I've seen my own kids go through their own ups and downs, and as a mother, you want to make it better.

I would like, certainly, to do different things.

I think there's a danger of a being typecast as the all-American mom forever.

I think a lot of the time, we don't give our family connections the kind of credit they deserve, like how important they are to us and how much they mean to us. I think family makes all the difference.

I am truly multi-racial. I never knew my biological father. I've always had less information than I would have liked to have had. All I know from my mother is that I have connections to many different cultures.

People in politics always say they're spending time with their family, but in my case, it's a big family. We got 23 grandkids, so I get to spend a lotta time with them, and it's extraordinarily enjoyable.

My mother is a very strong woman. We were seven kids; five of them passed away. My elder brother and I are alive. My mother lost five kids, her husband, her parents and siblings. But she is so strong, she is living for the people who are alive.

There are a lot of young people out there who need to start using their idle time in a positive way. Parents need to play an important role in making sure their children succeed in school.