For all our current troubles, Americans are still the hardest working, most innovative people on the face of the earth. By trusting the American people, instead of government, we'll continue to surprise and inspire the world.

When you tax capital gains income, you don't help the economy, you hurt the economy, which is why President Kennedy, President Reagan, President Clinton and President Bush all believed we should have a lower rate for capital gains.

If you start very far to the left, it's harder to get to the middle.

If you can't even acknowledge that you have to fix Social Security, that's not a very good starting point.

We have a paralysis in Washington that's not serving our country. We have to address these issues.

This past year has been very turbulent for the Middle East, and my conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu strengthened my belief that we need to remain vigilant in our support of our critical ally.

I think what people are looking for right now is not the kind of pizzazz and pop that perhaps we thought we got in 2008. Certainly, President Obama offered that. What they want now is someone who can work closely with Congress and get things done.

Ohio chose the president in 2000 and 2004. The independent voters, the so-called swing voters, are the ones who make the difference.

If you focus on what people care about, you have ideas. And people are looking for solutions.