People are frustrated. They're fed up. They don't think the government is working for them.

I don't look at polls, I pay no attention to them. I pay attention to the public, and the sense of where the public is on certain things, but you have to lead.

I'm not a big guy that believes that you gain energy from demonizing other people. I think you gain energy from giving people hope.

I’m concerned about the fact there seems to be a war on the poor - that if you’re poor, somehow you’re shiftless and lazy.

I was not in favor of U.S. troops in Lebanon. And I voted against it.

I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it we had great economic growth, we cut taxes, and we had a big surplus.

Do you think that I like to have to fight the leaders in my own party over this or that? Of course not. There's no joy in that. But John Kennedy may have said it best - sometimes my party asks too much.