"We are training a certain number of musicians on board ship. The ship's band. There's no reason why we couldn't have a colored band on some of these ships, because they're darn good at it. That's something we should look into. You know, if it'll increase the opportunity, that's what we're all we're after."
Franklin D. Roosevelt with civil rights leaders on the integration of the U.S. Military, Oval Office recording, September 27, 1940

"I'm gonna need the support of everybody in order to get this job done. I didn't want it in the first place, but I've got it now, and I'm going to do the best I can."
Harry S. Truman, Oval Office recording, 1945

"I have to sign so much God-damned paper I haven't had a chance to read these days!"
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Oval Office recording, January 7, 1955

"Let me just say as I said in the beginning that the person whose course of action is not adopted is the best off. Because no matter what you do, some people say, well let's go in with an air strike. You could have those bombs go off and blow up fifteen cities in the United States. And they would have been wrong."
John F. Kennedy, recording of Cuban Missile Crisis meeting, October 22, 1962

"I always wondered about that taping equipment but I'm damn glad we have it, aren't you?"
Richard Nixon to H.R. Haldeman, Oval Office recording, April 25, 1973

"Good Lord! Oh, Lord. Damnit, it is an evil empire! It's time to say it again!"
Ronald Reagan, reading smuggled message from political prisoners in Soviet gulag, Oval Office videotape, April 1, 1985

"Dear God, help me."
Bill Clinton, Oval Office videotape, December 15, 1994