The more he learned, the more he realised that even the cleverest scientist understood only the tip of the material iceberg.

ECONOMIST: Richard Smalley

He understood people "want us to do even more for hard-working people".

BBC: David Cameron pledges 'to work hard to win back' voters

At least he has understood that art is more demonstrative, even exhibitionist, than it was during the heyday of abstract expressionism in the 1950s.

ECONOMIST: New architecture

What's more, he did so in the most straightforward and uncompromising way, saying he understood and even shared public sensitivities that the government was not striking the right balance between individual liberty and enforcement of the law.

ECONOMIST: Bagehot

So we understood that it was going to take more than one year, or one term, or even one President to meet these challenges.

WHITEHOUSE: Remarks by the President at Campaign Event -- Stamford, CT