I started in the mailroom, literally, as an intern... in 1974. The legislator I was working for at the time said, 'I want you to get your law degree and come back here and get elected and be the first woman governor.' I kind of took that guy seriously - I thought that sounded like a pretty good idea.

Claire McCaskill

Respecting the Second Amendment does not mean abandoning common sense. The right to own guns in this country must remain, while we also must strengthen our laws to prevent mass shootings.

Claire McCaskill

The U.S. military is the best-trained, most effective fighting force the world has ever known. And the conduct of the vast majority of our service members makes Americans rightfully proud.

Claire McCaskill

Well, I'm wrestling alligators.

Claire McCaskill

I think I'm the last Democrat left in the Senate after Russ Feingold was defeated that won't take earmarks.

Claire McCaskill

Somehow in the public sector, if you start in the mailroom and spend your life getting promoted, it's unseemly.

Claire McCaskill

You never know what'll happen in politics.

Claire McCaskill

I've got a really hard election. If you had a really hard election and it was after Labor Day would you go to North Carolina to a bunch of parties and glad-handing or would you stay home and work as hard as you know how to convince Missourians they should rehire you?

Claire McCaskill

There's nothing that irritates Americans more than the fact that some members of Congress think they are entitled to their own set of rules. And it's true - too many people in Washington live in an alternate reality.

Claire McCaskill

I voted against my party with some frequency, because of my independence. I've just got to remind Missourians that I am independent and that I try to call them like I see them, and sometimes my party is wrong on some things.

Claire McCaskill

When I was a prosecutor in Kansas City, my job was to fight for justice and safety for all citizens in my community. Equal access to justice under the law is an American value embedded in the fabric of our legal and political system - the idea that anybody, powerful or not, can have their day in court.

Claire McCaskill

My first obligation is my job. It's very hard to really get into campaign mode when you've got to focus on doing the work.

Claire McCaskill

I'm the only United States Senator in the country that I'm aware of that's had the far left up on TV and the far right up on TV against me at the same time.

Claire McCaskill

I think, first of all, you know, Washington has a bad habit of a very short attention span.

Claire McCaskill

It's very American, making a lot of money.

Claire McCaskill

I am a small-town girl.

Claire McCaskill

When you work in the United States Senate, and you are around people of all different ideas and beliefs, you realize that what our Founding Fathers did that was so genius, is that they made the Senate the place where compromises are supposed to happen because of the makeup of the Senate.

Claire McCaskill

The NRA grades senators and representatives based on their votes on gun issues - and even on issues that have little-to-nothing to do with guns.

Claire McCaskill

Clearly, a large number of African-Americans don't have faith that the laws are being executed fairly in Ferguson, and that's a problem... We need to ensure Africans-Americans feel confident in the rule of law.

Claire McCaskill

Many civil rights came about, not when they were passed into law, but because the federal government did what it should and saw them enforced.

Claire McCaskill

Claire McCaskill Quotes

Respecting the Second Amendment does not mean abandoning common sense. The right to own guns in this country must remain, while we also must strengthen our laws to prevent mass shootings.

The U.S. military is the best-trained, most effective fighting force the world has ever known. And the conduct of the vast majority of our service members makes Americans rightfully proud.

Well, I'm wrestling alligators.

I think I'm the last Democrat left in the Senate after Russ Feingold was defeated that won't take earmarks.

Somehow in the public sector, if you start in the mailroom and spend your life getting promoted, it's unseemly.

You never know what'll happen in politics.

I've got a really hard election. If you had a really hard election and it was after Labor Day would you go to North Carolina to a bunch of parties and glad-handing or would you stay home and work as hard as you know how to convince Missourians they should rehire you?

There's nothing that irritates Americans more than the fact that some members of Congress think they are entitled to their own set of rules. And it's true - too many people in Washington live in an alternate reality.

I voted against my party with some frequency, because of my independence. I've just got to remind Missourians that I am independent and that I try to call them like I see them, and sometimes my party is wrong on some things.

My first obligation is my job. It's very hard to really get into campaign mode when you've got to focus on doing the work.

I'm the only United States Senator in the country that I'm aware of that's had the far left up on TV and the far right up on TV against me at the same time.

I think, first of all, you know, Washington has a bad habit of a very short attention span.

It's very American, making a lot of money.

I am a small-town girl.

When you work in the United States Senate, and you are around people of all different ideas and beliefs, you realize that what our Founding Fathers did that was so genius, is that they made the Senate the place where compromises are supposed to happen because of the makeup of the Senate.

The NRA grades senators and representatives based on their votes on gun issues - and even on issues that have little-to-nothing to do with guns.

Clearly, a large number of African-Americans don't have faith that the laws are being executed fairly in Ferguson, and that's a problem... We need to ensure Africans-Americans feel confident in the rule of law.

Many civil rights came about, not when they were passed into law, but because the federal government did what it should and saw them enforced.