Chuck Todd quotes:

From the Medicare prescription drug plan to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the passage of No Child Left Behind, President Bush presided over a major expansion of the reach of government.

In the end, Ted Kennedy was a politician, plain and simple. Yet he embodied how politics and public service can be successfully intertwined. You can't be a good public servant without being a good politician. Kennedy was both.

Acceptance speeches can make or break presidential candidacies. It was Al Gore's 2000 acceptance speech that relaunched his candidacy and nearly saved him. John Kerry's speech and overall ineffective convention nearly sank him in 2004 (though he was almost saved by the debates).

We may like to think politics is a battle of ideas and that the best idea wins out. But that's not true in most elections. Most elections are about the worst ideas losing, not the best ideas winning.

Dick Cheney and Al Gore have redefined the role of the vice president in the minds of the public. It should be a big job, beyond simply checking the health status of the president.

Barack Obama's official nomination as the Democratic Party's standard-bearer was a very poignant moment for millions of Americans. As the first non-white major party nominee, Obama is carrying a big load on his shoulders. He's holding the hopes and dreams of a lot of folks who thought the presidency was only reserved for white men.

If Barack Obama goes on to win the election, there will be plenty of ink and video spent on chronicling the historic nature of the turnout among young voters and African-Americans. But as important as both constituencies have been to Obama - particularly in the primaries - it's Hispanics that could be putting him over the top on Nov. 4.

Arlen Specter left the GOP because it is a lot easier to win in Pennsylvania as a Democrat than as a Republican. It is that simple. For folks on the Right to brush this off as some sort of 'good purge' is extremely naive.

In the end, Ted Kennedy was a politician, plain and simple. Yet he embodied how politics and public service can be successfully intertwined. You cant be a good public servant without being a good politician. Kennedy was both.

The unknown has undone many a president, and no matter the popularity of an Oval Office occupant, any and all presidents are vulnerable. Of course, one thing that seems to set Obama part from his recent predecessors is his ability to keep an inner calm about tough issues.

Obama's ability to use his personality to push folks, whether on Capitol Hill or in Europe, means that he has to stay popular. What happens if he loses that popular mandate?

Barack Obamas official nomination as the Democratic Partys standard-bearer was a very poignant moment for millions of Americans. As the first non-white major party nominee, Obama is carrying a big load on his shoulders. Hes holding the hopes and dreams of a lot of folks who thought the presidency was only reserved for white men.

It is the '94 race which in many ways allowed Ted Kennedy to become his own man rather than the 'third brother.' He had to reach down and win it on his own.

With the likely nominations of Barack Obama by the Democrats and John McCain by the Republicans, one of these two parties is headed for a 2009 crack-up that could prove as messy as any party civil war in recent history.

Every election matters. Anyone that tells you otherwise doesn't understand politics. That said, not every election sends sweeping messages that are easy to discern, but every election provides lessons worth learning.

America has a love-hate relationship with celebrity. We love to follow celebrities, but we also love to mock them. And secretly, we believe we're better than they are.

One must remember that in the '70s, Democrats still grasping for Camelot were desperately pinning their hopes on Teddy while Republicans were doing everything they could politically to turn him into a punch line post-Chappaquiddick. And the idea of Ted Kennedy - rather than the actual man - dominated his political legacy through the early '90s.

I'm an avid University of Miami Hurricanes fan. I hope to come to the day where I can still do some stuff for NBC and somehow integrate it with an RV tour of the South for college football. Luckily, my wife, she's a Florida State alum, so I wouldn't have to talk her into it. I think our kids would think we're weird.

Media bias is one thing. Rejection of reality is another

Presidential money is almost like the housing bubble. It's growing at such an astronomical rate, you think it can't get any bigger.

The big post-election story if Obama wins the presidency will be in the hands of the ethically embattled Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. He's not very popular, and has a chance to use his power to appoint an Obama replacement as a step in the direction of political rehabilitation.

