A successful marriage is a decision. You decide whether it's going to work, and then you turn around and you've been married 45 years.

If I had my way, sporting guns would be strictly regulated, the rest would be confiscated

I believe that women are rising to the occasion to tackle many challenges. Whether it's issues that relate to prosperity, the defense of country, the economy of our country; issues that have traditionally been considered women's issues like health and education and the environment are now being defined in terms of our national strength. So I think women have made a big difference in putting things in perspective.

I'm always touched when I go to events and stuff, to meet fathers who come up to me and thank me and say, "because of you my young daughter knows that she can do anything she sets out to do." And the way young girls are raised now, I don't think there's any doubt that they know they can do anything. And if what goes by the by is that they don't feel they have to be in solidarity with all other women, that's O.K. as long as they know that that strength has been there in the past and can be there in the future for them.

When President [Barack] Obama was sworn in on the steps of Capitol, he asked for swift, bold action now for jobs and education for the 21st Century, a list, an agenda. One week and one day from that swearing in, the House passed the ARRA, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

My biggest fight has been between those who wanted to do something incremental and those who wanted to do something comprehensive. We won that fight, and once we kick through this door, there'll be more legislation to follow.

I have absolutely no regret about my vote against this war. The same questions remain. The cost in human lives, the cost to our budget, probably 100 billion. We could have probably brought down that statue for a lot less.