Perspectives.

"I'll be unleashing the box step."President-elect George W. Bush, looking forward to the Inaugural balls

"So long as the game in Washington is a game of search and destroy, I think we will have very few people who are willing to do what I did, which was to put myself through this in order to serve." Linda Chavez, withdrawing her nomination for secretary of Labor amid controversy about an illegal immigrant she housed and supported in the early '90s

"When I arrived on the shores of America when I was 8 years old, the boat on which we came passed the Statue of Liberty... I thought at that time, 'What a wonderful country'." Elaine Chao, reminiscing after being appointed Chavez's replacement. Chao will be the first Chinese-American to hold a cabinet post.

"I only have on one layer of makeup. I'm incognito." Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, upon being recognized while shopping at Target

"By the time it was over, our candidate had won the popular vote, and the only way they could win the election was to stop the voting in Florida." President Bill Clinton, during a Democratic rally in Chicago

"I made more progress in the Middle East than I did between Socks and Buddy." Clinton, resigned in his role as mediator in the ongoing dispute between America's First Cat, Socks, and the presidential dog Buddy, who will likely be going their separate ways when he leaves the White House

"It shows even strong, fit and healthy people can be susceptible." Dr. David ...