I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House – with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined here alone. – John F. Kennedy, to his Nobel Prize-winning guests

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. – John F. Kennedy

The important thing today is not what we say of Lincoln but what Lincoln would say of us if he were here in this hour and could note the drift and tendency in American life and American politics. – Stephen Samuel Wise

It is an unfortunate human failing that a full pocketbook often groans more loudly than an empty stomach. – Franklin D. Roosevelt