I learned some valuable lessons about the legislative process, the importance of bipartisan cooperation and the wisdom of taking small steps to get a big job done.

If you're not comfortable with public speaking - and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable - practice. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust.

Probably my worst quality is that I get very passionate about what I think is right.

It typically takes bipartisan work to build enough consensus to get things through our legislative process.

The First Lady role is really difficult. It has no job description... You have to create it for yourself.

Everybody has some dysfunction in their families.