Top 35 George Pataki Quotes (2025 Update)

1. “Larry Silverstein has betrayed the public’s trust and that of all New Yorkers.”

— George Pataki

2. “Obviously you follow the law of the land, there are many laws I disagree with, but you follow the law. You fight to change the law, you don’t break the law. I believe that’s the American way.”

— George Pataki

3. “We are one America. If we work together across party lines, there’s no problem we can’t solve and the 21st century will be America’s greatest century.”

— George Pataki

4. “On that terrible day, a nation became a neighborhood. All Americans became New Yorkers.”

— George Pataki

5. “Our decade of change has unleashed the ingenuity, creativity, and character of the most extraordinary people in the world – the people of this state, who come from every corner of the globe.”

— George Pataki

6. “This Budget reflects a choice – not an easy choice, but the right choice. And when you think about it, the only choice. The choice to take the responsible, prudent path to fiscal stability, economic growth and opportunity.”

— George Pataki

7. “What better day to lay the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower than the day our country declared its independence.”

— George Pataki

8. “When government accepts responsibility for people, then people no longer take responsibility for themselves.”

— George Pataki

9. “We know that when people are safe in their homes, they are free to pursue their dream for a brighter economic future for themselves and their families.”

— George Pataki

10. “After September 11th, nations from across the globe offered their generous assistance to the people of New York. And whenever our friends around the world need our assistance, New York is there.”

— George Pataki

11. “The moral equation strongly tells everyone who understands freedom, who understands morality, that Israel is engaging in a just war in defense of its people and its freedom.”

— George Pataki

12. “Baseball is a diversion. It is therapy. It takes peoples minds off of everything that has happened, if just for a while.”

— George Pataki

13. “Israel is a country that respects freedom – freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom of worship.”

— George Pataki

14. “If someone lives in New York, he’s a New Yorker – they are entitled to the best medical system in the world.”

— George Pataki

15. “Let’s make New York the safest state in America – that must be our goal. Let’s achieve it together.”

— George Pataki

16. “I’m here helping Doug Forrester become the next governor of New Jersey.”

— George Pataki

17. “There is no moral equivalency between those who would kill using children, innocent civilians, children and adults, in their homes and in their places of worship, to that of a government that is seeking those terrorists before they can engage in that awful activity.”

— George Pataki

18. “But, you know, all I can do is submit my budget and then make the case to the Legislature to act.”

— George Pataki

19. “After the tragedy, New Yorkers are more united than ever in their vision, as well as in appreciation what living in freedom means – and that if we stand together, we can accomplish anything.”

— George Pataki

20. “Freedom of speech is one of the greatest American liberties, and I hope this pardon serves as a reminder of the precious freedoms we are fighting to preserve as we continue to wage the war on terror.”

— George Pataki

21. “It is a very real concern and my view is that everything changed on September 11th and the procedure, the policies that were in place prior to September 11th no longer should apply.”

— George Pataki

22. “And one of the frustrating parts, but it’s an inherent part of our democracy, is we have separation of powers.”

— George Pataki

23. “Now Mitt is not a perfect candidate. He has a number of problems. It’s hard for him, for blue collar families like mine to identify with him. It’s hard for economic conservatives to identify with him. He needs to do more to reach out to Latinos...”

— George Pataki

24. “Olympics is global competition in which eighty, ninety, hundred, hundred and ten countries participate.”

— George Pataki

25. “Well, I know I worked for Governor Rockefeller the last time he ran for his fourth term, and I obviously ran against Governor Cuomo the time he ran for his fourth term.”

— George Pataki

26. “I’m a Republican who embraces science and understands we have to work with the next generation of millennials to have the innovation and technology so that we can grow a 21st century economy.”

— George Pataki

27. “For the first time federal, state and local bureaus of investigation are coordinating their effort, to serve as eyes and ears and protect us against further attacks.”

— George Pataki

28. “I think there are steps that can be taken that haven’t been required or energy to make that fight more secure and we are going to continue to push the federal government to do that.”

— George Pataki

29. “We need a President that all Americans can respect, not a celebrity who uses words like freedom and liberty like they are a punchline in a reality show.”

— George Pataki

30. “In Washington, when you’re a leader, you have to put aside partisan politics to do what’s right for the people.”

— George Pataki

31. “We have been actively trying to have New York City host the 2012 Olympics.”

— George Pataki

32. “You know, there are some areas of the state that are providing enormous help to their students; there are others where they’re not doing what they can.”

— George Pataki

33. “Israel has always been and must always be America’s strongest ally.”

— George Pataki

34. “I have tremendous admiration for everyone who enters the political arena so long as their goal is to do what they believe is right for the people of New York.”

— George Pataki

35. “The expansion of tobacco cessation centers is an important part of our historic and continuing effort to help smokers quit. The expansion of these centers will give even more New Yorkers the help they need to quit once and for all.”

— George Pataki

36. “Putting Americans at risk for a political reason I think is wrong and I think it’s unfortunate.”

— George Pataki