John F. Kerry Quotes

The problem with the American health-care system that it is not working for the American family.

I'm a Catholic, raised a Catholic. I was an altar boy. Religion has been a huge part of my life. It helped lead me through a war, leads me today.

I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.

We are not interested in a proxy war. Our objective is to change Russia's behavior.

What we do right now, today, matters.

It's one thing to be certain, but you can be certain and you can be wrong.

That is what Americans do. We face a challenge - no matter how great - because we know that on the other side there is always hope.

I am a veteran, I fought in a war. I've been a prosecutor. I've sent people to jail for the rest of their life.

And whatever our faith - whatever our faith, one belief should bind us all: The measure of our character is our willingness to give of ourselves for others and for our country.

I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations.

What remains unchanged is the principle, which is that we do not launch wars without overwelming reasons, and overwhelming alliances, and without overwhelming force.

Jesus did not help just the sick who could afford to pay for it.

What we Americans need to do is respect that incredible blessing that we have as a nation and make sure that we are leading in the best ways possible.

I've been having problems with the right wing lately.

If the choice is one-state, Israel can either be Jewish or Democratic. It cannot be both.

You can't play sports without losing sometimes and, in losing, you learn something about grace and how to act under pressure.

I supported Israel 100 percent as a senator for 28 years and I've supported it 100 percent as Secretary of State.

The future belongs to freedom, not to fear.

If you want to be a Jewish state and you want to remain a democracy, you have to have a two-state solution.

A fundamental premise of politics is we can make this work if people just never figure it out.

We don't need a president who just says, "Gentlemen, start your engines." We need a president who says, America, let's start our economy and put people back to work.

If we don't go far enough fast enough, the damage we inflict could take centuries to undo - if it can be undone at all.

I'm motivated by my passion for our basic values, protecting our interests, and for protecting the future.

I am not a spokesperson for the church and the church is not a spokesperson for the United States of America.

We were sent to Vietnam to kill Communism. But we found instead that we were killing women and children.

We need to talk to all the players in the Middle East, not because we agree with them, but because they play a role.

Those who deny the science or choose excuses over action are playing with fire.

If you don't have two states, you have one state, already the non-Jewish population outnumbers the Jewish population in one state.

The military's job is to win the war. A president's job is to win the peace.

I believe it is both unwise and even wrong to interfere in the affairs of other nations. Indeed, if we are honest, we will see that this is one of the reasons for 9-11.

We still have a lot of work to do to protect our own democracy.

America that has done more to support Israel than any other country cannot be true to our own values if we allow a viable two-state solution to be destroyed before our own eyes.

We should focus more on the things we've accomplished, but I mean, obviously Syria disturbs me greatly and I'm not happy with where Syria is.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

I'm going to be a president who believes in science.

I believe America is safest and strongest when we are leading the world and we are leading strong alliances.

Those who doubted whether Iraq or the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein, and those who believe today that we are not safer with his capture, don't have the judgment to be President.

In order to have the best intelligence in the world to know who the terrorists are and where they are and what they're plotting, you've got to have the best cooperation you've ever had in the world.

If America is at war, I won't speak a word without measuring how it'll sound to the guys doing the fighting when they're listening to their radios in the desert.

America must always be the world's paramount military power. But we can magnify our power through alliances.

I believe America's best days are ahead of us because I believe that the future belongs to freedom, not to fear.

Here I am in the state of New Mexico. George Bush is still in the state of denial. New Mexico has five electoral votes. The state of denial has none. I like my chances.

I mean does Israel want a third Intifada?

It's very hard to get other countries to give up their weapons when you're busy developing a new one.

As the saying goes, I have big heels to fill.

You'd be amazed at the number of people who want to introduce themselves to you in the men's room. It's the most bizarre part of this entire thing.

Our military is overextended. Nine out of 10 active-duty Army divisions are either in Iraq, going to Iraq or have come back from Iraq. One way or the other, they're wrapped up in it.

For those of us who are fortunate to share an Irish ancestry, we take great pride in the contributions that Irish-Americans.

I commanded a naval gunboat patrolling the Mekong Delta. Then when I came home after two tours of duty, I decided that the same sense of service demanded something more of me.

You don't value families if you force them to take up a collection to buy body armor for a son or daughter in the service.