Joseph A. Califano Jr. Quotes

If you want to age a lot of years, become president.

In my opinion eight years as president is enough and sometimes too much for any man to serve in that capacity.

I ended up being the 43rd president of the United States. It was an awesome experience, and I'm glad I did it.

Don't get me wrong: I would love to be president.

As to the presidency, the two happiest days of my life were those of my entrance upon the office and my surrender of it.

The presidency is an office for which none of us is great enough.

My old friend Judge Johnson used to say, "The Presidency is unlike the Kingdom of Heaven—those who seek shall never find.

I don't ever want to be president - let's just get that out of the way.

I happen temporarily to occupy this big White House. I am living witness that any one of your children may look to come here as my father's child has.

My fellow citizens, the American Presidency is not supposed to be a journey of personal discovery.

When he entered the Oval Office - by fate, not by design - Citizen Ford knew that he was not perfect, just as he knew he was not perfect when he left. But what president ever was?

Well, Warren Harding, I have got you the presidency. What are you going to do with it?

The thought of being President frightens me and I do not think I want the job.

Serving as President of the United States is a privilege that is afforded to few in our country.

It is always a delicate matter, when a friend or acquaintance becomes president.

The presidency has made every man who occupied it, no matter how small, bigger than he was; and no matter how big, not big enough for its demands.

People who run for president seriously and people who become president enter a bizarre secret society in which they have had an experience that none of us will ever have.

When you see how the President makes political or policy decisions, you see who he is. The essence of the Presidency is decision-making.

There is a substantial difference between the President being able to wave to the crowd from a hospital window and being able to govern.

The Presidency is the repository of the people’s power.

Never underestimate the power of an American President in his early days.

The presidency is not about easy choices.

Be a President. Don't try to be a lawyer.

I don't think the first hundred days measures the success or failure of any President.

But Mr. President, every President keeps the seat warm for his successor.