In the Senate race I went for some candidate endorsement meetings and three people there asked me: Do you go to a therapist? Because they could not believe that with the beating I took in the mayor's race I could still come in there cracking jokes and talking about the issues!

My success has been based on the issues. It's easy to fight for mental health or needle exchange or small businesses or whatever, because the machine can't interfere.

I never worked on anything so hard in my life [like my book 'Straight to the Heart: Political Cantos'], including the Bar exam. The only other thing I could compare it to is having four babies by age 24. That was hard.

I really, really, loved being an elected official. But I also love what I'm doing now. I thrive when I can fight for people and I'm doing it now as a lawyer.

It's hard for me to write about anything personal because I get way too personal.

I just think women should support women.

My progressive ideals are screaming in [Straight to the Heart: Political Cantos] book; what I believe. There is no muddying-up because of debate. You know exactly where I stand, because I put it down in the written word.