I feel strongly that the state would not be well-served by having a governor and speaker of the House from the same family and have never planned to run for governor if that would be the case. With Speaker Madigan planning to continue in office, I will not run for governor.

We've done amazing things for the state. Some of them have had a national impact, but I'm going to be ready for some new challenges, and so I'm not going to seek a fifth term as attorney general.

While most of us are trying to be more frugal, the loss of a job, a divorce, or a medical emergency can quickly sink us deeply into debt.

Demand to know the school's accreditation. Regional accreditation is preferable to national, particularly if you want to transfer credits. Check with the certifying association or potential employer in your field to ensure successful completion of the program will actually qualify you for that job.

I grew up on the coast of England in the '70s. My dad is white from Cornwall, and my mom is black from Zimbabwe. Even the idea of us as a family was challenging to most people.

I just thought it was unconscionable for the Congress to insert itself into this debate. We are particularly unqualified to make that decision and to intrude ourselves into the lives of this family.

The biggest message I have for young women is, Don't start cutting off branches of your career tree unnecessarily early. Sometimes women say, I know I want to have a family or play in the local symphony, and they start pulling themselves out of their career path. You don't have to take yourself out of the running before you even start.

I was the seventh child in a family of eight siblings. We lost our father very young, and my mother had pretty much single-handedly brought us up.