Well, here we are: in the throes of the campaign — as confounding as they are thrilling, if for no other reason than you don't get to hear from the elected all that often. Not in too honest a manner, anyway. So for our election package in the November issue of Esquire, we sought out an historic collection of wisdom from the 111th Congress in the form of a composite What I've Learned interview. In the weeks leading up to Election Day, The Politics Blog will present extended versions of our conversations right here. We begin with the man from California's 22nd district, on the occasion of his rebuttal of party-switching rumors... —Eds.
There are two different types of leader. A person can either be like a thermometer or a thermostat. A thermometer will tell you what the temperature is. A thermostat will not only tell you what the temperature is, but it'll move you to the temperature you need to get to.
My father had a lot of sayings. One was: Any job, big or small, do it right or not at all.
I started a deli when I was 19 years old. Kevin O's. The sandwiches at Kevin O's were a little like Subway before Subway — fresh baked bread. My best seller was turkey with cream cheese and artichoke hearts. I just made it up.
If I could've had any little group together for sandwiches at Kevin O's, I'd go with Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, and Satchel Paige.
The country is frustrated with both parties. The reason for the frustration is lack of solutions.
I give people tours. There's a staircase on the first floor of the Capitol that I walk every day. It's made of marble, and as you walk those steps, you think of those who've walked before you. You think of the challenges that the country's faced. The dome on that building is the second dome. It was put on during the Civil War at a time when they didn't know if this country would stay together. We've been able to meet every challenge. When you walk onto that floor, you don't walk in as a Democrat or a Republican. You enter as an American.
I don't live in D.C. I keep an air mattress in my office.
I think we're at a tipping point. I'm a firm believer that we've got four years to correct our economy. You cannot sustain this kind of debt. Look at every great society and how it collapsed — it was when the debt got out of control.
We don't create refugees, we accept them. We have the greatest form of government in our Constitution. If you're successful in another country, you come here for your health care and you send your children here for their education.
We need to change our mindset. For a long time we were competing state against state. Governors would try to lure businesses from a different state to theirs. We have not thought in the mindset that our country has to be competitive with other countries.
As long as we have a level playing field, we will compete and surpass. Google started in a garage in Northern California.
The greatest thing I do when I'm home — the thing that I love — is drive my kids to school. Now my son turned 16 and I can't drive him anymore.
I'd change re-districting to make it competitive. I'm a firm believer in a free market. But if the free market of ideas is your district is so closed down and one-sided, then you're only competing for the most extreme. Those become the only people you worry about. In California, there's no competition in the general election. If you win the primary, you win the general election. You don't get rewarded for solving the problems. You only get rewarded for talking to the extremes.
I never thought I'd go into politics. No teacher I had would ever believe where I am today. I still wonder what I'm going to do for a living.
I believe timing matters. I don't think this is something I'll do forever. But I have the passion now. I still get goose bumps every day they let me in the building.