Presidents seem to fall into two positive categories: they're one of us, or they're heroes. Both McCain and Obama probably see themselves as potential heroes - presidents who will be looked up to, not presidents everyday people will remark are 'just like me.'

I played French horn, and I certainly do miss it. I miss it. I wish I had the time to keep up with it. It's like exercising: You have to keep it up, especially the muscles in your lips to deal with the French horn.

This deep insecurity has been going on for a while. I mean I picked it up in 2014 sitting in focus groups of women who were feeling terrified, not just about that ISIS was coming, but terrified that their children couldn't be safe at school, terrified about what was happening in Ferguson and other places.

Some day, the public might actually revolt against the undemocratic system of seniority that allows Congress to keep the old ways of Washington ingrained into the culture of Congress.

The most successful politicians are the ones who embrace their best traits while turning their liabilities into loveable attributes. And yet, many a candidate tries to run as something they aren't simply because the strategy dictates it.

We're in a political depression - a great political depression

I've had my own anecdotals with old friends, here's a gentleman quoted in the Times about, "I believe my government is suppose to protect me but it has let me down. I resent having to defend myself; I shouldn't have to but at this point I don't feel like I have a choice."

Forget the historic nature of his election having to do with skin color - Obama has an opportunity offered to few presidents: the chance to set the course of the nation for decades, if not generations, to come. Who knows: perhaps in the near future, our grandchildren will spend money with Obama's face on it.

One of the more bizarre games I played as a kid was something called 'kill the man.' It was a cross between football and rugby, which found the person carrying the ball a target of some hungry tacklers. I still don't know why we enjoyed the game because it was impossible to win.

There's no worse crime in journalism these days than simply deciding something's a story because Drudge links to it.

Voters definitely believe Washington is corrupt - but most think its bipartisan.

Donald Trump does not stick to Republican orthodoxy, which, you know, and this is always supposed to have been his downfall. Maybe it's his strength.

The more there is scandal and corruption in Washington, the better it is for McCain, so he`s at a high point right now.

We're all living under the threat of violence and terror these days.

America has a love-hate relationship with celebrity. We love to follow celebrities, but we also love to mock them. And secretly, we believe were better than they are.

The fastest growing political party is no party.

[Donald Trump] has got his own controversies to deal with. The business conflicts are a big one. But he`s creating new ones. There`s no precedent for it.

Women are still chronically underrepresente d in U.S. politics, at both a local and national level. But there's one city, where those three top jobs will be filled by women for the next year, and that city is Washington, D.C.

[Donald] Trump appears to be searching for an enemy. Is it flag burners, recounts, the press, the popular vote? Trump has gone after them all at times, using wild experience theories even as president-elect to do it.

The establishment? Well, guess what? Donald Trump now is the establishment. His primary opponents, many of them are interviewing for White House gigs.

[Hillary] Clinton, she conceded. [Donald Trump] beat her.

[Barack] Obama, he`ll be out of office soon and, frankly,[Donald] Trump relies on him .

The president-elect [Donald Trump] finds himself in an unfamiliar and, perhaps, uncomfortable position. The enemies he`s been fighting against are gone.

Like the others though,[Donald] Trump thrives when he has a clear enemy.

[Muhammad] Ali had [Jo] Frazier , that man had the joker, Coke had Pepsi and [Donald] Trump had [Barack] Obama, or 16 primary opponents or the entire political establishment.

I`m obsessed with how the press handles Donald Trump and how Trump handles the press.

[Donald] Trump has many and one of the most obvious is right here in Washington.

[Donald Trump] even quoted a tweet from a self-identified 16-year-old as a way to justify crazy unsupported claims about the popular vote.

[Donald] Trump seems to be begging for a fight or is it begging for a distraction?

As the saying goes, when you`re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

[Donald] Trump is most comfortable when he is hammering something.

Republican Michigan Congressman Justin Amash said, no president is allowed to burn the first amendment.

