Karen Hughes Quotes

I never set out to work in the White House.

I left the White House in 2007. You know, I knew when I went there that it would be for a limited period of time. I was grateful that the average tenure of a white house senior aide is 18 to 20 months. I was there for nearly seven years.

I used to imagine working as a White House staffer some day, so it was pretty amazing to be there... realizing another dream.

I loved what I did. I could've been secretary of state for ever.

I think I could have worked for the Clinton administration.

I'd worked at the White House for two years, and I'd read a bunch of White House memoirs because everybody who works at the White House, even for five minutes, writes a memoir usually not less than 600 pages long - and never without the word 'power' in the title.

You don’t make any money in the White House—that’s for darn sure—but you can get things done….The most rewarding experience I have ever had was my three years in the White House.

I actually think, as unusual as it might sound, that working in the White House is an extraordinary life.

I was in the trade field as White House fellow in the first Bush administration.

When you serve, whether it's here in the House or in the White House or anywhere else, it's a distinct honor and privilege and so that's about the extent of it.

Never in my wildest dreams did I believe a young girl growing up in St. Charles, Ia., would one day receive a call from Terry Branstad asking her to be his lieutenant governor.

My experience at the White House was invaluable.

I spent three years working at the White House and wanted to do something that wasn't about passing bills and resolutions.

In terms of going into the West Wing, I will do whatever the president-elect and the vice president-elect - I worked with Mike Pence for 10 years - they believe is my best and highest use for them.

People in the White House work hard, whatever administration. They get rewarded in psychic income, a sense that they are involved in something bigger than themselves, that it's important.

I was on leave from local and regional politics, as long as I was a Minister.

I got to be White House chief of staff, ten years of congressman, secretary of defense, vice-president. If you're a political junkie like I obviously am - that was - every one of those was just a tremendous experience. I'm very comfortable with what I did and why I did it and how I did it. And I'll let others judge whether they liked it or not.

When a governor asks you to come and serve... or a president, subsequently in my life - you do so.

When I got my job on 'Parks,' it was so dreamy, kind of unfathomable. I didn't think a job that excellent could exist for me.

I have the best job in the entire history of broadcasting.

I'm an appointee of President Obama.

I loved being in the Senate. That was a wonderful experience.

Cheney's memoir is not about 9/11, or solely about Bush's administration, but about his entire life and political career.

The idea of being in the State Department was exciting. On the other hand, I always had in the back of my mind going into politics. If I stayed in Washington, I might end up a government hack.

It's pretty hard to say no when a vice president-elect and a president-elect ask you to be part of the national team.