Krystal Ball Quotes

If I say one thing to the UFC, I say it in an interview. I don't have conflicting stories.

The people who are afraid of talking to press are people who have something to hide.

PR is premised on truth, trust, and transparency.

I like chatting with people. If people ask me a direct question, I give them a direct answer and I feel I've always done that with the press.

If you aren't overly effusive or really nicey-nice with the press, you get a reputation for being outspoken or difficult.

I was instructed let’s put out press releases touting advances and let’s minimize problems because we want the Department of Home Security to be a good news story…. But you have to tell the truth when you are in a job like this.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, if you're straight with the press, they'll be straight with you.

In 1977, when I became Speaker, I started meeting with TV reporters each morning when I arrived at work. Later in the morning, I would hold a news conference before the House opened. I always told the truth and almost never answered with 'no comment.'

In this digital age, there is no place to hide behind public relations people. This digital age requires leaders to be visible and authentic and to be able to communicate the decisions they've made and why they've made them, to be able to acknowledge when they've made a mistake and to move forward, to engage in the debate.

I think people are distrustful of politicians and are looking for someone who is telling the truth with no hidden agenda.

I get along fine with the press.

I think there's a form of honesty, because I used to be very honest with the press, and then it backfired on me, and I understood it.

I hate dealing with the press. But I think it is a necessary evil.

Be honest. Be honest with yourself, be honest with, you know, your fellow politicians. This is a rare quality of politicians.

I've finally learnt how to say, 'No comment'. To appear in the tabloids is a real learning curve and a steep one at that. You had better learn quick or you get burnt.

The best way of dealing with the press, customers, and critics is to come clean when things go wrong and admit when you make a mistake. We are humans, and no one expects us to be perfect.

What we say privately we say publicly.

My New Year's resolution is to make sure I genuflect appropriately before the Chicago media on everything I do.

Twenty five years in Washington has taught me never to tell a lie to a reporter.

Politicians generally don’t volunteer for press encounters they can’t control.

I was asked to write a press briefing emphasizing the positive steps the administration had taken in the area and minimizing the negative ones. I was an Assistant to the President. I have done that for several Presidents. When you’re on the staff of the President of the United States you try and make things look as good as possible.

It was my job to get the skeletons out of the closet and into the press—which I did.

You didn’t elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth.

You guys simply have to back off. The truth will create a public disaster and undo everything we are trying to accomplish out here.

Doing the press has become as much of a job as getting in front of the camera. You have to avoid burnout, avoid saying anything stupid, but still come across as yourself.