Quotes About Ethics

Since the 1970s, I have asked students if they would first try to save their drowning dog or a drowning stranger. And for 40 years I have received the same results: One third vote for their dog, one third for the stranger, and one third don't know what they would do.

Once you don't vote your ideals... that has serious undermining affects. It erodes the moral basis of our democracy.

Nobody voted for me on account of my origins. People voted for me because of what I am and what I stand for.

In 2008, as a matter of fact, I had people accusing me of being a Senator Obama supporter because I wouldn't slam him. I said, 'Well, consider the fact that I voted for impeachment for President Clinton, but it wasn't a personal vote. I voted based on the facts and the law and the Constitution and what we were dealing with.'

I always tried to do what I believed is right and I've always voted the way that I believe was the right way for my constituency, and that's what I'm doing when I govern.

I have always voted for who I believed was the best person.

I'll ask the writers' room who they voted for Emmy awards, but I'll never ask who they voted for president.

It strikes me as a sound, honest statement for a prospective voter to say: 'Look, I haven't given this election a minute's thought, and it's just not fair for me to cancel out the vote of someone who actually gives a damn.' Indeed, it's not just sound and honest - it's the ethically responsible thing to do.

Voter confidence depends on the clean elections.

I think for voters what matters is the values that drive the government.

I filed the ethics complaint against Tom DeLay not because I'm a Democrat and he's a Republican or even because he drew me out of my congressional seat but because he engaged in corruption to further his plans to disenfranchise voters in Texas.

A problem with a president who leads by stirring the moral sentiments of voters is that he has got to keep stirring them.

In Gov. Huckabee's case, consistency is seen as principle... and that's incredibly valuable to voters.

He who uses the office he owes to the voters wrongfully and against them is a thief.

I'd much rather face the voters defending what's right and true than to have to explain selling my country and my soul to Donald Trump.

I don't think voters give a hoot about the character of their political advisors, except to the extent that character reflects on the candidates.

I think that that integrity is something that is important to voters.

When Gingrich attacked CNN's John King for bringing up his alleged proposal of an open marriage to his second wife, Gingrich accused him of lowering the level of discourse in a presidential debate, suggesting that such a discussion is unworthy of consideration by voters.

My responsibility is to ask, 'How can I serve my ideology and my voters?'

To bolster his right flank and attract women voters, John McCain had cynically opted for a running mate who was, by any stretch of the imagination, unqualified for a position a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Being the one person out there committed to not running negative ads - voters respond to that.

If you know something damaging about a major political figure, then, in a democracy, it is surely your duty to tell the voters before they go to the polls.

Seeking justice is always our goal, but we see many too willing to circumvent that.

Man should be ever better than he seems.