We stand in the shadow of Jefferson who believed that a society founded upon the rule of law and liberty was dependent upon public education and the diffusion of knowledge.

The Governor's Mansion is a beautiful home, a beautiful building - we're privileged to have a chance to live there. It certainly doesn't feel as comfortable as our home.

In spite of advances in technology and changes in the economy, state government still operates on an obsolete 1970s model. We have a typewriter government in an Internet age.

The demands of the present must stand above the political habits of the past.

Public education is an investment in our future.

The spirit and determination of the people to chart their own destiny is the greatest power for good in human affairs.

Child abuse and neglect offend the basic values of our state. We have a responsibility to provide safe settings for at-risk children and facilitate permanent placement for children who cannot return home.