I do believe that Russia did and will continue to try and manipulate Americans' perspective on a whole variety of issues.

We need to fund our troops. We need to protect them. We need to increase homeland security. These are vital national security interest we need to fund.

People think of border security in very different ways, but to me, it's very simple: border security is national security.

I worked at the crossroads of policy and operations. I kind of bring all that experience together because homeland security is a team sport, and I've played almost every role, every player, every team.

I think that, being on the road, you've got your family with you, so there's no way that you can have a closer feeling to a group of people that you love than when you sit down and have a dinner or a lunch or a breakfast together.

I can't imagine my life without books. My father was an electrical engineer, and my mother was a public school teacher. Books were an integral part of my childhood.

I didn't have parents who were, you know, racing to get a reality television show, you know? Or looking to benefit in some way from their daughter's fame.

Growing up, I remember I had several different 45 singles. But the first album I received was from a family friend: Emmylou Harris' 'Roses In The Snow.' It was so incredible. This record, to this day, is the favorite album of my life.