Sylvia Mathews Burwell Quotes

Now you may do it badly, you may do it well, some people like you, some people hate you, all the rest of it - but you have got a real motivating life purpose. [on being Prime Minister

All the best reasons for going into politics never really change: the desire for glory and fame and the chance to do something that really matters, that will make life better for a lot of people.

You don't run for public office unless you have a specific vision. You are driven by ideas and a vision.

I have no political aspiration.

I'm not running for president to be somebody, I'm running for president to do something!

People go into politics because they want the affirmation, and they want the applause.

Politics was put in front of me. I do politics because it's the vehicle for change and because I happen to be good at it... I had this sort of calm fearlessness, that some would call foolishness.

I'm not one of the people who have to be in public office.

You don't run for the presidency out of nostalgia.

Public life is regarded as the crown of a career, and to young men it is the worthiest ambition. Politics is still the greatest and the most honorable adventure.

I grew up thinking that if I wanted to go be prime minister, I could.

I don't want to become Washington.

I would be lying if I told you that I hadn't had aspirations to run for a statewide office.

For me, leadership is making a difference. It's using your agency to bring about change.

No, I'm not running for office someday.

I very much wanted to be editor of the 'New Statesman!' But I never wanted to be prime minister, except maybe as a little boy.

Yeah, well I'm not aspiring to be the Prime Minister.

I was brought up in a family of leaders, and I think leadership is a life sentence. I like changing things that will shape the future.

Whenever people say, 'You should be president,' I say, 'I thought you liked me.' Listen, I thought being mayor of Stamford was a wonderful job. Being governor of a state for a period of time is a wonderful job, and I'm not sure I'm at all attracted to Washington.

Dr. King is so inspiring, so impressive, so moving as a human being.

I've been complimented enough and asked to run for various offices out here in Utah, but right now, I'm not interested. I don't know that I have the stomach for it.

The best, most interesting years of my life were spent in government and politics.

You don’t become a statesman unless you are first a good politician.

You have to have a sense of ego and of purpose to go into politics.

[Warren] Harding didn't like being a Senator; he liked being in the Senate.