Genius of capitalism

Paul O'Neill's "blunt, plain-spoken approach," as President Bush's spokesman once called it, meant his stint at the Treasury was peppered with colourful faux pas, which often left the markets reeling.

· On the strong dollar policy: "When I'm ready to change it, I will hire the Yankee Stadium, get a brass band to play, and invite you all there to tell you."

· On the post-September 11 Wall Street sell-off: "The people who sold will be sorry that they did it."

· On nuclear power: "If you set aside Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, the safety record of nuclear is really very good."

· On U2 lead singer Bono (or "the Bono", as Mr O'Neill called him): "I refused to see him at first, but my staff said I should meet him. I thought he was just some pop star who wanted to use me."

· On bail-outs for recession-hit Latin American economies (10 days before backing a $30bn package for Brazil): "They need to put in place policies that would ensure that as assistance money comes, it doesn't just go out of the country to Swiss bank accounts."

· On the Enron collapse: "Companies come and go. It's part of the genius of capitalism."

· On his reputation: "I would say that I am not troubled by ruffling some feathers because I think I have been true to what I believe and what I think is right."

· On the US tax code: "9,500 pages of gibberish."

· On his humble beginnings: "I started my life in a house without water or electricity, so I don't cede to you the high moral ground of not knowing what life is like in a ditch."

· On the economy: "The reality is that our economy remains solid and our recovery is well under way."