Madeleine Albright

“So people are talking about revolution. What a revolution it would be to have a woman president.”

“I spent my life studying communism and Soviet systems.”

“I have been in meetings where a head of state will say, 'I like your tie,' to a man... or, 'I like your country because the weather's good,' or whatever. So for me, the pins in some ways were openers.”

“There's Madeleine, and then there's 'Madeleine Albright'. And I sometimes kind of think, who is this person? Once you become 'Madeleine Albright' it doesn't go away.”

“The difference between humans and other mammals is that we know how to accessorize.”

“I really think that there was a great advantage in many ways to being a woman. I think we are a lot better at personal relationships, and then have the capability obviously of telling it like it is when it's necessary.”

“For me, America is really, truly the indispensable nation.”

“The magic of America is that we're a free and open society with a mixed population. Part of our security is our freedom.”

“Jewelry and pins have been worn throughout history as symbols of power, sending messages. Interestingly enough, it was mostly men who wore the jewelry in various times, and obviously crowns were part of signals that were being sent throughout history by people of rank.”

“I loved what I did. I could've been secretary of state for ever.”

“I've never seen America as an imperialist or colonialist or meddling country.”

“The U.N. bureaucracy has grown to elephantine proportions. Now that the Cold War is over, we are asking that elephant to do gymnastics.”

“Women can't do everything at the same time, we need to understand milestones in our lives comes in segments.”

“I do believe that in order to be a successful negotiator that as a diplomat, you have to be able to put yourself into the other person's shoes. Unless you can understand what is motivating them, you are never going to be able to figure out how to solve a particular problem.”

“I have had fun being who I became, so to speak.”

“What a blast it is to be here with Michael Moore.”

“The day-to-day making of policy is arguing all the time. You're trying to get the right approach and the right answer, and there are moments that aren't very pleasant. But in the end, you look at the overall product.”

“The capability of negotiating... is something that means you not only have to understand fully what you believe and what your national interests are but in order to be a really good negotiator, you have to try to figure out what the other person on the other side of the table has in mind.”

“Most of the time I spend when I get up in the morning is trying to figure out what is going to happen.”

“I wasn't a normal professor. I had worked in government. I hadn't written nine zillion books. I was a hands-on professor.”