My grandmother was not a U.S. citizen. Growing up along the border, you see the real human side of immigration - not the picture often drawn by politicians far removed from the border.

One of the things that ties people together, whether they live in a rural or urban area, is the really big number of people who have served in the military. Veterans issues are very important in the district.

The policy of the future cannot forever be determined by the politics of the past - or even the present.

For me, the issue is if I'm your advocate, if I'm your representative, my job is to stand up for you and talk about you and defend you.

No one else in our family was a professional musician so this took an enormous leap of faith on their part.

If somebody did a new show that, within a family, had conflicting political views, that would be great.

We are all in the business of sales. Teachers sell students on learning, parents sell their children on making good grades and behaving, and traditional salesmen sell their products.

What I always knew about my parents was that they were in love, and this love had a fizz. It was exciting to be their child, to be around them. There was a dynamism between them, a charge.