When Al Gore picked Joe Lieberman, it was a clear declaration of independence from President Clinton; no Democrat had been more critical of Clinton's misconduct.

In early 1961 a new president, John F. Kennedy, was told by military leaders and civilian officials that the Kingdom of Laos - of no conceivable strategic importance to the U.S. - required the presence of American troops and perhaps even tactical nuclear weapons. Why? Because if Laos fell, Asia would go red from Thailand to Indonesia.

When Bill Clinton chose Al Gore in 1992 - from the same generational, ideological, and geographical background as his - it underscored his campaign's central argument that this was a clash between the past and the future, that 'Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow' was indeed the campaign's anthem.

When the blood of thousands of Americans is shed, the impact lingers. For a generation after the Civil War, the Republican injunction to 'vote as you shot' kept the party dominant for decades; from 1868 to 1912, only one Democrat - Grover Cleveland - won the White House.

You need characters who want things. They want love, they want recognition, they want happiness.

Tennis court, the results, yes, it gives me a feeling of accomplishment and knowing that all the work I put in is working. It's a great feeling. But happiness is something way bigger than tennis.

Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude.

Conquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one's liberty.