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The greatest mistake I made was not to die in office.

I came into office to do what was correct, not to see what was politically expedient to get re-elected.

I've accepted that I was a failure in politics. I was not qualified for the job.

Before I became a chief minister, I never thought that one day I'd be the chief minister.

There's nothing in my background that would have said I was destined to be a senior politician.

The beginning of my political career was not promising. I ran for junior class president at Shortridge High school and was runner up. I ran again in the senior year with the same result. But opportunity came ironically, or fortunately, when I returned to Indianapolis after serving in the Navy.

I was not a politician.

I'd spent 25 years in government when I left the Defense Department back in '93, decided I'd go spend the rest of my career in the private sector, and then the president tapped me to come be his running mate. And it's been a remarkable experience. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I parted ways with the Congress, a party that I served for so many years, because its leadership constantly humiliated me by ignoring my talent both as a leader and an administrator.