I would describe myself as a "total conservative, a conscientious one."

Marriage is not defined in the federal Constitution at all; it's a matter for the states. And applying the Fourteenth Amendment to the equality of men and women and their relationship in marriage is totally different than redefining marriage. Here is the overreach of the judiciary. This, if allowed to stand without any congressional approval, without any kind of enabling legislation, is what Jefferson warned us about. That's judicial tyranny.

Wouldn't propose new taxes, but won't pledge against taxes.

The problem is we have a Wall Street-to-Washington access of power that has controlled the political climate. The donor class feeds the political class who does the dance that the donor class wants. And the result is federal government keeps getting bigger.

Opposing Bush's troop surge is a dangerous position.

No one is more important to the future of our state than our teachers.

The more that all of the external things began to materialize, the less the internal things began to crystallize.