Washington's answer to a self-inflicted financial crisis reminded Americans why they so deeply distrust the political class. The 'fiscal cliff' process was secretive and sloppy and the nation's so-called leadership lacked the political courage to address our root problems: joblessness and debt.

We got to do a few things with President Clinton. To be invited to Washington again to play with Ashanti and all those other cool people there in front of President Bush and the rest of the world feels awesome. I'm really looking forward to going.

My family moved - first to Washington D.C. and then in the spring of 1975 to Lebanon where my father worked as a diplomat at the American embassy. My parents were enthusiastic about the move so my older brother and I felt like we were off to some place kind of cool.

I actually use a computer a lot. I have three computers that I use on a regular basis - one is on my desk top in my Washington office another is at home and I have my laptop that I use when I'm travelling.

I don't think I'm really open to having Washington change me.

Washington is still very much a male-oriented culture. Being from Los Angeles I think it is less so there - there is less attachment to tradition perhaps there is more flexibility more acceptance of change generally. That is partly because of Hollywood.

I ran for president in order to be able to try to change Washington D.C. from the inside. Our federal government is broken.

I got all the respect in the world for the front-runners in this race but ask yourself: If we replace a Democratic insider with a Republican insider you think we're really going to change Washington D.C.? You don't have to settle for Washington and Wall Street insiders who supported the Wall Street bailout and the Obamacare individual mandate.

The New Dealers have all left Washington to make way for the car dealers.

Mayors could never get away with the kind of nonsense that goes on in Washington. In our world you either picked up the trash or you didn't. You either moved an abandoned car or you didn't. You either filled a pothole or you didn't. That's what we do every day. And we know how to get this stuff done.