Barack and I see a future... where no one, no one is forced to live in the shadows of intolerance.

There's good reason to be excited. You have the first woman running who is qualified, and a very attractive African-American who has demonstrated crossover appeal. I got involved in politics 40 years ago during the civil rights movement, so yes, it's an exciting thing.

You turn on the television, it's like, "Woah is me! God almighty, we're awful." We are so down and out we are - name me a country in the world, name me one leader anywhere in the world who wouldn't trade places in a heartbeat. We by far, we're going to own the 21st century.

When you question a man's motives, when you say they are acting out of greed, they are in the pocket of an interest group, et cetera. It's awful hard to reach consensus. It's awful hard to reach across the table and shake hands. No matter how bitterly you disagree, though, it is always possible if you question judgment and not motive.

I believe at its core we have a Constitution, as our Supreme Court's first great justice, Marshall, said in 1819, and I quote, "intended to endure for the ages to come and consequently to be adapted to the various crises of human affairs."

The average voter out there understands that the next president is going to have to be prepared to immediately step in without hesitation and end our involvement in Iraq. It's very difficult to figure out how to move on to broader foreign policy concerns without fixing Iraq first.

When violence against women is no longer societally accepted, no longer kept secret; when everyone understands that even one case is too many. That's when it will change.