Quote

The United States is a concept that works very well, even in bad times. But that's no reason to think its structure can be superimposed with success on any other part of the world, particularly when times are terrible.

I'm surprised and disappointed in American culture.

We Americans look at the last 300 years of history, and we basically see a world that's getting better and better. The rule of freedom expands. The economy develops. We have risen to become the world's greatest power.

Americans' great and secret fear is that America may turn out to be a phenomenon rather than a civilization.

America is a very special place. In this country, you have the best and the worst at the same time. Whatever you can imagine.

Somewhere along the way to free-market capitalism, the United States became the most wasteful society on the planet.

America is simultaneously the most attractive and most repulsive place on the planet. It is most loved and most hated.

The world has changed. It's not enough to simply buy American; we have to sell American, sell our products and goods and services throughout this world.

Americans are fascinated by their own love of shopping. This does not make them unique. It's just that they have more to buy than most other people on the planet. And it's also an affirmation of faith in their country.