Our political debates today are corrosive and not reflective of the belief that Abe Lincoln espoused back in his day: that we are a great country because we are a good country.

The reality, sitting ten thousand miles away, is that we remain the country that inspires. We remain that shining city on a hill.

People truly reaching across boundaries - be they religious or race, political or geographic. A state that is sincerely civil and respectful of each individual's pathway toward life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness will be our goal.

In any walk of life, a positive, upbeat outlook trumps any adversarial act. Revenge is counterproductive. Unproductive emotions limit one's ability to move forward, to focus, to think positively, to act creatively.

I don't think you need to run down someone's reputation in order to run for the office of president.

I'm a very spiritual person and proud of my Mormon roots.

But economic recovery must be earned. And it will be earned by entrepreneurs and it will be earned by small businesses.