Armey: In his own words

On the Republican takeover of Congress in 1994: I was sitting in Dick Gephardt's car in October 1993 ... Gephardt [asked] why I wasn't running for Republican whip, [and] I said because I was running for majority leader.... He thought it was pretty funny and told me to stick to it. I did. Best advice he ever gave me.

On the news of Newt Gingrich's affair with staffer Callista Bisek: I didn't know ... I might very likely have been very high on the list of the first five people in the world that Newt did not want to know. Susan [Armey] and I were very, very close to Marianne [Gingrich]. We still feel close to her. Like I suppose members of families do, we were hurt for Marianne, and we were disappointed in Newt.

On Ronald Reagan: The most awesome president.

On Bill Clinton: I believe Bill Clinton to be the most successful adolescent I have ever known.... [He] was basically like a prep guy saying, "Where's the next party? I love this job. Look at the parties. What a great limo. Ain't the plane nice?" ... I did not find the president entertaining ... I have one source of pride: I never fell for the act.

On Clarence Thomas: For me to have been able to sit and watch that example and experience all the emotions of fear, and hope, and awe, and respect, and then be able to say, "That's my personal friend." He gave me a gift of experience I don't think I'll ever see duplicated in my life. I will love him forever for the example he gave to me.

On faith-based poverty fighting: Real people in their real lives from the charity of their heart will take care of one another, and that should be encouraged by government policy, not preempted by government policy.