Good-faith re-examination of a position you’ve held in the past should be seen as a virtue, not a vice.

Reform is not for the short-winded. I’m committed to making sure the Senate is more than just a graveyard for good ideas.

It’s my belief that, like every other American, gay and lesbian couples should be able to make a lifetime commitment to the person they love and protect their families.

There is no question that we must do more to secure our borders – but how we go about securing them is also important.

I’ve come to the conclusion that military style weapons really don’t have any place in our society. We ought to reinstate the assault weapons ban that served us well for 10 years from 1994 to 2004.

I haven’t inherited the earth from my parents, I am borrowing it from my children.

The new Congress needs to move quickly to strengthen the Army and Marines – not to send more troops to Iraq – but to rebuild our capacity to meet national security threats globally.

I brag on the Democratic Party. We’re libertarian on social issues, it’s live and let live. Fiscally, we’re conservative and responsible, and were environmentally conscious.

Climbing has worked for me in a number of ways on Capitol Hill. I’m much more inclined to look at what people do, as opposed to what they say. Also, it’s about working together – we’re all on the rope together, and you don’t get to cut the rope if you’re not getting along with someone.

When I talk about the importance of the institution of marriage, I think of the commitment and the significance of standing in front of those closest to you and promising fidelity to your partner ‘til death do you part.’