Actually, as president of the Conference of Mayors, we passed the Simpson-Bowles plan as a template, as a template, as a frame work for moving forward and the president has done the same.

The great thing about our system of democracy is when they call you for jury duty, you have to come... It's an honor and a privilege. I was called and I've got to be here.

So laying people off is not something I do lightly, it's not something I relish.

I got to grow up with a mother who taught me to believe in me.

I don't want to describe either Governor Mitt Romney or the Republicans as stupid, but I will say this - if you look at their platform, the 2012 platform, it looks like it's from another century and maybe even two. It looks like the platform of 1812.

We're not a homogeneous party, anymore than the Republicans are. But we are a party that I think has a plan to take us forward.

You can't just trot out a brown face or a Spanish surname and expect people are going to vote for your party or your candidate.