I am a conservative and proud of it.

But ours was intended to be a citizen government. It is what of, by and for the people means. And when our most important issue in California is the creation of jobs, I think it’s quite helpful to have someone in the U.S. Senate or in the governor’s seat who actually knows where jobs come from.

Well, you know, I – again, even in the context of BP, I wonder about this government’s priorities. The federal government’s top priority right now should be the cleanup. And BP certainly has done so many things wrong. They need to be held to account.

Most of the media… is positioning the merger with Compaq and the recent actions by Walter Hewlett and David Packard as a fight between the past and the future.

When our most important issue is the debt that we’re piling on our children and grandchildren, I think it’s pretty helpful to have someone in the U.S. Senate who has actually managed billions of dollars and knows how to cut billions of dollars.

Many people have asked me how I feel about losing my job.

The GAO just released a report that said 22 percent of federal programs fail to meet their objectives. The truth is we don’t know how taxpayer money is spent in Washington, D.C., which is why I think we ought to put every agency budget up on the Internet for everyone to see.

The truth is, I’m proud of the life I’ve lived so far, and although I’ve made my share of mistakes, I have no regrets.

I am a conservative and proud of it.

Do not be afraid to make decisions, do not be afraid to make mistakes.

I think the dot-com boom and bust represented the end of the beginning. The industry is more mature today.

My mother taught me about the power of inspiration and courage, and she did it with a strength and a passion that I wish could be bottled.

What I think we need to do to engage the American people in a conversation about entitlement reform is to have a bipartisan group of people who come together and put every solution on the table, every alternative on the table. And then we ought to engage in a long conversation with the American people so they understand the choices.

Leadership comes in small acts as well as bold strokes.

I think we ought to ban earmarks. I think we ought to give citizens the opportunity to designate up to 10 percent of their federal income tax toward debt reduction. If we did that, we would reduce our debt by $95 billion a year.

Many people see technology as the problem behind the so-called digital divide. Others see it as the solution. Technology is neither. It must operate in conjunction with business, economic, political and social system.

You have to master not only the art of listening to your head, you must also master listening to your heart and listening to your gut.

I started out typing and filing and answering the phones for a little nine-person firm. And that nine-person firm gave me my chance to find my own way.

This world is clearly emerging before our eyes. The shifts ahead, the opportunities ahead are massive.