I knew from the get-go that we had to win this. We just saw that this Republican effort to take both the majority and the minority of the legislature had to be stopped.

I think this goes far broader than public broadcasting. I think across the board there is an effort by Republican ideologues to force institutions across society to bend to their will. You see it in [House Majority Leader] Tom DeLay's raising hell with the courts and demanding they pursue his brand of justice. . . . You see it in this action here.

It's going to help her in the battle for the Republican endorsement because of the tides of social conservatives and the Republican Party sway under social conservatives.

There is no effort being made on the part of any Republican, that I'm aware of, that would allow us to do something constructive on estate tax relief today, ... Clearly they're not interested in an accomplishment. They're not interested in reducing the estate taxes of people. They're interested in playing to their base.

You have to take care of the football first and foremost, but the effort was outstanding. I cannot tell you that I was disappointed with the kid's effort.

Once again, it appears to me that the White House has dictated that the Republican-controlled Congress not conduct oversight of an important national security matter, ... They have made it clear that anyone who suggests that oversight is needed should be labeled as unpatriotic.