Allen West Quotes

Children today will grow up taking for granted that an African-American or a woman can, yes, become the president of the United States.

I do not diminish the incredible symbolic importance of a black man getting elected president. But my euphoria was a smart guy getting elected president. Maybe for the first time in my lifetime we had elected one of the thousand smartest Americans president.

Every person is different and unique. I am a female. I'm Indian. I'm 4'11". People should never be defined by what they look like and sort of these demographical parts about them, but the most important thing is the work you do, so females are just as capable as doing that as males, and the same thing with any other person out there.

I always believed there would be an African-American president. It was something I'd dreamed about, thought about, but certainly did not believe would happen in my lifetime.

Prior to my election, young Cherokee girls would never have thought that they might grow up and become chief.

There are so many different ways to lead. The most important thing is to be genuine. To have people around you trust you, trust in what you stand for and who you are. And I think that if people watch you day in and day out and believe in your motives and they believe that you set a high standard for yourself.

I have never been more proud of the United States than I am this year. We have elected an African-American president. We have the stellar Michelle Obama setting the standard for American women. I simply cannot say it enough: look how far we've come.

I think it is so great right now that we are in an age where there's an African American president in office. I think it is important for our generation to really witness that.

In managers, I look for people who can get things done through other people. The most important thing for a good manager is that the people on his team feel like he or she has integrity.

When I first heard that Barack Obama was going to be the first black president, I wanted to do the smallest, biggest tribute in history.

Character is the single most important thing the voter considers when voting for the presidency.

There is no question that in the next thirty or forty years a Negro can achieve the position ... of President of the United States.

You have to ask if the country would have been ready for Barack Obama if we hadn't been prepared by Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. If they hadn't already been in positions of enormous power and influence - secretary of state, secretary of defence - you know what I mean?

I would have thought that a woman would have become president before a black man.

I think the most important thing... is leadership. It's something that has been lacking in young women and girls for a very long time, not because we don't want to but because of what society has labeled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings in the world and that we should be given every opportunity.

Watching President Obama, for the first time in my life, one of us was running for president. He seemed like one of us - and I got behind him, and I got excited about his message and what he continues to say he's going to do. The day he was elected president, Prop 8 happened. It was this bizarre dichotomy - world history - good and bad.

My grandmother probably never thought she would see a day where, you know, a young black woman would be seen as a leader, which is incredible.

Those who voted for Vicente Fox endorsed his call for change - better economic management, less crime, and less corruption - and they expect him to deliver.

What is competent? Who is it that can adjudicate what is competent or not competent? If the guys that are running the most important banks in our country aren't competent enough, well then, who is competent enough?

Having trust in your manager is the most important thing for a footballer.

Every coach has to put himself in his club and to try to become a really important coach for his club. The most important thing is that the club can be happy, the fans can be happy, and the players can be happy with your work. This must be our task. Then, if you are No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, this is not important.

What I found over the years is the most important thing is for a team to come together over a compelling vision, a comprehensive strategy for achieving that vision, and then a relentless implementation plan.

The historical kings of England are all strong soldiers and leaders, but can you be a sensitive leader? It's the same in politics, we talk about how proud we are to have had two women prime ministers, but would we be less ready for a sensitive prime minister?

Am I here because of my last name? To a degree. But I would ask people to judge me and my executive team on what we accomplish.

There still aren't many black women on prime-time TV. Times are changing, but it's interesting: we're in 2013 and still experiencing firsts... Hopefully, in the next 100 years, things will balance even more.