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First Term Quotes

How early years in office get remembered and judged.

This page gathers quotes about a first term in elected office, from a lawmaker's earmark pledge to broader hopes for peace efforts pursued during that period. Browse related sayings under Believe quotes.

When Ronald Reagan was elected president for his first term in 1980, he received strong support from the so-called Sagebrush Rebels. The Rebels wanted lands owned by the federal government to be transferred to state governments.

Quotes by Steve Hanke

The first term of the Clinton administration was very jolly. Everybody was running around meeting people and of course, in the second term, everyone went down the black hole, which also happened at the end of the Reagan administration.

Quotes by Sally Quinn

During my first term in Congress, I signed a pledge that I will take no more earmarks and I've been faithful to that pledge.

Quotes by Michele Bachmann

I think the Obama administration, whether it's in his first term or second term, is totally committed to the search for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and we greatly appreciate the president's effort, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in...

Quotes by Michael Oren

Appreciate Quotes

President Obama's first term in office has been better for intentions than for actual changes in planning and policy. I do believe, and he has several things to this effect, that he would like to provide universal preschool or at...

Quotes by Jonathan Kozol

The HoLee model was the first term structure model. I remember reading their paper soon after it was published and as it was fairly different from many of the other papers that I had read, I had to read it...

Quotes by John Hull

Very few men are fortunate enough to gain distinction during their first term in Congress.

Quotes by John George Nicolay

People who supported Obama felt like they formed a relationship, that they were being spoken to. The way that campaign worked and the way he's worked during his first term is to make people feel like he's grasping their hand,...

Quotes by James Spader

When I became governor, spending actually increased 28 percent my first term. Revenue increased 42 percent my first term without raising anybody's taxes. We did it because we had more taxpayers with more taxable income. That's how you get the...

Quotes by Haley Barbour

Believe Quotes

I believe that we were not as effective in the second term dealing with this issue of nuclear none proliferation as we had been during the first term when we stripped Libya and Iraq and A.Q. Khan and their capacity...

Quotes by Dick Cheney

There's something about Barack Obama that induces Americans to imagine what they cannot see. The Right envisions a vile socialist, while many on the Left picture an inspired liberal, politically restrained in his first term but now free to pursue...

Quotes by David K. Shipler

One of the things I really learned from my first term is the importance of focusing. In that sense, it is a deliberate effort. What I look at with each vote is that priority of whether it's good for the...

Quotes by Dan Maffei

My top three priorities for my first term in Congress are growing our economy; providing for quality, affordable health care; and keeping our nation and communities safe.

Quotes by Cathy McMorris Rodgers

I loathed my first term boarding at Bryanston school in Dorset. I hated being away from home; I think I had my parents in tears every time I spoke to them. I regret being so spoilt because within two terms...

Quotes by Ben Fogle

Best Quotes

Barack Obama was first elected after a period of profound failure by elite and government institutions, from finance to foreign policy to Hurricane Katrina, and his first term immediately and unapologetically enacted a flurry of government solutions.

Quotes by Ari Melber

I think that President Obama has done the best he possibly could during the first term considering that his opposition was willing to do whatever necessary to destroy him, even if it meant damaging the country in the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these first term quotes discuss?
They reflect on the early years of holding elected office, including pledges made and how those years get judged afterward.
Is a congressional pledge mentioned?
Yes, one lawmaker describes staying faithful to a pledge against taking earmarks made during their first term.
Do the quotes name specific leaders?
The samples reference real officeholders, but this page's own commentary describes first terms in general, neutral terms without taking sides.
Is foreign policy discussed?
Yes, one quote expresses appreciation for continued commitment to a peace process pursued across a leader's terms in office.
Where can I find more quotes about government and public service?
Try Believe and Appreciate quotes for related sayings.

Other entries weigh a first term against its follow-up, and describe how a newly elected leader's early support translated into policy pressure. See also Appreciate and Better quotes.