We may not always agree with every one of our neighbors. That's life. And it's part of living in such a diverse and dense city. But we also recognize that part of being a New Yorker is living with your neighbors in mutual respect and tolerance. It was exactly that spirit of openness and acceptance that was attacked on 9/11 2001.

Great authors are admirable in this respect: in every generation they make for disagreement. Through them we become aware of our differences.

I have a respect for manners as such they are a way of dealing with people you don't agree with or like.

I just think Texas and that whole Bible Belt section is so like corporate. And I don't agree with organized religion in that respect.

One of Dawkins' major gripes is against religion. I am in total agreement on that one. I abhor religion.

I'm not defined by where I came from. I never took part in the rules and hatred that sometimes go along with religion. But if my parents are happy with what they believe then I'm happy to stay out of their way. We agree to disagree.

You know I think that President Obama is a person who has a great relationship with a number of people. Colin Powell does too. I think Colin Powell is a fine American a great leader and sees things in President Obama that he agrees with. He's entitled to have his opinion.

But I have tried to go over it very carefully not merely what the evidence is but with psychoanalysts and psychologists and I think we're just about all agreed that Lincoln and Speed did not have a homosexual relationship.

So on May 1 1987 at Gary's invitation I agreed to see him one last time - to confront him face-to-face about his sincerity and with the intention of ending our brief relationship.

The first and most important is to emphasize the enduring nature of the alliance relationship particularly with Europe which does share our values and interests even if it disagrees with us on specific policies.