to know who we are and know what we believe. by Susan Rice

We have to know who we are and know what we believe.

who-we-are knows believe

I've taken my knocks here and there, but I believe my intentions are good. Doesn't mean everything I do is perfectly executed or I don't make mistakes. Of course I do.

taken mistake believe

The larger picture here is that a North Korea with nuclear weapons adds to the larger proliferation risk.

The notion that I had become a political lightning rod was painfu... by Susan Rice

The notion that I had become a political lightning rod was painful for me to experience.

lightning political painful

I was very happy in my job at the United Nations. by Susan Rice

I was very happy in my job at the United Nations.

very-happy united-nations jobs

I like to think that with me, what you see is what you get, and you can like or dislike it, it's up to you, but it's straight. That's something that I pride myself on.

up-to-you pride thinking