John Glenn Quotes

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

Politicians also have no leisure, because they are always aiming at something beyond political life itself, power and glory, or happiness.

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

I don't want to become Washington.

I don't have to run the Peace Corps. I could live without seeing my picture in the newspapers and without being interviewed.

I guess people recognize me, but I'm not a household name. Two out of every five people who come up to me know my name. The one thing I don't want is to be followed by paparazzi.

Ambition characterizes and distinguishes national officeholders from other kinds of human beings.

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

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

Mothers may still want their sons to grow up to become President, but they don't want them to become politicians in the process.

Men in political life must be ambitious.

Few individuals enter into public life who would not be wealthier and happier as private citizens—but then they would not be known, would not see their names in the newspaper, except for raising a curious calf or a mammoth cabbage.

The more well-known you are, you become a target.

It was flattering to have high expectations, but I was never going to be President.

There are a lot of people who go to Washington or go to their state houses with a personal ambition in mind.

Once you've been a mayor, you look to try to get things done.

All Russian people know who I am. So I use this to the good because, you know, it's really hard to shut my mouth off because... I'm too bright, and I'm too many years visible to everyone.

Seldom has a politician left public office with more self-generated fanfare than Sen. William S. Cohen.

I definitely envision myself in politics at some point.

I walk into a restaurant in Westwood now, and people know it's Reggie Miller. I used to be always Cheryl's little brother.

I'm intrigued by being in public office.

Everybody's saying I should run for president.

My agent pointed out one day that I had been quoted by a columnist in some American newspaper, and he noted with some glee that they simply identified me by name without reminding people who I was, apparently in the clear expectation that their readers would know who I am.

You know what kind of person it takes to run for President? Not normal. They could start out okay, but by the time they reach that level they've sold their soul to the devil so many times and stomped the guts out of enough people that they are definitely not like you and me, not even close.

My mom didn't run for mayor until she was 65 years old - it was like a second and third career.... The way I've always thought about it is that I don't believe you run for office because you want a job. I believe if you run for office, it's because you have a vision for change. And if I ever came to that point, that's what would lead [me to run]. And right now I'm happily in a position where I believe I can work to deliver impact and work for change.