It's hard to be the first. It's almost as if I'm subject to a different level of inspection.

There are a number of steps that we can take to reinvigorate and rebuild the economic and the physical infrastructure of our country and then to rebuild us, frankly, on a spiritual level.

People just want to hear some common sense... and I bring to bear the experience in local government and state government and national government - I was the first woman in history on the Senate Finance Committee - not to mention the diplomatic international experience.

New Zealand, by the way, where I was ambassador, has had two women prime ministers - one from either party.

We are behind Rwanda and Sierra Leone and all of Latin America. Most Americans presume that we are right up there … and we're not.

I think if we are actually going to accept our generation's responsibility, that's going to mean that we give our children no less retirement security than we inherited from our parents.