I think there's no higher calling in terms of a career than public service, which is a chance to make a difference in people's lives and improve the world.

I think there is a shared sense of urgency in Washington on fiscal issues.

Every president since George Washington has taken executive privilege seriously. Every Republican president has.

The challenge for any government is how do you do two things at the same time. How do you put money forward for things like the payroll tax holiday, for things like getting a jump-start on infrastructure, for building schools, and make the decisions for long-term deficit reduction.

If you look at the cost of providing health insurance, it actually doesn't cost more to provide a plan with contraceptive coverage than it does without.

Raising the debt limit on some levels is a ministerial act. It doesn't involve any new spending.

The most critical thing in a negotiation is to get inside your opponent's head and figure out what he really wants.