Kent Conrad Quotes

The longer political leaders shy away from the tough decisions, the greater the chance that there will be a lot more of them.

I say, 'You can never use excuses because they always run out.'

There's no such thing as coulda, shoulda, or woulda. If you shoulda and coulda, you woulda done it.

Because each are going to blame each other. The thing that Canberra has to really get right is the sharing of the resource. But my problem with people in the government who are there for a short time is that there's no consequences for some of these decisions they make.

All I know is, I was trying to win the football game. And the bottom line is, you have to do what you think is right. You have to go with your gut. And if you don't do that, then I think you regret a lot of things later on.

Leaders respond when they perceive that there will be a political cost of inaction.

We all make mistakes. In public life, we make them in public view.

The pressure of time, is the overwhelming challenge for policymakers who must act on assessments that cannot be proved at the time and whose mistakes are irretrievable.

Even if there's controversy, I'm going to make the decision, and people are going to be happy in one instance and unhappy in the next. But that's the job I've been given and the job I'm going to embrace.

As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.

I've never worried about payback. People are hungry for leadership that's not afraid of political consequence.

Elections have consequences.

Real vision demands that we make tough choices. Real vision is responsible and it is paid for.

I think that if you shake the tree, you ought to be around when the fruit falls to pick it up.

In the first rule of politics, you know, Harry Truman, the buck stops here. Take responsibility. What I've learned over the years is that people will give people in politics a lot of rope if they just take responsibility.

I am not concerned about getting reelected. I can make the unpopular but necessary decision. Your focus from day one is on your legacy rather than political considerations.

If victory has a hundred fathers, it also brings forth a hundred advisors.

Politics is about accountability, it is about leadership, it is about courage.

It's one thing to make the speeches. It's another to make the tough decisions.

To govern is to chose.

[Referring to political leaders:] Since they take the risks, they need the laurels.

There are a lot of smart people in politics and government, but character matters ... it is terribly important that the two be melded.

All politicians make huge mistakes.

Mayors make tough decisions; Senators make tough speeches.

I think it would be much better for the country and for Clinton personally to resign. I come from the business side. If you had a chairman or president in the business world facing these allegations, he'd be gone.