From the book First Person It is always better to know something from experience. But then, there is an abstract category-comradeship. I feel it with [Sergei] Ivanov, Nikolai Patrushev and Dmitry Medvedev.

Medvedev heads your election campaign headquarters. Is he from St. Petersburg, like you are?

He worked at the Leningrad University Department of Civil Law. He has a PhD in Law and is a good expert. I needed good brains in the mayor's office when I was working with Sobchak. So I came to the university Department of Law, and they suggested that I took Dmitry on. He was my adviser when I was the deputy mayor. We worked together for about a year and a half. Then, soon after the defeat in those elections, he left the job, as he could be expected, and returned to the university.

Did you invite him to Moscow recently?

Quite recently - this year. I had other ideas for Dmitry's future. I wanted him to head the Federal Commission on Securities as an expert on the stock market. I think he likes working on our team. We will find him an appointment later on.

Opening address to a cabinet meeting in Moscow on November 14, 2005

As you know, the Council for the Implementation of National Priority Projects has been established to take charge of the job as well as we can. Dmitry Medvedev, the head of the Presidential Executive Office, has been appointed its first deputy head. However, as I told you from the start, most of the work must concentrate in the government of the Russian Federation. So I have accepted the Prime Minister's proposal to transfer Medvedev to the government as First Deputy Prime Minister.

Meeting with journalists in Magadan on November 22, 2005

As for new appointments, they concern household names: Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Ivanov. [Sergey] Kiriyenko has been transferred to another job, as you know. These are very capable people. Time will show how they will be able to realize their abilities. I see that Dmitry Medvedev has started working very actively. He has practical proposals on the implementation of our priorities in the social sphere and partly in the economy. They concern agriculture plus three national projects-on affordable housing, health care and education. He has shown what he thinks about further work to guarantee the implementation of those projects for the nation's sake.

A talk to Russian journalists in Bocharov Ruchei, Sochi, on December 16, 2005

Meeting with the leaders of the United Russia, A Just Russia, the Agrarian Party and the Civil Power party in Moscow on December 10, 2007

As for the nomination of Dmitry Medvedev, I have known him closely for more than 17 years, and I wholly support his nomination.