Mark McKinnon Quotes

You need the commitment of people that aren't worried about that next election, who are going to do the right thing and worry about the next generation. It's called political courage. And I can tell you, with me, you don't have to ask whether I have political courage.

Presidents with strong nerves are decisive. They don't balk at unpopular decisions. They are willing to make people angry. Bush had strong nerves. Clinton, who passed up a chance to eliminate Osama bin Laden, did not. Obama is a people pleaser, a trait not normally associated with nerves of steel.

There never is a good time for tough decisions. There will always be an election or something else. You have to pick courage and do it. Governance is about taking tough, even unpopular, decisions.

Robert Taft—A Leader Who Said Only What He Thought Was Right, And Had The Courage To Say It

A leader does not deserve the name unless he is willing occasionally to stand alone.

I feel bound to respect Ronald Reagan, as every American should - not least because he chose a career of public service when he could have made a lot more money doing something else, and not least because he took genuine risks for peace.

In my presidency I've been guided by what's right, not what's popular.

We need to have business leaders who live by deep, strong principles.

I've never worried about payback. People are hungry for leadership that's not afraid of political consequence.

I've never had to do anything I didn't believe in. Sometimes that meant being poor and waitressing a while longer, but I've always stuck with it.

We need an honest politician in charge who doesn't care whether they are re-elected and is prepared to make the unpopular decisions.

I want to tell you ladies and gentlemen, the actions that we took were not always easy. The actions that we took were not always popular. But when you get yourself in public office, you must lead, you must do what's necessary.

I am not concerned about getting reelected. I can make the unpopular but necessary decision. Your focus from day one is on your legacy rather than political considerations.

But on the big things, I'm not going to trim in order to win public opinion. Because I really don't want to serve in the Senate if I arrive there without permission to do the things I think need to be done.

Power without principle is barren, but principle without power is futile. This is a party of government, and I will lead it as a party of government.

It's good to stand for something, to believe in something and base your business on values.

I didn't go into politics because I wanted to win a popularity contest.

[In politics:] He who dallies is a dastard; he who doubts is damned.

The first general duty of princes is carefully to inform themselves of every thing, that falls under the complete discharge of their trust; for a person cannot well acquit himself in that, which he has not first rightly learnt.

Winston Churchill was willing to tell the people what they didn’t want to hear, and pay the political price for it…. That kind of leadership we don’t seem to have anymore.

I have nothing but contempt for the kind of governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows is best for the State; and as for the man who sets private friendship above the public welfare - I have no use for him, either.

George W. Bush's motto is "You die, and I'll fly.

The personal mission statement was important for me because I believe that you can't lead others unless you have a strong sense of who you are and what you stand for.

Only he has the calling for politics who is sure that he shall not crumble when the world from his point of view is too stupid or too base for what he wants to offer.

The people I like most are the people who are principled enough on both the right and the left to believe it is their duty to advocate, even though they may lose, and are not committed to their incumbency over the future of America.