Environmental policy must strike a balance between the earth's best interests and our citizen's pressing needs

Our top priority is our troops, who are making the extraordinary effort to fulfill the mission they have been given. Democrats will work with this Administration to better define that mission and a realistic expectation of success in Iraq.

But reducing harmful emissions, abating our dependence on foreign oil and developing alternative renewable energy sources have benefits that go beyond environmental health, they improve personal health, enhance national security and encourage our nations economic viability.

Has he paid his dues? Is he black enough? John Lewis and I were out there marching and organizing sit-ins back in the '60s so that his children and my children would not have to do it. We would have been failures if had to do the same things we did.

I'm heartened by the growing awareness of global warming among important communities and organizations in our nation.

A question I often get is, "How do you maintain your sanity with so much happening all around you?" I think I developed a certain mental toughness that is required in the business. You have to have a thick skin and a brass bottom, because you're going to kicked a lot.

Get yourself prepared, educationally and emotionally, and develop mental toughness. Don't ever give up.