Senator majority leader, Mitch McConnell, slammed [Donald] Trump`s comments about burning the American flag which is protected under the first amendment should lead to jail time.

Newt Gingrich called it [Donald] Trump`s biggest mistake since he won the election, these crazy accusations about voter fraud.

Paul Ryan, was saying [on election 2016 "I don`t see any evidence of systemic fraud."

House majority leader, Kevin McCarthy, slammed [Donald's] Trump`s wild claims about election fraud, saying, quote, "The election is over, let`s move on."

[Donald] Trump`s pension for distractions is starting to frustrate members of his own party.

[Donald] Trump continues to dismiss those concerns though, even as some Republicans, like Lindsay Graham, are making the case that Trump`s business ties deserve the scrutiny.

Not only can [business conflicts] not be ignored, it needs to be dealt with really front and center before he can conduct [Donald's Trump] presidency.

[Donald] Trump`s hunt for a cheap enemy right now comes as journalists and members of Congress are looking at potentially serious conflicts of interest at Trump`s sprawling multinational business empire.

I mean, [tweeting] just - it makes you wonder about whatever else Donald trump is doing. It undermines much more than just a single tweet.

Newt Gingrich gave voice to something that was said throughout this campaign from Democrats and Republicans.

The president-elect [Donald Trump] himself in the interview with "The New York Times" says there is no law that governs conflict of interest in - with the president.

The Emoluments section shares with the Constitution. That`s not a law that Congress could change or the president could ignore.

The first thing [Donald Trump] does on January 20th is take an oath to defend and adhere to the Constitution of the United States.

It couldn`t be clearer, any person who holds an office of trust is not allowed to accept favors or gifts from foreign governments.

With [Donald's] Trump holdings all over the world, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for him to be able to conduct business without there being either favors given to his companies or the appearance of favors.

[Donald Trump] needs to take action today before he becomes president so he doesn`t violate the Constitution.

We do know that they are foreign missions today that are using Trump Towers, they say, why wouldn`t we want to show favor to the president of the United States? It would be offensive if we stayed at his competitor`s hotel.

Once Donald Trump takes the oath of office as president of the United States, the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution makes it clear that he cannot accept those favors.

Therefore, the only way Donald Trump can protect himself is to set up a blind trust or to divest in these holdings. It`s the only way.

Every president since George Washington has respected this clause in the Constitution. We want to avoid that Constitutional potential crisis. And the way to do it is for Donald Trump - it`s not about him.

President-elect Donald Trump is not happy that he lost the popular vote. And this stat is probably not going to make him feel any better.

Hillary Clinton`s popular vote lead is now up to 2.3 million votes, but get this, [Donald] Trump`s percentage of the popular vote has now dropped to 46.4 percent.

Since 1900, only three other [than Donald Trump ] presidents have won the White House with a smaller percentage of the popular vote. Woodrow Wilson in 1912, Richard Nixon in 1968, and Bill Clinton in 1992.

The democrats are a coastal party.

Tim Ryan does not look like the 21st century democratic party. And should that matter?

With Rudy [ Giuliani], [Donald Trump] will - the minute they push him too far and start manipulating, he will - he will lash out.

[Barack Obama] was comfortable when he had the foil.

Barack Obama was better as a campaigner than as a - as a president sometimes in this same position. It is easier when you have a foil.

I had some people say to me, you don`t - you wouldn`t give air time to a holocaust denier. Why bother covering if [Donald Trump] tweet is totally crazy?

This feels like a Steve Bannon whispering in [Donald Trump's] ear.

Alternative facts are not facts. They're falsehoods.

At least on the domestic side of things that you`re seeing, [Mike] Pence has that influence big time. But when it comes with what political fights to have?

[Donald] Trump still thinks he`s in a campaign.

We have to be focused on not just who is in [Donald's Trump] favor and who is in his good graces and who looks right or what the palace intrigue is.

There are potential policy consequences to a president who doesn`t believe in our election system and believes that there`s rampant voter fraud.

