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Bipartisanship helps to avoid extremes and imbalances. It causes compromises and accommodations. So let's cooperate.

One of the problems the Republican Party has had is that we're too fast to compromise. You can compromise on the little stuff, but you can't compromise on your core principles.

Bipartisanship is nice, but it cannot be a substitute for action, not having it cannot prevent us from going forward.

I understand that one of the purposes of bipartisanship is to cram something difficult and necessary down the American people's gullets for which neither party has the fortitude to assume full responsibility. It's a way of turning a possible gangplank into a teeter-totter.

It's a lot easier to negotiate and be skillful from the majority. I want Paul Ryan negotiating with us. I don't want to have to negotiate with Paul Ryan.

Politics is compromise.

Whatever my party affiliation, I will continue to be guided by President Kennedy's statement that sometimes party asks too much.

Bipartisanship is really tough to achieve when everyone on both sides is left with a bad, bad taste in their mouths.

We've been sitting at the compromise table for a long time. We're just waiting for that cold chair to be warmed up by the Republican leadership. They still have time to do the right thing and be responsible. They just seem to be moving further and further away from it.