Thomas P. O'Neill

Let us forget the frustrations of the past and think of our unfulfilled potential.

A good lesson in keeping your perspective is: Take your job seriously but don't take yourself seriously.

You better take advantage of the good cigars. You don't get much else in that job.

I certainly tried to make the House a more open and effective place, and I believe I succeeded.

I know the kind of street I'm going down. I know my own strengths and weaknesses.

I intend to be a strong Speaker. I hope to make some imaginative changes around here.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, if you're straight with the press, they'll be straight with you.

I think the speaker of the House in Congress should be like the Massachusetts speaker: all-powerful. He should appoint committee chairmen and remove them if they stray from the party line. He should be answerable only to the caucus, which can remove him at any time. I'd throw the seniority system out on its ear in Congress.

I have a statement on the Social Security. A lot of people approaching that age have either already retired on pensions or have made irreversible plans to retire very soon... I consider it a breach of faith to renege on that promise. It is a rotten thing to do.

In 1977, when I became Speaker, I started meeting with TV reporters each morning when I arrived at work. Later in the morning, I would hold a news conference before the House opened. I always told the truth and almost never answered with 'no comment.'

When I became majority leader in Washington, I was interviewed constantly. I was always happy to talk to the press, but I drew the line at the Sunday morning talk shows on television. After a full work week consisting of long days and frequent late evenings, I insisted on keeping my weekends free for my family and friends.

To this day, I can't understand why the closest man to Jimmy Carter, the key staff guy at the White House, didn't even join us at the White House breakfast meetings where we discussed upcoming legislation with the president. This was unprecedented. People used to say that Jordan was the most brilliant guy around, but you couldn't prove it by me.