My shows aren't about trying to save some place because I don't feel that's the right venue for it. That's my politics right there: Don't bring politics to my shows.

I try not to spend too much time on partisan politics. Life's too short for that. I don't really believe that there have been many human problems solved by politics.

Without alienation there can be no politics.

I do not believe that artists or actors and people should be out there like voicing their full-blown opinions on politics because let's face it at the end of the day I'm not that smart of a guy.

When I first started working in politics as a junior aide on Walter Mondale's 1984 presidential campaign it never occurred to me that I would one day work in the White House. There were plenty of women among the volunteers who stuffed envelopes and walked precincts. But there were fewer and fewer on each successive level of influence and access.

As women have played an increasingly important role in politics there is no question that they've brought a different perspective focusing attention on a broader set of issues and building alliances with other women.

Flipping the dial through available radio stations there will blare out to any listener an array of broadcasts 24/7 propagating Religious Right politics along with what they deem to be 'old-time gospel preaching.' This is especially true of what comes over the airwaves in Bible Belt southern states.

I honestly believe that there's an element in this country in our politics that does not want to see a businessman succeed at getting the nomination for the Republican party and does not want me to succeed at becoming President of the United States of America.

There is in fact no such thing as art for art's sake art that stands above classes art that is detached from or independent of politics. Proletarian literature and art are part of the whole proletarian revolutionary cause.

And yet there are still people in American politics who for some reason cling to this belief that America is better off adopting the economic policies of nations whose people who immigrate here from there.