Michael Hayden Quotes

Folks, I can tell you I've known eight presidents, three of them intimately.

The men and women of the CIA are a national treasure.

I think I can regard myself as a political decision-maker.

I think I should be a president. President of the United States.

I am confident that I can serve my country without being involved as the president of the country now.

As of now, I am in control here in the White House.

My friends all say I'm going to be Secretary of State. But I don't see how that would be much different from the job I have now.

It's necessary to understand what real intelligence work is. It will never cease. It's absolutely essential that we have it. At its best, it is simply the left arm of healthy governmental curiosity. It brings to a strong government what it needs to know. It's the collection of information, a journalistic job, if you will, but done in secret.

Great is the hand that holds dominion over man by a scribbled name.

Where might is mixed with wit, there is too good an accord in a government.

The skills of the British intelligence community are a great national asset.

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.

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

I left the White House but I’m still here.

I promise you the country would be in real trouble if I were really in the White House.

There are two supreme pleasures in life. One is ideal, the other real. The ideal is when a man receives the seals of office from the hands of his Sovereign. The real pleasure comes when he hands them back.

No ruler who lacks the gift of persuasion can stay in office long; it is the indispensable condition of government. It would be an idle illusion to assume that any government, no matter how good, could lastingly do without public consent.

Boy Governor

So far, I have not come to any of the positions that I have filled through wanting to be there. I was sought - people wanted me to come to those posts. I am talking about all my positions: mayor of Istanbul, chairman of the party, prime minister.

Bob Gates understands the difficulty of going to war. This is a man who spent almost his entire life working for the government.

Cheney refers to his vice presidency... as one of the most consequential vice presidencies in American history. And it clearly was.

I have no political aspiration.

I'm intrigued by being in public office.

I have great respect for the people in intelligence and CIA. I don't have a lot of respect for in particular one of the leaders. But that's OK. But I have a lot of respect for the people in the CIA.

I am not asking for 60 months to sit and enjoy power, but to be the Chowkidaar of the country.