Euphoria, passion and feeling like nothing else in the world matters.

It’s like arriving somewhere that you’ve always wanted to be.

There is an ease to it. It’s not all butterflies and sky rockets, it’s more like absolute comfort.

I’m not qualified to explain how it feels when my wife gives me a certain look.

one of the things that I learned — and I also pass this on to our students — which is that knowledge is power.

I think what we’re trying to do at the Panetta Institute is to try to get all young people to understand that they have a duty to give back to our country in some capacity.

There is a dignity associated with people, no matter where the hell they come from — whether they come from Italy or Ireland or Germany or Asia or Africa.

And I never forgot what he said, Bill Clinton. He looked at me, and he said, “You know, Leon, you can be the greatest OMB director in the history of the world, but nobody’s going to remember you if the White House has fallen apart!” I never forgot that.

I’ve always found Hail Marys to be a great refuge when you’re facing tough decisions and crises of one kind or another.

there was no way I could have accomplished the bin Laden operation without the help of Special Forces