"Admiral Amos Parnell: (before launching the Manticoran-Havenite War) I suppose I ought to think up some dramatic, quotable phrase for Public Information and the history books, but I'm damned if any of them come to mind. Besides, admitting the truth wouldn't sound too good (...) The truth, Russell, is that now the moment's here, I'm scared shitless. Somehow I don't think even Public Information could turn that into good copy."
January 1, 1970
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/David_Weber