To every New Yorker - and to all those who believed in what I tried to stand for - I sincerely apologize.

I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself.

Never write when you can talk. Never talk when you can nod. And never put anything in an e-mail.

Mitt Romney's primary season embrace of the social and economic agenda of the more rabid elements of his party doomed him, especially the shrill immigration rhetoric and the harshly insensitive theory that no additional sacrifice or contribution should be sought from those at the top.

I don't care about motivation. I care about credibility.

After 25-plus years as a lawyer, prosecutor, and defense attorney, I have developed a deep appreciation for both the wisdom of the law and the role that jurists play in framing the rights and responsibilities that define our society.

In politics you learn to always smile.