Politics is still the No. 1 sport in town and the scoreboard shows the U.S. attorney's office leading.

A journalist enjoys a privileged position. In exchange for not being able to participate in the rough-and-tumble issues of a community, we are given license to observe it all, based on the understanding that we'll tell everyone what happens fairly and squarely. That's harder than it sounds.

All vacations can come down to a few little moments - what do your remember when you're alone, totally relaxed and taken out of yourself to appreciate this other world.

First of all, I'm a Midwesterner, being from Kansas, and Chicago is basically a big Midwestern cow town. It was built from the stockyards, and everyone is very friendly, and it's at the edge of the tallgrass prairie. There's just a good feel to it.

You need a very good financial person to keep you honest, and to keep track of income and outgo.

I have an affinity for Africa, especially East Africa, and Kansas looks very much like that.

That's the reason I left the networks. I wanted to write and report and coanchor.