You know, when you're in public life, everything you do is out there. But I am proud to stand on my record.

I had the honor to meet Nelson Mandela, and I heard him explain his forgiveness of his captors of 27 years by saying hatred and bitterness is destructive - the power is in love and forgiveness.

I hope we can get back to what I call the kitchen table. Everyday issues that people are really worried about and focused on.

I have been a long and strong supporter of civil rights in my whole career. I led the fight to get the voting rights act re-enacted. I have been a strong supporter of affirmative action. I believe in it strongly.

I grew up in the '50s and '60s when Jack Kennedy was president. We would watch him on television. And our teachers always talked about the good things public servants could do. I thought maybe that's something I should do. So when I got out of law school, my wife, Jane, and I became precinct captains.

One of the big mistakes Republicans made with the Contract with America is that they tried to do too much too fast, and people revolted against it.

And the president should be doing more about education than saying, 'Lights, camera, action.'