Those four districts hold the key on whether more money would come to New York City. They are the ones who should be out front saying we want our proper share. They are the bloc that could force it to happen.

New York can be an intimidating place if you let it. I don't know if I could have done this four years ago. I don't think I was tough enough to handle it. But I've been through a lot, and I know I can handle myself here. It's not like I got traded here and didn't want to come. I came here because I wanted to come here.

I'm from New York. I have a big mouth, and I hope we raise lots of money tonight and, more than that, the spirit of Mississippi because that has to happen. We have to bring it all back together again and feel it rising again.

I don't want to unduly downplay money, but New York is also the media capital. That matters. You can get a degree of media attention at the Monday Meeting that you can't get anywhere else.

There are too many opportunities in New York. We can't live too far away.

Back then, my air fare on Eastern Airlines to fly from Florida to where Marge was stationed in New York was $16. It was the most important flight I ever made.