“The death penalty is ineffective as a deterrent, and the appeals process is expensive and cruel to the surviving family members.”

“The Republican Party is doubling down on this trickle-down theory that says, 'Thou shalt concentrate wealth at the very top of our society. Thou shalt remove regulation from wherever you find it, even on Wall Street. And thou shalt keep wages low for American workers so that we can be more competitive.'”

“Every child should be given a strong start to their education.”

“People's trust in their public institutions depends on their government getting results.”

“Public trust is essential to public safety.”

“I believe marriage is a human right, not a state right.”

“A lot of our Democratic consultants have fallen into the self-defeating prescription that the candidate that runs the most negative ads wins. I have a new theory: Positive is the new negative.”

“I believe that there are new perspectives that are needed in order for us to resolve the problems that we face as Americans and also the problems we face as people on this planet, and I believe that new perspective and new leadership is needed.”

“Leadership is about making the right decision and the best decision before, sometimes, it becomes entirely popular.”

“We have now under President Obama's leadership had 29 months in a row of private sector job growth. That stretch of positive private sector job growth hasn't happened since 2005. We still have a long way to go, but we are moving in the right direction.”

“As mayor, I got used to the fact that when you walked out of the house in the morning to pick up the newspaper in your boxers, there could be a camera there.”