Alexandra Kerry Quotes

I started out mopping floors, waiting tables, and tending bar at my dad's tavern. I put myself through school working odd jobs and night shifts. I poured my heart and soul into a small business. And when I saw how out-of-touch Washington had become with the core values of this great nation, I put my name forward and ran for office.

After thinking carefully about how I can best help my fellow Minnesotans, I have decided to not seek election for a different office in 2014. The warm encouragement from many people to run for U.S. senator or the governorship was deeply humbling.

I had the fixation that comes with being a Kennedy to be a great man on the big stage.

I thought it completely absurd to mention my name in the same breath as the presidency.

I think I'd make a pretty good president, and they have a great pension plan.

But it's been a great, humbling - and I've been very honored to have the opportunity to serve and to lead and to be the representative of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who are in Washington. And it's been the greatest honor of my life.

Presidents are nice people. They're nice, fun-loving people who have great jobs.

I don't have to be president to do great things for my country, but at the same time, to get legislation and policy passed, you have to be in some kind of office. So I don't know what the future will lead to.

If you make me your president, I'm going to put the country ahead of the party. I'm going to do what it takes to defend this nation. This nation has been great to me, and that's the only way I know to pay you back.

I've always suggested if you can't stand the sight of your own blood, don't run for office.

I relate with military families and Gold Star families. Gold Star families are families where somebody didn't come home. My father died in 1949. He was a flight instructor in the Army Air Corp.

It's a sacrifice for me. It's not really something I want to do. I don't love the idea of being a U.S. senator; I love the idea of being a mother.

By running, you're making that commitment that says, 'I'm dedicating myself to public service.' Win or lose, you're making that statement, and you actually are taking a step in that direction.

It's incredibly important that I decided to serve my country before deciding to run for office.

Anybody who thinks that they should lead the country should go ahead and put their hat in the ring. I am not among them. And I want to be unequivocal about that. There are no circumstances. I don't want to be coy about this.

Entering politics would be like donning a crown of thorns.

After Joe passed away in the war, it seemed only natural that Jack and Bobby and then Teddy might pursue office as well. Public service was part of our DNA from our earliest years.

No sane person would run for president, right?

I will tell you, running for President, the money I spent is peanuts compared to the money I won't make. And that's O.K. because this is so important. What I'm doing is so important.

I don't think divestiture is too high a price to pay to be the president of the United States of America.

Being President is like the man who was tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail... A man in the crowd asked how he liked it, and his reply was that if it wasn't for the honor of the thing, he would much rather walk.

At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up? My life.

I don't believe you are simply born with the ambition of becoming chancellor. But if you want to make a difference, if you enjoy putting ideas into practice, then the post of chancellor has to be the one presenting the biggest opportunity of all.

Perrin, my father says a general can take care of the living or weep for the dead, but he cannot do both.

I grew up in the '50s and '60s when Jack Kennedy was president. We would watch him on television. And our teachers always talked about the good things public servants could do. I thought maybe that's something I should do. So when I got out of law school, my wife, Jane, and I became precinct captains.