Ron Dellums Quotes

Be a President. Don't try to be a lawyer.

There's no way that I could be the president. You can't have a pacifist in the White House... I'm an actor. This is what I do for a living.

I really don't have tremendous political ambition. I have policy ambition.

You don’t become a statesman unless you are first a good politician.

While not all politicians are statesmen, all statesmen are politicians.

I've known Don since he came to Washington. When he first came to work for George W. Bush, he was a different Don Rumsfeld. He was jolly, full of life, and ready to go to war, but only if we could win.

I was not interested in being minister of defense or minister of foreign affairs.

I've been a city councilman and mayor. I've been a lieutenant governor and governor and now, in the Senate, serve on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committee. So I'm a utility player. I just want to do everything I can to make sure A) we win and that B) the presidency of Hillary Clinton is fantastic.

I knew I always wanted to get involved in politics.

I never thought I would run for office.

Like Lyndon Johnson, President Obama understands that timidity in a time of troubles is a prescription for failure.

I'm not one of the people who have to be in public office.

School boards can be a steppingstone to higher forms of political leadership.

I've also said you don't rule any options out, because if you are in public life because you want to make a difference... obviously, you have to be open to those kind of possibilities.

There are too many politicians in the world and too few statesmen.

It's not really the job of a public servant to inspire, but to get the job that the people demand done. The Democrats think that if they have hope and are inspired, things will get better, but they actually won't.

John Danforth, I thought, was a great senator and did a great job with the United Nations. I think he's a good man.

I always tell people this: to be a savvy politician or a good head of state and to be charitable are not mutually exclusive things.

When you're out of office, you can be a statesman.

In terms of the principles of politics, I think I understand well. Thailand needs someone who has leadership, who has the management skills to help the country.

As leaders, we need to rise above petty politics and lead, rather than follow, the various interests and pressure groups in our respective countries.

You know, my dad served in the President's Cabinet after his time as a governor. He told me he enjoyed being governor a lot more. Now, I understand why. If I do my job well, I can make a difference in people's lives and I can help our children realize their dreams.

The reason why I'm here today is to explain why I am running and what I will do if you give me the honor and the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. Now I'm running for the United State Senate for a simple reason, and that is... I want to win a Nobel Peace prize.

It was a pleasure to meet President Obama and Michelle. I'm not a political person, but I admire what he has done.

But always I was a private citizen whose activities in government or political party were appointive.