If you are ever going to move beyond where you stand at that moment you have to conjure a picture in your head of where you want to go.

Mitt Romney talks a lot about all the things he's fixed. I can tell you that Massachusetts wasn't one of them. He's a fine fellow and a great salesman, but as governor he was more interested in having the job than doing it.

Governor is the only office I've ever run for, and I did so in the first place because I felt that there was a contribution I could make right now in governing for the long term and by leading by values. I ran for a second term to finish the work we started. I'll finish this out and return to the private sector, which I enjoy and miss in some ways.

Let's go tell everyone we meet that, when the American dream is at stake, you want Barack Obama in charge.

It's a free country. I wish it weren't.

Two [Massachusetts coal burning power plants] remain: Brayton Point in the South Coast region and Mt. Tom, just down the road. Within the next four years, both should shut down and Massachusetts should finally end all reliance on conventional coal generation.

I view the experiences that I have had - both the tough ones and the pleasant ones - as gifts.