When you've been in government for 21 years, as I have been, the issue of retrospect and what you should have done is a really futile activity. I was right 70 percent of the time. But I was wrong 30 percent of the time, and there were an awful lot of mistakes in 21 years.

Ultimately, we need to move beyond the tired debates between right and left, between business leaders and environmentalists, between those who would claim drilling is a cure all and those who would claim it has no place. Because this issue is just too important to allow our progress to languish while we fight the same old battles over and over again.

What we need is bold, decisive steps towards clean energy ... not more dirty, expensive offshore drilling. The oil industry already has access to drilling on millions of acres of America's public lands and water. We don't need to hand over our last protected pristine coastal areas just so oil companies can break more profit records.

Most Americans out there aren’t celebrating today. They’re dumbfounded by the fact that Congress just passed this 2,685-page monstrosity against their wishes.

After a year of debate and hearing the calls of millions of Americans, we have come to this historic moment. Today, we have the opportunity to complete the great unfinished business of our society and pass health insurance reform for all Americans that is a right and not a privilege.