Michael P. Kube-McDowell

"“I thought Green was where the mob owned Washington.” “It is,” Tackett said. “It makes less difference than you might think.”"

"“I guess it just happens. How many really happy couples do you know?” Arens blew smoke skyward. “Not many. Seems like everybody settles for less than they thought they were going to get.” “I thought we were going to be different.” “Everybody does,” Arens said."

"The bureaucracy staggers on like a beheaded chicken, its stubborn autonomic functions creating the illusion of life."

"“Peace,” Robinson repeated. His head lolled back against the chair until he was looking up into the cabin’s rafters. “There’s been more fighting about that than almost anything you can name. Do you know, Gregory, there’s a very simple reason why peace on earth is a pipe dream. Peace has the disadvantage of freezing the status quo, and there’ll always be individuals, groups, nations who find the status quo unacceptable.”"

"“Thank you for not disappointing me,” Somerset said. “You’re every bit the ass I was told to expect.” “So you don’t bother to deny it.” “No, I don’t. Because I don’t bother to deny idiotic blather,” Somerset snapped."

"There’s no dumber animal on earth than a man with a hard-on."

"“I see you’re not quite the moralist, after all.” “A pragmatist will grow fat while a moralist starves,” Wilkins said."

"Cleaner hands next time, he vowed silently. I’ll let others do the killing the next time. That’s what separates Presidents from mobsters, after all."