Howard Dean Quotes

I don't feel qualified to be President either, but I've got the job.

Governing is about selecting.

When I get to the White House, there will be no hesitation from me to make the tough decisions that need to be made because I've been doing it for the last 13 years as a former federal prosecutor and now as the governor of New Jersey.

The ruling power is always faced with the question, ‘In such and such circumstances, what would you do?’, whereas the opposition is not obliged to take responsibility or make any real decisions.

To govern is to choose. To appear to be unable to choose is to appear to be unable to govern.

The purpose of a politician is to be a leader. A politician has to lead. Otherwise he's just a follower.

Yes, I'm your governor now. I'll take care of you.

I have to tell you, I'll be right up front about it: I'm the governor of the state of Connecticut, and I can't write anything well.

You must see the persons who are in charge - persons you can punish or vote for.

A governor can be a very good friend to people. A governor can be a formidable force.

When politicians try to govern by raising a wet finger to the wind or on the basis of public opinion polling, the public gets to think that all leaders are interchangeable.

For you will seem either not to esteem government worth much, or to think few worthy to hold it.

To govern is to chose.

The success of an elected official is doing what everyone knows needs to be done.

Governing has always been hard.

Taking power is fine. But what do you do when you are in power?

Georgians have made their decision, and now it's my job to keep our state moving forward.

I think it's one thing to be part of a very important group called the Senate of the United States and cast a vote. You're one of 100. I think it says even more to be a governor, where you ultimately have that political responsibility and accountability to succeed.

I was a very senior minister in the Howard government and I sat around this particular table [in the prime ministerial office] in many discussions. The difference between being a senior minister and the prime minister is that ultimately the buck does stop with the prime minister and in the end the prime minister has to make those critical judgement calls and that's the big difference.

If you're a governor of a big state, people sense your presence a little bit, even your fellow governors.

It's so much easier to throw rocks than it is to govern.

Democracy is not theater - it determines life and death!

Good ideas are the backbone of good government.

I don't like to see a president who is just out campaigning all year long or for the last four years. I'd like to see somebody who's going in the office. In fact, I'd like to not see them because that way you'd be sure that they'd be working.

Politicians can't manage. All they can do is talk.