The Cold War has ended. It's very simple. We are no longer living in a bipolar world. The chances that we will go to war with Russia are pretty much ended. Mutually Assured Destruction was a doctrine that worked very well for decades as a deterrent, but the world has fundamentally changed.

Valerie Plame

Despite the obvious fault in the universe, it cannot be used as an excuse for not trying to be your best self. Instead, use unfairness as a starting point to be sure that your actions are the best you can muster, and find peace in navigating your time here with grace and humor whenever possible.

Valerie Plame

grace self trying

Young people in college were not even born when the Berlin Wall fell, and so they are not really cognizant of the Cold War and what that meant. Now, truly, the genie is out of the bottle and you have the possibility that terrorists ... could be stealing a bomb or buying a bomb

Valerie Plame

wall college war

No matter what age people are, I hope the lesson is to be engaged. Understand what your government is doing. Follow them. Ask questions. There is a price to be paid for speaking truth to power, but you can live through it.

Valerie Plame

age people

I think a nuclear detonation is society-altering in ways that other attacks, even as horrific as 9/11, are not. This isn't because we have power-hungry political leaders, but I think it might be demanded by the people themselves out of fear.

Valerie Plame

leader people thinking

I really believe that even with all of our problems, we're still the best nation in the world. The idea of the United States is why millions of people want to come here every year. The reality is sometimes different, and we certainly have many things to fix, but I really believe that we have in our national DNA the ability to be a great nation that leads the way to progress.

Valerie Plame

believe reality people

The emergent terrorist threats and the spread of nuclear technology and materials have made it much more likely that terrorists will get their hands on a nuclear weapon and that just changes the whole calculus. I love the quote by Rev. Richard Cizik: "If you've never changed your mind about anything, then pinch yourself, you might be dead." The world has changed and we need to start talking about this.

Valerie Plame

technology mind world

I think human intelligence is the only one that will actually tell you intent.

Valerie Plame

thinking

I would much prefer to be overseas in a covert capacity working on issues, but that is hypothetical. That is no longer open to me. So if I can use my voice in this manner, and talk about something that I care about, then I feel fortunate.

Valerie Plame

hypothetical i-care care

Now I'm running for Congress because we're going backwards on national security, healthcare and women's rights, and Mr. President, I've got a few scores to settle.

Valerie Plame

politics

Yes, the CIA really does teach us how to drive like this.

Valerie Plame

politics

My career in the CIA was cut short by partisan politics, but I'm not done serving our country, we need more people in Congress with the courage to stand up for what's right.

Valerie Plame

politics

My take is, privacy is precious. I think privacy is the last true luxury. To be able to live your life as you choose without having everyone comment on it or know about.

Valerie Plame

live think you life

I am angry when I hear things like Cheney whispering into Bush's ear on the way to Obama's inauguration to ask him to pardon 'Scooter' Libby and not to 'leave a soldier on the battlefield'. What kind of metaphor is that for his petty partisan views, when you have men and women giving the ultimate sacrifice? I have nothing but contempt.

Valerie Plame

i-am you women men

These are issues we've been grappling with since the Constitution was written: how you hold your government to account for its words and deeds. It's all about power and the abuse of power.

Valerie Plame

words you government power

When you work for the C.I.A. or as a diplomat, or serve in the military, you're not serving as a Democrat or a Republican; you serve as an American, whatever your personal moral compass or political views might be. So that would describe me.

Valerie Plame

me you political work

For me, I thought I had the best job in the world.

Valerie Plame

best job me world

We need the best and the brightest to go into public service.

Valerie Plame

best go service public-service

Privatization is more efficient and effective in some cases, but not in intelligence.

Valerie Plame

more some privatization intelligence

I want to shine a spotlight on showing how dangerous Trump and his Twitter button can be.

Valerie Plame

shine how dangerous want

Looking back at my career, I wish I knew then what I know now... that gender bias is built into the system, and it's unconscious in many ways. I wish I had the maturity and courage to have pushed back more. I was always trying to be a 'good girl' and play by the rules.

Valerie Plame

good looking-back girl courage