Having children-the responsibility of rearing good, kind, ethical, responsible human beings-is the biggest job anyone can embark on. You have to take a leap of faith and ask lots of people for their help and guidance.

Make time in your life to listen to your own voice. Do not let it get drowned out by others. Your voice is yours and yours alone. Stay in touch with it and use it.

I think that public service is tough on a family - no ifs, ands, buts about it. I have my own personal wishes, but they're not always front and center.

The big thing is that if you don't try something, you'll always wonder. What could that have been like? What if...?

I like cookies, any cookie you put in front of me - animal cookies, sugar cookies, anything crunchy.

I like to make jokes; I consider myself a funny person. I just think making jokes about people who are in a situation beyond their control is not funny to them or their families.

It takes time to get to the top, and that's good - because by the time you get there, you'll have learned what you need to know in order to stay there.