Leon Panetta

We either believe in the dignity of the individual, the rule of law, and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, or we don't. There is no middle ground.

You know, as director of the CIA, I got an awful lot of intelligence about all the horrible things that could go on across the world.

It doesn't make a lot of sense for us to borrow money from the Chinese to go give to another country for humanitarian aid. We ought to get the Chinese to take care of the people.

To make a coverage decision, doesn't one have to make a medical judgment?

I like to catch fish and release them. I probably haven't killed a fish that I've caught in sport fishing for 20 years. No reason to kill it. You know, just take it and release it.

As a young boy, I did a lot of foolish things. I made a lot of mistakes. And you live and learn.