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.

The judge decided in this case that both the state and the defense would have the opportunity to respond to certain kinds of press. This is one such instance.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.

I would've done anything to work with Satyajit Ray.