We`ve seen Senator Corker who had indicated to me,that he didn`t think he was still in the running but might now be a fallback position if this Mitt Romney versus Rudy Giuliani dispute is that serious.

I mean, you know, presidents of the United States can`t randomly tweet without having check - - having somebody check it out.

I think the worst thing [Donald Trump]did was the tweet the other night about illegal votes.

I think [Newt] Gingrich who`s been the - among the truth tellers to [Donald] Trump, I think, in public, take a listen.

One could argue [Bob] Corker has been more supportive of [Donald] Trump`s foreign policy skepticism of the establishment than anybody else.

The State Department has been your beat for so long. It has always smelled like Bob Corker was the in case of emergency, the easy guy.

You`ve got David Petraeus and whatever the pushback might be against [Donald Trump].

I include Rudy Giuliani here who, in many ways, is more comfortable as a neocon.

T.V. style pageant of people parading through Rudy Giuliani, now on the phone, if he doesn`t come in person today to get his two cents in.

Despite the fact that David Petraeus is now very highly regarded in foreign policy circles because of his record in both Republican and Democratic circles. It`s all pretty extraordinary.

There isn`t but this is, in some ways, perhaps, a useful distraction from other things, giving [Donald Trump] more space to make his decisions as unusual the process is because he`s making them in public.

[Donald] Trump`s business conflicts are big enough and have come up throughout various aspects of this transition.

It seems to me that this debate, whether Islam is a religion of peace or not, really, it's irrelevant for outsiders. It's for Muslims to decide whether it's a religion of peace or not.

We know broadly from research is that religiosity does not correlate with sympathy for terrorism. It's actually quite the opposite. The more religious someone is, the more often they go to the mosque, the more likely they are to actually reject attacks on civilians.

Americans are going to see that as the more religious a Muslim is, the more likely they're going to end up somehow fighting for ISIS' cause.

The problem is sitting in the birthplace of Islam, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where this interpretation of Islam has gone out into the world over the last four decades, creating militancy groups from Indonesia, to now, San Bernardino, California, vicious attack. We have to take back the faith. And we have to take it back with the principles of peace, social justice, and human rights, women's rights, and secularize governance.

When Dylann Roof walked into a black church, he wanted to start a race war. We didn't let him do that because we didn't cast him as a representative of the white race. We didn't give into his narrative. We did the exact opposite. And I think that we have to be careful not to give into the apocalyptic narrative of ISIS that wants to start a war between Muslims and everybody else.

I would say that ISIS wants us to think so. And I think that's the real danger here. It's that what ISIS wants the narrative to be is that they are the true Muslims.

Does the terror threat we're facing grow out of a perversion of Islam, or does it represent and extreme, but durable, strain of the religion.

Any terrorists that have come here and committee acts from 9/11 have come here in some form of a visa.

We [americans] have earned the moral authority, at least compared to anybody else in the world...

Nobody likes to feel like they're on the losing side of anything.

Trump's inability to control his own emotions is standing between himself and the presidency.

Meanwhile, the Bush dynasty comes to an official end.

If we have to have a real movement on this issue if you support gun control, it has to come from the Republican side.

As soon as a Democrat or a liberal organization opens their mouth and says "We want to see this," it's going to go over the heads. And same way on the abortion debate, if they want to make a change, it is not going to come from a Republican, it's going to have to come from a Democrat.

The idea now that we're going to fight terrorism through gun control I think is just utterly fatuous.

It's hard not to get down on the government when you see dysfunction play out on our TVs every day. Frankly, sometimes at every level of government.

Jeb Bush is the new John Connelly.

South Carolina put George H.W. Bush into the White House, But George W. Bush into the White House and sent Jeb Bush back to Miami.

Hillary Clinton met with a lot of the mothers in Chicago, she has the endorsement of some of the moms. Bernie Sanders I think has one or two of the family members too. I'm a little uncomfortable with using the families of these dead children this way.