When I first came to Washington, what I admired most was that people were just really, really smart with a tremendous amount of intellectual horsepower and the ability to look at an issue and say something fresh.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I've been a political junkie for a long time. I find the way Washington works is just fascinating to me.
For more than eight decades, Washington has been my hometown. My whole orientation is toward this place.
I love Washington. I have an affection for the place. For a satirist, I think it's sort of Disneyland. I mean, you know, there's always some inspiration in the morning's headlines.
Sometimes I wonder whether Washington's liberal politicians truly understand the greatness that is America.
There have been two periods in my lifetime when the excitement of government and of public issues drew to Washington many of the bright young people graduating from colleges and law schools. These were essentially the Roosevelt and the Kennedy years.
What's unique about Washington is that no one's from here. Almost everybody came here to change the world, to make a difference.
Honestly, the egos and the quest and thirst for power is very prevalent in Washington.
Well, it was one of my most gratifying experiences because I could devote my knowledge and my talent for the good for the City of Washington, and all the Federal projects where the Fine Arts Commission had jurisdiction, and it was a tremendous experience.
I started out mopping floors, waiting tables, and tending bar at my dad's tavern. I put myself through school working odd jobs and night shifts. I poured my heart and soul into a small business. And when I saw how out-of-touch Washington had become with the core values of this great nation, I put my name forward and ran for office.
The pure unadulterated disgust of Washington seems to me to be a really good thing.