When your 26-year-old daughter, Kevyn, was kidnapped in 1993, Steve paid a $1.45 million ransom and got your daughter without even alerting you to what happened. How did you feel about his decision not to involve you?

I think the height of my admiration and respect and love for Steve centers on that episode. What ensued in the several hours after the kidnapping was the work of a man who went into major focus and handled it brilliantly. He had the presence of mind to call all of the plainclothed security from the casino floor into his office because he knew they were going to observe him going to the cage for the money, and he didn’t want them to be alerted to something funky and call the cops. She was returned within three or four hours. The minute he had her, he made the call, and it woke me up: “Kevyn was kidnapped tonight, but she’s in my arms, she’s safe, it’s fine.” I never, ever questioned that he did the right thing. He spared me.

What was Las Vegas like when you moved there in 1967?

How do I put this delicately? There was a lot of sexual energy with the focus on showgirls, feathers and sequins. It was a funny experience for me at 24 or 25 to be feeling over the hill already. I remember looking at myself and thinking, Oh, my God, I’m this young matron. It was a totally foolish feeling to have, but it revealed my insecurity at the time. I got over it quickly.

You are on the board of Communities in Schools, a group that describes itself as “the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization.” What’s the simplest thing that can be done to prevent a kid from dropping out?

Your question presupposes that there is a silver bullet. Kids can come to a school that has great teachers, but if they’re hungry, poorly clothed or have a bad family situation, they are not receptive to learning that day. Children have to be treated holistically to solve these issues.

Do you think the rich have too much power in politics? Thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, the casino owner Sheldon Adelson, a onetime foe of your former husband, was able to funnel millions into Newt Gingrich’s campaign. Do you think he’s equipped to pick a president?

But he didn’t. The proof is in the pudding. I’m not a constitutional expert, but he did what was lawful. Was it right? Was it ethical? Those are deeper questions. I want the majority of Americans to pick our leader.