John Thune Quotes

As the leaders of this great country, I urge my fellow colleagues in the House, governors, and presidential candidates alike to hold ourselves up to a higher standard.

I could never be a career politician, because I believe in telling the truth.

The duty of responsibility placed on any MP is one of the greatest honours that can be bestowed and I for one don't believe the Conservative Party would abuse that trust by selecting someone who did not have the goods to do the job, just for the sake of media coverage.

There are, believe it or not, good politicians.

When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of his country.

Public business … must always be done by somebody…. If wise men decline it, others will not; if honest men refuse it, others will not.

I have an obligation to the people of Illinois, to the Senate and to myself to leave the Senate while I am still eager to serve, not after I tire of serving.

Most public officials work hard to serve the public good and abide by Oregon's ethics laws.

If Ivanka Trump called, I think good people need to serve.

There is no principle worth the name if it is not wholly good.

I think we need politicians; we need people who want to serve.

I'm not a politician. I don't want to be a politician, because politicians do what is politically expedient. I want to do what's right.

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.

A good politician is quite as unthinkable as an honest burglar.

In politics, the people I most despise are those who have no values.

What is my calling? What am I supposed to do? I think running for office, public office, can be a divine calling. I mean, I've wrestled with that very question myself.

Winning the election is a good-news, bad-news kind of thing. Okay, now you're the mayor. The bad news is, now you're the mayor.

I believe that it is an unchanging value of democracy that ends cannot justify the means in politics.

I don't want to run for governor, but I don't think anyone should put public service out of the question because that's not what a good citizen does.

We call ourselves public servants but I'll tell you this: we as public servants must set an example for the rest of the nation. It is hypocritical for the public official to admonish and exhort the people to uphold the common good.

I never doubted that I would be a good mayor. I never did.

If I weren't doing the politics, I wouldn't be doing my job.

Public service used to be the highest of callings, until people like Madame Voldemort vilified it.

By definition, a government has no conscience. Sometimes it has a policy, but nothing more.

The first step into justice begins with the politicians. You have to demand from yourself what you demand from people.