Richard M. Daley quotes

I've given it my all. I've done my best. Now, I'm ready with my family to begin the next phase of our lives. (Richard M. Daley)
I believe the way I describe the problems in Chicago is that it's a metropolitan area. I've said that everywhere. The uneducated child is not just my problem, it's the state's problem. It's also the federal government's problem. View quote
Richard M. Daley
Why should a city be mandated to do something by the federal government or state government without the money to do it? View quote
Richard M. Daley
And the political system is changing rapidly in this country, and we better realize that. The elephants or donkeys are not what younger people look to. They look at individual candidates' philosophy, and I think it's a different time and a different generation. View quote
Richard M. Daley
So you keep raising these taxes, and all of a sudden the business community says, 'Why are we here? We can go someplace else and use their phones.' That's one of the problems that directly affects the business community. View quote
Richard M. Daley
The spirit of the Olympic movement is great for young people because it teaches them about the training and discipline required to compete. Even if they don't make the teams, they can rededicate their lives to the art of sport, discipline, and physical fitness. View quote
Richard M. Daley
I don't fight the suburban areas or collar counties. I get along with them; they're former Chicagoans anyway. View quote
Richard M. Daley
We are going to sign a treaty with Mexico. We are competing internationally. We need another international airport for international cargo, international travel, international businesses. View quote
Richard M. Daley
Well, the problem of the federal government is that they print money and go in debt. That's their national policy, Democrats and Republicans it doesn't matter. And this is where I differ. View quote
Richard M. Daley
It has to be because unemployment problems in northwest Indiana are similar to those in southeast Chicago. View quote
Richard M. Daley
That's an economic development program in the metropolitan area. If they don't see that, and you don't get these things done, then you're competing with Texas and California and Atlanta; then you really have problems. (Richard M. Daley)
In the coming days, I know there will be some reflecting on my time as mayor. Many of you will search to find what's behind my decision. It's simple. I have always believed that every person, especially public officials, must understand when it is time to move on. For me, that time is now. View quote
Richard M. Daley
My dad came out of the Roosevelt era and the Depression. One person and one party made a difference in his life. That's what everybody forgot when they called my father and other people political bosses. View quote
Richard M. Daley
We're competing against other great cities: Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo. That's why it's important that we all join together on the final path to Copenhagen. Having the support of President Obama is key. View quote
Richard M. Daley
I've reached out to other mayors throughout the United States to form an Olympic Task Force of Mayors, and to community leaders, Congress, and businesspeople. As thousands of people around the country join the movement, it gets more and more exciting. View quote
Richard M. Daley
First National Bank laid off 1,000 people; where do they go? There are no jobs for them. So we are having serious economic problems in this country. We are in a real economic crisis. View quote
Richard M. Daley
That area environmentally is a waste. You can't do anything. I don't care if the Sierra Club goes out there. It is fully polluted! You're not only going to work to clean up the environment, but also you will put people to work. View quote
Richard M. Daley
They knew that Roosevelt and the Democratic party made a difference on them, on their quality of life issues, and they believed in that. But today it is completely different. View quote
Richard M. Daley
They really do a disservice because these men and women came out of the Depression, they came out of the war. View quote
Richard M. Daley
I'm one who demands a lot from people. I'm not afraid to look at alternative ways in city government. That's what I've done in my two years and will continue to do in the next four. View quote
Richard M. Daley
And then for the first time in history a Cook County state's attorney was reelected for a third time. (Richard M. Daley)
I enjoy getting things done. My philosophy is the edge, the edge of something. There's where we have to go in local government, in not only the philosophy but the creativity in people around you. They have to go to the edge. View quote
Richard M. Daley
I think the state has some serious problems. Just look at the layoffs going on across the state, not just in Chicago. It affects the middle class. It pushes people down. View quote
Richard M. Daley
I'm the one who gets called up about a problem. I'm the one who gets called up about the street lighting and the abandoned car. I'm the one who gets blamed if the police don't arrive. I'm the one they blame if a city truck is broken down. View quote
Richard M. Daley
People have to be confident about their sites. We're confident, number one, because under my administration we're managing our airports better than we've ever done before. View quote
Richard M. Daley