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But presidents matter. That's one of the biggest lessons I learned being in the White House.

The presidency is more than a popularity contest.

I think it is important for readers to know that it is possible to bring intellectualism and idealism to the White House and still be political enough to advance an agenda.

The White House used to belong to the American people. At least that's what I learned from history books and from covering every president starting with John F. Kennedy.

President Obama had a few historians at the White House for a couple of dinners. I was lucky enough to be one of those asked, and he was very interested in Ronald Reagan, and I came away feeling that.

Presidential legacies are valuable things, too valuable to be left up to historians.

Presidents grow up in the White House. The times shape the man.

Ronald Reagan knew audiences. It was a key element of his political genius. One of the things at which brilliant politicians are better than mediocre ones is smelling new public concerns over the horizon before they are picked up by polls - before the public even knows to call them 'issues' at all.

It must be remembered that the Bush White House has a separate talent for character assassination that must not be confused with a talent for governance.

Being president is like running a cemetery: you've got a lot of people under you and nobody's listening.