Senator Kerry Quotes

"America now stands as the world's foremost power. We should be proud: Not since the age of the Romans have one people achieved such preeminence. But we are not Romans; we do not seek an empire. We are Americans, trustees of a vision and a heritage that commit us to the values of democracy and the universal cause of human rights."

"But in an American election, there are no losers, because whether or not our candidates are successful, the next morning we all wake up as Americans. And that -- that is the greatest privilege and the most remarkable good fortune that can come to us on earth."

"America has not led but fled on the issue of global warming."

"We can no longer allow America’s dependence on foreign oil to compromise our energy security. Instead, we must invest in inventing new ways to power our cars and our economy. I’ll put my faith in American science and ingenuity any day before I depend on Saudi Arabia."

"Our purpose now is to reclaim democracy itself. We are here to affirm that when Americans stand up and speak their minds and say America can do better, that is not a challenge to patriotism; it is the heart and soul of patriotism."

"We believe that what matters most is not narrow appeals masquerading as values, but the shared values that show the true face of America; not narrow values that divide us, but the shared values that unite us: family, faith, hard work, opportunity and responsibility for all, so that every child, every adult, every parent, every worker in America has an equal shot at living up to their God-given potential. That is the American dream and the American value."

"I'm inclined to support this agreement."

"I saw how different life was on different sides of the same city. I saw the fear in the eyes of people who were not free. I saw the gratitude of people toward the United States for all that we had done. I felt goosebumps as I got off a military train and heard the Army band strike up "Stars and Stripes Forever."

"The Senate and the country need Senators of courage who are prepared to make their mark on history by standing with past profiles in courage, and defending not party, not partisanship, but defending principle and democracy itself."

"There is a direct link between the federal tax cut of 2001 and state tax increases in 2003. When the federal government's mistakes force states to raise their taxes, it not only robs Peter to pay Paul, but it hurts hard-working families and it undermines our economy's strength."

"And it is time for those who talk about family values to start valuing families."

"The President has allowed right wing interest groups to decide the fate of his Supreme Court nominee, rather than stand up to his ultra-conservative base,"

"This budget is like an Enron budget -- smoke the numbers, cook the books, hide the truth and hope no one finds out."

"There can never be any excuse for sacrificing our children’s futures to keep corporate tax loopholes and tax giveaways to millionaires. If we can’t put our children first, who can we put first? If we can’t put our kids first, what does it say about our nation?"

"Martin Luther King challenged the conscience of my generation, and his words and his legacy continue to move generations to action today at home and around the world. His love and faith is alive in millions of Americans who volunteer each day in soup kitchens or in schools, or who refused to ignore the suffering of millions they'd never met in far-away places when a tsunami brought unthinkable destruction. His vision and his passion is alive in churches and on campuses when millions stand up against the injustice of discrimination anywhere, or the indifference that leaves too many behind."

"This is deeply disturbing. Congress provided loans to help businesses hurt by the Sept. 11 attacks, not to be used as an accounting gimmick to cover up this administration's failure to provide for small businesses."

"I will not lay down and put this narrow, stubborn agenda ahead of our families, ahead of our Constitution, and ahead of our values. We are a proud nation that respects the rights of the minority, values the separation of church and state, and believes in honesty and personal responsibility."

"It’s hard to believe that in the greatest democracy in the world, we need legislation to prevent the government from writing and paying for the news."

"I refuse to stand by while our democracy is trampled by politicians more concerned about amassing power than helping the people who sent them to Washington in the first place."

"Its hard to believe that in the greatest democracy in the world, we need legislation to prevent the government from writing and paying for the news."