Jimmy Carter Quotes

I did not become president to be popular. To work, to lead, to protect and preserve our country, our people, that is why I became president.

We cannot ask our soldiers to be courageous if our politicians are not.

I never really sought out the captaincy at any stage in my career. Now that it has been handed to me, I would obviously like to do it justice and keep performing well. The day I stop performing will be the day I happily relinquish the role.

I can tell you this: If I'm ever in a position to call the shots, I'm not going to rush to send somebody else's kids into a war.

I am willing to serve my country, but do not wish to sacrifice the brave men under my command.

The price of greatness is responsibility.

National defense is the sacred duty of the young and all other people.

As far as this citizen is concerned, the decision to commit men and women, who are also sons and daughters, to combat is an extraordinarily important one, and not to be done to just feel good; to be done to absolutely accomplish a mission.

If I have got to be a soldier, I must be a good one, anything else is unthinkable.

Why should one U.S. airman give up his life when our national security is not in imminent danger?

I've been trying to be the best representative for my school, my family, and the USGA as I possibly could.

Duty is the great business of a sea officer; all private considerations must give way to it, however painful it may be.

I think you need to have people around you whose standard is high and who don't accept anything less.

I realize that much will be asked of me, yet I am resolved to accept it as a great and splendid task.

Ask not what the role can do for you; ask what you can do for the role.

A leader is one who, out of madness or goodness, volunteers to take upon himself the woe of the people. There are few men so foolish, hence the erratic quality of leadership in the world.

There was no question that in our house doing well, doing it the right way, school, sports - there was an expectation. One of the things I've taken away from that is that I'm unafraid to expect a fair amount from people. It makes them so much better - you're doing them a disservice if you don't.

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

Suddenly in the end when it's over, you feel a big weight on your shoulders. That's the role of the captain. Unfortunately, it's sometimes like that in sport.

In the military, I learned that 'leadership' means raising your hand and volunteering for the tough, important assignments.

Responsibility and accountability is a big part of being in the military.

In days when the public safety is imminently threatened, and the fate of a nation may hang upon a single act, we owe frank speech, above all other men, to him who is highest in authority. I shall speak to you as man to man.

We're about winning and accountability.

But we must not, if we are loyal, disperse our energies in a partisan warfare that is waged without regard to its consequences to the well being, security, or honor of the country.

There are things a man must not do to save a nation.