The New York Times is an institution that attracts careerists, who are drawn to power and access. This gave me a kind of a free hand. The kind of work that I wanted to do, most of the other reporters didn’t want to do. I was not doing lunch. I was not sucking up to officials. I was writing from the street.

You shouldn’t speak until you know what you’re talking about. That’s why I get uncomfortable with interviews. Reporters ask me what I feel China should do about Tibet. Who cares what I think China should do? I’m a f***ing actor! They hand me a script. I act. I’m here for entertainment, basically, when you whittle everything away. I’m a grown man who puts on makeup.

As a cub reporter, I devoured books about journalism.

I was the only woman fooling around with a camera in the streets and all the reporters laughed at me. So I became a fighter.

After all, the reporters are the ones who get to ask the questions.

As secretary of state you can go out in a helmet if you want to. Even in Switzerland in front of reporters.