Joe Lhota

The role of government is to steer us in the right direction, not do all the work for us.

I would leave school every day and walk to my grandparents' house under the El because everyone worked. I was 6 and walking home alone from school. It was a different city and a different time.

My earliest memories are of my father explaining to me the American Dream and how he expected me to do better than he did.

I was a bit challenged when I was younger to stay on the right path.

My style is Edie Sedgwick meets Grace Jones, or Audrey Hepburn meets Salt 'n' Pepa. Strong and feisty but still classic.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.