There was a widespread indignation in the American media. They were saying 'How can you make a movie during an election that's about politics? What are you doing? Are you trying to influence people's lives?' To which my response was 'Well I hope so.'

As a society I think we express our cultural mores through our politics. We're trying constantly to figure out what's OK and what's not OK. And it's hard because our society is constantly buffeted by gale force winds of technology. Things are always changing.

I was in the room with you know more than a dozen Republicans trying to negotiate the stimulus. Most of them decided the politics of the situation meant they should walk away even if it wasn't responsible in terms of what our country needed right then.

On the show we are not trying to get people to eat their vegetables we are not trying to get people to become Democrats. We are basically trying to encourage people to get involved with public life so that politics isn't left to the wealthy and privileged.

I do not know much about politics but I am trying to do the best I can with this administration until the time shall come for me to turn it over to somebody else.

I'm highly political. I spend an awful lot of time in the U.S. trying to influence decision-makers. But I don't feel in tune with British politics.

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 like to see myself as a bridge builder that is me building bridges between people between races between cultures between politics trying to find common ground.

We've switched from a culture that was interested in manufacturing economics politics - trying to play a serious part in the world - to a culture that's really entertainment-based.

I don't think politics has anything to do with left right or center. It has to do with trying to do right by people.