Before I could become a military officer or a Member of Congress, I was required to do one thing: Take an oath to the Constitution.

Military members understand that the focus is on completing the mission. We don't care if you are tall or short; have dark skin or pale skin or freckles; or are gay, straight, or transgender.

A comprehensive Syria strategy, ideally one that's more than 280 characters, remains a key requirement to protect U.S. interests in the Middle East.

The U.S. cannot implement a cogent strategy on the world stage if no one is sure whether to take the President seriously.

My father was a freelance writer/director/producer, and my mother was a stewardess for Pan-Am. It was very non-traditional.

I think that giving mindless praise is ridiculous. But I understand why parents do it. They want their kids to feel good about themselves. But parents are never going to teach their children true, positive self esteem by praising everything they do.

I am one of 40 grandchildren. What bothers me about the whole trust-fund thing is that it sort of presumes that everything is handed to you. And if there is one thing about my family that I do identify with, it is that everyone is extremely hardworking.

I did an ABC Family movie called 'Cyberbully' a couple years ago, and it was unlike any movie I'd ever done before. I remember just reading the script and thinking, 'OK, she cries in every scene.'