Mr. President, you’re entitled as a president to your own airplane, and to your own house, but not to your own facts.
Interpretation
Facts are objective truth, regardless of one's position or authority.
This quote by Mitt Romney emphasizes the fundamental principle that, regardless of one's status or title—such as being a president—everyone is bound by the same facts. It serves as a reminder that authority does not grant the power to alter the truth, highlighting the importance of factual integrity in public discourse.
In practice
In a debate about misinformation, this quote can be cited to emphasize the importance of truth.
My dad was phenomenal. Born in Mexico, lived poor, didn't graduate from college, and becomes head of a car company and then governor of a state. I can't imagine I would have ever thought about running for office had I not seen my dad do it.
I have never once regretted missing a business opportunity so that I could be with my children and grandchildren.
My mom and dad gave their kids the greatest gift of all - the gift of unconditional love. They cared deeply about who we would be, and much less about what we would do.
I have seen American determination in people like Debbi Sommers. She runs a furniture rental business for conventions in Las Vegas. When 9/11 hit, and again, when the recession tanked the conventions business, she didn't give up, close down, or lay off her people. She taught them not just to rent furniture, but also to manufacture it.
And this President wakes up every morning, looks out across America and is proud to announce, 'It could be worse.' It could be worse? Is that what it means to be an American? It could be worse? Of course not. What defines us as Americans is our unwavering conviction that we know it must be better.
Trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry, trickle-down misogyny, all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America.
China's republican politics is like a child who just started schooling. He must have a good teacher and be surrounded by good friends. By the same token, the Chinese people, new to the republican politics, must be educated properly. The revolutionary government should be the people's tutor to impart advanced awareness and experience.
If you care about women's rights, you can't not vote.
I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work. Of course it doesn't work. We are supposed to work it.
To safeguard democracy the people must have a keen sense of independence, self-respect, and their oneness.
A country survives its legislation. That truth should not comfort the conservative nor depress the radical. For it means that public policy can enlarge its scope and increase its audacity, can try big experiments without trembling too much over the result. This nation could enter upon the most radical experiments and could afford to fail in them.
Government is never more dangerous than when our desire to have it help us blinds us to its great power to harm us.
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