“I think naturally my orientation is from my father.”

I know how bad Albany is. I know it better than most. I understand why people are angry. I’m angry. The question is going to be, how do you change Albany, what is the plan for change, and then how do you actually get it done?

If I’m breathing in 2016, I’ll be happy.

I believe we need to attract a new generation of the best and brightest to public service and I believe that government can be a source of inspiration, not degradation.

The essential job of government is to facilitate, not frustrate, job development.

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

I’ve worked on the urban agenda all my life. All. My. Life.

There is energy and power in a crisis.

If there’s a silver bullet in the battle to recapture Albany, it is the re-engagement of our citizens. This capital has become a physical metaphor for the isolation and alienation of our people.

People go into politics because they want the affirmation, and they want the applause.

Fight as hard as you can, and then understand there’s going to have to be some amount of reasonable compromise.

I believe public education is the new civil rights battle and I support charter schools.

There is no dispute that Albany needs to be changed. There is no dispute that the current situation in Albany is untenable. Nobody knows that better than I do.

It’s time for the people of the Empire State to strike back.

I am against the death penalty.

Showed good business judgment, knowing that these continued lawsuits would be the untimely death of the gun industry.

There’s a rhythm to the legislative session and there are rhythms to legislative sessions. So I think that’s very important to take into consideration when you are deciding what to do when.

When people show you who they are – believe them!

I would never wish to say that I’ve finally waved goodbye to any character, it’s just that the emphasis tends to shift.

There’s more pressure to be famous for being yourself than if you’re being a character.

I want a life free of shame and unforgiveness. I want a life that is not dictated by my performance but by my identity.

I have frequently gained my first real insight into the character of parents by studying their children.

I create women characters by watching the female staff at my studio. Half the staff are women.

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.

Man scans with scrupulous care the character and pedigree of his horses, cattle, and dogs before he matches them; but when he comes to his own marriage he rarely, or never, takes any such care.