I had this notion that I could convince people who were skeptical of national Democrats to vote for me because I could bring home the bacon, or because I could find some personal pitch to them.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
There are a lot of folks who endorsed me that I would not want to see as president.
The possibility of my presidential candidacy emerged spontaneously in public opinion polls. For my part, I noticed people's affection when I was doing work on the ground. I think the important thing is that my candidacy was born from citizens themselves, driven by the people and which the parties picked up favorably.
People show surprise that I have interests outside my political career. There is subtle surprise, for example, that I would be interested in a recipe.
I really don't have a lot of interest in national politics, and it's because I'm a skeptic. I think you can accomplish a lot more locally. I don't want to spin the wheels and not get anything done.
Even if I was a Republican, George Bush would have pushed me out of that party.
I may not be the favourite candidate of some people within the Republican establishment, but the voters made a decision.
The Minnesota Republican hierarchy didn't want me to run against their incumbent in 2000; they didn't know who I was. And once many party bigwigs did get to know me, they weren't sure that I could win the seat.
I'm constantly meeting people who said that they cast their first vote for me, or that they cut their eye teeth on the 1972 campaign, or that they didn't vote for me but admire my positions.
I ran for Congress because I want to make sure others have the same chance at the dream that I had for generations to come.
But I'm not trying to convince anybody how to vote or how to live. Nobody's ever successfully accused me of being realistic.