Top 113 Quotes & Sayings by Arlen Specter - Page 2

Americans' addiction to sports, with the NFL at the top, is based on the excitement generated by the potential for the unexpected great play which can only happen with honest competition from great athletes.

The American people do not care which Party solves the problems confronting our nation.

I've been playing squash almost daily for 38 years.

I ran for president in 1996.

'Never give in' was my mindset.

Beating the tea party gang is more important than who does the beating.

Lawyers advocate more so than state their own positions.

It costs about $27 million to win a seat in the United States Senate, so when you win one, you like to sit down.

Look, the president can discharge all 93 U.S. attorneys for no reason at all, but not for a bad reason.

If enough people would come out the right wing, the extremists couldn't dominate.

I think my independence was a big help to getting Judges Roberts and Alito confirmed, and I think that's recognized.

I think it's scandalous that we haven't done more to cure cancer.

The extremists took over the primary process.

It's a rarity when someone takes a political risk in Washington today in the public interest.

I really do not make deals.

My father was an immigrant who literally walked across Europe to get out of Russia. He fought in World War I. He was wounded in action. My father was a great success even though he never had money. He was a very determined man, a great role model.

If Romney wants to make me responsible for ObamaCare, I've said I would be proud to be responsible for it.

I'm ordinarily pretty correct in what I say.

I do come from a strong family.

I have been a Republican since 1966.

Big money is ruining the political system.

I've made a career of being precise.

Pennsylvania is a very tough state; people don't last long in Pennsylvania politics.

The solicitor general is sometimes referred to as the 10th Supreme Court justice - a pretty important position.

I think a public official ought to follow his conscience as to what is in the public interest, not what will protect his job.

I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.

I've never walked out of a room and had a disagreement as to what was said.

I'd make - before I'd elect somebody - I'd make him do town meetings and face the people and then I would insist that the person not run on a platform of no compromising. The meaningful thing that the leaders could do would be to be dedicated to a discussion across the isle, to vote their consciences and not to follow the strict party line. I think that would lead to sensible decisions.

There is just no sensible, logical reason why we would not make use of stem cell research.

The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision rejected Congress' findings and its method of reasoning, .. Is there any real justification for the court's denigrating Congress' 'method of reasoning'?.

Neither this nation nor this party can afford a candidate so captive to the demands of the intolerant right that we end up re-electing a president of the incompetent left.

We will submit legislation to the United States Senate which will...authorize the Congress to undertake judicial review of those signing statements with the view to having the president's acts declared unconstitutional.

How many members of Congress go face the people in a town meeting and are prepared to answer questions from the floor. That to me is the real litmus test.

The passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, recognizing the potential danger that the aircraft they were aboard posed to large numbers of innocent Americans, American institutions, and the symbols of American democracy, took heroic and noble action to ensure that the aircraft they were aboard could not be used as a weapon.

I would suggest respectfully to the president that he is not the sole decider. The decider is a shared and joint responsibility.

If you can get people to laugh, you can get people to listen.

I have not taken a position on that nuclear option. My view is I'm not going to do anything until I come to that bridge. I'm not going to jump off the bridge until I come to it

We're all looking for a plan that will work. The current plan is not working, and 21,500 additional troops -- it's a snowball in July. It's not going to work.

To put more American personnel in harm's way without a realistic chance for success is something I'm not in favor of. And a realistic chance for success depends upon having the Iraqis with the will and the ability to fulfill their share of the bargain, and so far they have not.

My change in party will enable me to be re-elected.

The Republican Party has moved so far to the right, you can't recognize Mitt Romney. What Mitt Romney will appear in October? Mitt Romney has changed positions more often than a pornographic movie queen.

Was the Vietnam conflict a war which should have, as a matter of constitutional law, required a declaration of war by Congress?

Resolutions are flying like snowflakes around here.

Today the Internal Revenue Code constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. A flat tax would be an enormous step forward.

Do you believe today that the right to privacy does exist in the Constitution?

No senator's vote, except for the declaration of war or the authorization for the use of force, is more important than the confirmation of a nominee for the Supreme Court for a lifetime appointment.

If we had pursued the war on cancer which President Nixon declared in 1970, Jack Kemp might be alive today.

I served as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee. Let me tell you, it's tough to find out what the CIA is doing. They led us astray on the weapons of mass destruction that they said Saddam Hussein found. We sent out Collin Powell, Secretary of State, former National Security Counselor, chief of staff, four star general, couldn't find it out. I'd be reluctant to cut into term limits. I think if the voters would become informed and aroused, they could impose the proper limits on the guys who ought to be out.

When the president acts in absence of a congressional grant of authority, he can rely only upon his own independent powers. When the president takes measures incompatible with the express or implied will of Congress, his power is at its lowest ebb.

We have people there who do have substantial wisdom and substantial experience. And if they were confident enough to express their own views, that they wouldn't be bushwhacked by the party for casting a single vote like Bob Bennett was or like I was, they'd be willing to speak up and they'd be willing to speak their consciences and put their ideas on the line. But right now, there is timidity, there is fear that if they do that a single votes gonna cost them their job and they're not willing to make that kind of a sacrifice and they're not enough with the people.

My father was an immigrant who literally walked across Europe to get out of Russia. He fought in World War I. He was wounded in action. My father was a great success even though he never had money. He was a very determined man, a great role model.

What I would ask the leaders to do is to better understand the American people. I would insist that the leaders have town meetings and meet the people and listen to them and find out what is on their minds.

It has been my experience that the hearings are really, in effect, a subtle minuet, with the nominee answering as many questions as he thinks necessary in order to be confirmed.